, 1864-02-25

1ufe 1tUn Old compact limestone OF Er4nl1e 10 tue
ye,y mud Of existing fiverB-thcJ are susceptible
OF avery simple classification. For the sake Of
simplicity two ideal divisione may be improvised,
being, fret, I'LL thoeo deposits found IN the igne-
Gus rocks, or, indeed. amy beds that have been
altered BY the action OF fire, and in the second
plnce, of the gold that exists In strata where Its
presence Ia dIe 10 aqueous agency, Tho gold Of
the frst class generally exists in large vcins of
igneous rock, suchas quartz, which run through
o. nc1oEe the strata in perpendicular or. highly
lar in form and are come few feet IN thickness.
Sometimes however they differ IN appearances,
and cous1et more Of q number Of large Irregular
verge IN all directions. These massea are ffe-
quenls many yards ac1oss, and at times the quartz
IN such quantities as to make what might al11oss
E t1se s & 9ha found il s
rrni1sa. -t.s ~ mineral, and In d state OF al
sI ~eslabie nn lhc5 dEiade doSn to s ieasp San th
thickness OF pasteboard. The manner in which
The metal exists in the quartz ia various. Some
timer It is In extremely smhl partcIes, ra1nate
bet 70 numerous that some specimens Of this kind
| Of rock from California, when crushed to powder
asd tre.ted r. with qnIsssilver, yielded sufficient
expense ofthc operation, even where the p1.lcles
OF metal were SO small not only to be invisible
to Tie naked eye, but even 10 the ere when aided
BY stroIg lens.
Much more frequently, however, the gold is in
nfgef Takes Or gralns scattered pretty generally
n1h1ouEho1n Tie sts he quart has
eaSes q 1he sed u i0s fae Mhos y sSs
ns lee Ea ae Rsi%, Il
which the mctal p:rtakes 70 closely o! tho
elepc Of the oElace,- gir;ng rise 10 the erro-
4scn" 7niv lie holes When In 4 mei;od State
el:S1ts arc also oand il
which hare become metamo7phoeed, losing thelr
aqueous characteristics, By the action O! snbtcr-
4 remarkable example Of this kind Is to be seen
In the California Region OF the road between So
Iora md Murphys, where the metal Is found In
blue clay lining the assures Of compact mota-
enrre arc nearly thirty teet in depth and are 80
numerous that tic strata seems ho!owed cat into
iElumc1sble caves 80 Irregular In appearance that
lie Feen tupF Forted upon small npices. These re-
u,ar9zhle caxits= arc supposed to lave been tosm-
cd n the in1l:.anon Of some solvent which chem
icaf}r dissolved away tho scbs1ance OF tho F0:k
before the deposition Of tho aurlferous contents.
But by far ths most tmpoEiant deposits Of the
&c said 10 include ali tbs gold found IN Ter Ter
1lar5 o. post tertiary strata, and also thoss nne
dust deposits extracted from 1lycr hcda IN gold
der lhesc circumstances has identieally the same
origin Of that before described but since It's orig
tual precipitation II las been considerably altered
by tho action Of wafer being carried By streams or
local dc1uges sometimes great distances, and dc
posted ii beds differing widely from those in
which It WIS originally created. There are few
ton exercised ry all moving water on taa land In
its vicinity; how tho rocks on the eea sho:e gro
hEoEen up and erambled 70 pieces hy the wa7cs,
w1tencG eEd strzish;ened bT The current.
1here is not stre.ln that How, or crea =
shower Of rain that fai'z, Int exercises this vear
pile Of brcken rocks IN 7aans pl.ees Of ths SEA
shore, or In the very muddyinx OF lac H:reanlets
md ponds alter snnmcr'e shower. It was these
cal forces were much more vigorous and powerful
in lhctt ninuifeetatiou, that produced the drift
Eo1a beds tue "a st.ata containing tle MEAL were
frem the hcsrfcr rocks to form xylt light looss
deh!7s-thc fresh nustfcrous Rtrata. The diEescu-
ces In the varieties Of deposits are simply prodac-
Cd By blight changes In tho manner ol prec:p1t1-
lion, and are all readily accounted for. Whca ".
And the dr1ft to be composed OF coarge bou.der
HE stones, well water worn, and containing
nc1aI. it is supposed to hare beco prec,pl-
sn;cd from come ancient rtser where the dehds
Eonll be necessarily much marked By
Frequently, nlso these deposits seem to have boon
formed b water not confined to river channels,
a,ut eoveT extensive basin shaped dspressioas. as
are liner In composlIon they may have beca pre-
eirltAied frem still water ponds or lekcs. All
thcec varieties Of action were probably In full vlsor
ages before the time Of uan aud present, organ
1sm.; but the sanc agenaes are now working,
tending Just Us surely and steadily to modify IL
earth'a rnrtace. In rhe ncighi.orhood Of all gold
tain in their muddy sediment quantities OF the
nIe d1et OF the precious metal md these deposits
which form enCh an important consideration to
the gold teckcr, are washed BY the stream from
beds containing the orc. suca nre the principal
circumstances under which the metal exists in
those regions where It has been discovered in any
Quantities. Regarding theappca1ance OF The rocks
themselves forAd in aurfcrous districts little need
be raid; they are somewhat various IN struc-
.nIs, though generally they can be readily dlstin.
The tgneonslr formed rocks, tacose and clay
elateR are Of frequent occurrence while the aque-
ouElJ composed, tertiary drift Il also strikIng1y
noticeable. As general znle the strain are con-
pications all tending to show the y,gorre actions
10 which they have been subjected. In many
places maeses Of iGneous rocks are forced through
the EfdtMcnsnry strata, metamophoafnH the beds
and DESTROYING al their old CHARACTERISTICS by
destroying al fose'ls Or forras Of life, and con
limestone or even marble. These int1uded rocks
which were thrust through the strata In molten
state are generally either trap, greensboro ser
pentine, and arc all easily recognized by their
The successful miner is not necessarily scieu-
ti1 ;e man, but none will deny that lack Of scien-
tsia S knowledge lies ut the root Of the numerous
t1nSdes Which betail explorers OF previously un
M IN Glons n mechanics and tic arts as well
of the gold nay renu,Fa nd.
tasons 70 their practical npnlicsti,n hnt n +heir
mine. ana tse ase With The coal
long since learned 10 look ppon ass ueLale nave
sa!uane aaanct in their 1esearehes Ths 1n As
Ger VIII IND 1t Q! no less impqrtance e So.a 0ls-
operation Of the lava, md aro under the
equally susceptible Of scientific detes@tnseiaoentlZ
discovery. '1AAA1e4on and