The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-13
Mining in Colorado.

When the public attention was
drawn, in the Spring Of 1864, 10 the
value Of mining properties in Colorado
Territory, the history Of the discovery
| OF Sold IN that region, aud the oondi.
ton Of the mines at that period was inn
perfectly understood The first discOv-
cry Of Gold in Colorado was made in
the summer of 1858, by Mr.. Gregory of
Georgia, who found a crevice contain
ing DIRT largely impregnsted with the
precious metal, which was obtained
simply by sluicing, panning, and some
times by the old spanish Rrastra Be
low this dirt the discoverer came 10
quartz containing Gold and, in order
10 work this, stamp mills, such as
are stih in Use in that country, were
found necessary. This quartz was fol-
lowed for a distance OF 80 feet to so
feet, and in some places 100 feet; when
the vein became charged with Sui
phurets of Iron and COpper-Which, in
fact, Is the real character Of the veins
in this country. At this point it was
discovered that the yield in the stamp
mills fell of TO such an extent SIS in
many instances TO be no longer proiita-
bic. The system Of mining adopted
was very imperfect being nothing
more than by open cuttings; little
attention being paid 10 the support
OF the walls Of the vein; such portions
merely Of the ore being raised to the
surface as experience proved would
yleld paying Quantities Of Gold in the
mill In this way, these open cuttings
became very unsafe to work in, and
were liable to inundation from the sur
face-water during wet seasons. This
peril suspended operations in many IN
stances; and this was particularly the
case when the miners came down 10
the Sulphurets of Iron and Copper,
which il was found would rarely yield
much Gold BY any known process Of
Assays, however, show I
ed that the precious metals exist I
larger quantities than in the sur
ed in the sulphuret ores in even
face quartz; but, mechanically com
oined, and in such minute atoms, that /
no pulverizing, however fine, could lib
crate il in form 70 be taken up by /!
quicksilver Any ordinary process Of |
it is found, will disengage the |
sulphur, and, by oxidizing the ore, ron |
der the mechanical separation Of the |
Gold more easy.
Among others, Mr.. Lyon OF Colorado |
has recently adapted the process of |
smelling to these ores, it is understood, |
with much success, obtaining yield Of |
from so TO s. per cent Of all the gold |
and silver shown to exist by FIRE as
say, and his confidence is eVinced by |
the erection of smelling works on a /
very extensive scale,
Many of the mines in Colorado arc |
now being put into a condition for I
mining on a correct system, by proper !
sinking shafts on the veins, |
driving levels, and filling in these open /
cuttings or diggings, thus rendering the
operation Of taking down the vein at |
great depths a safe and easy one Large |
Cornish pumps have been put down in |
these shafts, which easily keep them /
dry from the natural infltration of
water, and, with these improvements
in mining, which have taken the past
summer to effect, the mines Of Colorado
will soon be in a condition TO raise very
large quantities of ore yielding from
500 to $500 per ton and with the im-
proyements also in handling the ore,
such as dressing it, OF freeing il from the
guangue or veinstOne, leaving nothing
but the pure mineral to be treated, we
may hope for returns of bullion from
Colorado which will place that State in
the first rank as producer Of the pre-
eious metals