New-York tribune., 1869-01-02

ductiye in their placer diggings. This valley
is about half mile wide by four or hve long
in it there have been developed fifteen paying
veins of auriferous quartz. These veins vary
in width from ten inches to ninety feet, ana
are mite as variable in their richness through
out their extent some portions beng very
productive, while other portions, near by are
comparatively barren.
Veins from the Mocupio Valley ascend the
high dividing ridge, 800 to 1000 feet, when
separates this valley from the lguana Faley'
and appear the western slope OF the ridge {;
tbis norton of the Iguana Valley being quite
rs rich in veins and mineral as the Mocupio.
The direction of these parallel valleys Is
north east and south west: the water howlng
northeast to find the Yuruari. Considering
these two valleys as one gOld-iield, the held
IL bounded on the east and west by hills
holding blucstone brecciated slates ana quartz
with porphyry in semi-metamorphosed con-
dition. The country rock is mainly talcose,
white. drab, reddish, and mottled III Color
and. so far as seen, highly decomposeu'
Through the country, veins pursue their
course in two grand systems-one northeast
and southwest, cutting the country rock
(Which runs east and west at more or less
ocute angles the other system runs east and
west with the country rock, though varying
several degrees from this direction. Veins
are worked entirely by hand labor, no ma
chinery of any kind being used. Quartz is
crushed in mortars or hammered on stones;
then amalgamated dry with mercury, or some
times with water, and then pressed through
cloth and retorted. No attempt is made to
save the remaining mercury in the retort pro-
cess the retorting being often done in the open
air. Worked in this rude manner, this por-
ton of the god-fcld has been constantly in
creasing its production.
The following statistics may DO interesting;
One mercantile house shipped to Europe. in
1854, StOO,NO; in 1866, SlGj,H0; in 1868,
$9Sl ,42O; and in 1861, $l0j,9S0. The Ger
man merchants of Ciudad Bolivar shipped
in two years and half Sl,7OO,OO0; to
which amount should be added that shipped
to North America, to Dom rara, and carried out
by private hands (say one-third morc), max
ing, in the whole, S2,2G3,333
The mineral right of veins belongs to the
State of Guayana. Rights to work the aurifer-
ous veins on public lands are granted, on con-
ditions of royalty OF 10 per cent being paid
TO the Government. Throughout Venezuela,
and in fact all Spanish America the old mining
laws Of Spain obtain. The right Of access to
veins, wood, building material, and water is
free. Any mans private lands can be de-
nounccd as mineral, and claimed and held as
such if veins are demonstrated to exist there
on and are worked. Local authorities, whore |
veins are found on lands belonging to a puebla |
or village, pay a small annual tribute for use of |
such lands, for buildings, and use of soil, to |
these authorities. The rights of pueblas to the |
soil extends for one league square, measured |
from the Plaza or from the first church erected |
To parties who obtain charters from the Govern
ment exemption from all duties on mining ma
tcrial. exemption from local taxes, military and
naval service, and religious liberation, are
granted THIS gold-feld is situated 200 miles
east from the Atlantic Ocean, and 100 miles
south from the OrnOco River.