The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1866-12-08

SILVER AND GOLD IN GALENA, ETC
DR.. Perry in one of his lectures on Chem
ical Geology, (Chem. Neans,) makes the
following statements on this subject:
/ was speaking to you on the last oc-
casion of the sulphide of lead, galena,
and showed you specimen of it beau
tifully crystalized by the agency of heat
alyne. also gave you, think, conclu-
sive reason to infer that sulphide of lead
may be crystalized, and very well crys-
talized too, by the action of liquids. The
proof consisted in the fact of galena oc-
curing in nodules of clay iron ore--a
condition under which it is impossible
that it can be the result of igneous ac-
ton. se-r.
There are one or two other points con-
corning the sulphide of lead which is
very interesting. l refer to the constant
association Herewith of certain very i'm
portant metals: mean silver and gold.
1t may be laid down as universal pro
position, without any exception so far as
is known, that all galena contains silver
all. There are varieties which contain
very small quantity of silver, and which
are therefore said to be poor" still, If
search be made for the metal, even in
the poorest kinds you never fail to OBJ
tain not only traces, but far more than
| traces, of silver. The silver in the sui
| phide of lead must, of course, exist as
sulphide of silver. Galena is source of
very large supply of silver in different
parts of the world. 1t may be laid down
also, not merely as general rule, but |
believe, as universal proposition, that
all galena contains gold-all galena.
Some years ago my friend on my right,
Mr.. Smith, and myself set to work to ex-
anime this point, and we made great
many determinations with respect to the
presence of gold in the ore of lead and in
various commercial compounds of lead
Forty specimens or more were examined
and every one yielded palpable, visible
] unmistakable traces of gold. Still, the
quantity of gold is SO small as to be ut
terly worthless in a commercial point Of
\ view. Here are evidences of these facts
Every single specimen of gold extracted
in these experiments has been carefully
preserved in hermetically sealed tubes
and the condition specified. 1t requires
rather careful manipulation. There il
, nothing added in the way of chemica,
re-agent, which might vitiate the result
The process consists of taking the com
, pound of lead and simply submitting i
to the well known operation called Gu
pelation by which silver is extracted
, from gold There remains behind yer,
: small globule of silver, and in that glob
: ule we are enabled to detect the gold b,
{ the simple action of silvent of silver
nitric acid, which leaves the gold. /
> has to be taken up with great care an,
transferred to piece of blotting paper
1t is afterwards gummed on piece o
: paper and then FURNISHED, when tn
: characteristic color of gold immediatel
3 appears. 1t is a remarkable circumstanc
Q not only that gold is detected in the OF
!. of lead, but also in various commercia
2 compounds of lead-white lead, red lead
: sugar of lead nay, we may have eve
: gone further, and found it in lead fumt
= that lis, the smoke that ia volatilized fror
i, lead in the process of extraction. w
may, shcn, i think, safely conclude tina
+ lead contains always silver and gold
y Perhaps you may object to the dedat
+ tion with regard to gold rs not bein
d sufficiently supported. ltis founded o
81 forty examinations under various cond
n tions- At all eYents the proof is strong
| if not conclusive.