Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-18
CHE family Circle.
How to Search for Metals.

posture, or after being dipped in vinegar
are almost invariab y green on the surface
They are most abundant near trap-dykes
The pyrites are generally found in leac
mines, and in granite and clay slate. Cop
per very rarely occurs in new formations
as along the Atlantic and Gulf borders
and in the Mississippi valley south o
Cairo.
For Lead.-Lead is seldom discovered
| in the surface soil. 1t is also in vain to
look for it in the coal region and along
the coast. 1t must be sought in steep hills
| in limestone or steep rocks. A surface cut
by frequent ravines, or covered by vegeta-
ton in lines, indicates mineral crevices
The galena from the slate is said to con-
tain more silver than that from the lime
stone. The purest specimens Of galena are
poorest in silver; the small veins are rich
est in the more precious metal. A lead
vein is thicker in limestone, thinner in
sandstone, and thinnest in slate.
For SIUer.-This metal is usually
found with lead ore and native copper
States and sand-stoneS intersected by ig-
neous roeas, as trap and porphyry, are good
localities. Pure silver is often found in
or near iron ores and the dark brown zinc
blend The Colorado silver lodes are por-
Gus at the surface and colored more or
less red or green. Any rock suspected of
containing silver should be powdered and
dissolved in nitric acid. Pour off the
liquid and add to it solution of salt.
If "a white powder falls to the bottom,
which upon exposure turns black. there is
silver in it. Silver increases in value as in
depth, whereas gold diminishes as we de-
send.
For Gold.-The paying localities of
gold deposits are the slopes of the Rocky
and Allegheny Mountains Gold need
not be looked for III the anthracite and
bituminous coal fields, nor in limestone
rock. 1t is seldom found in the beds of
rivers. The thing itself is the surest indi
cation of its existence. II soil or sand is
washed and the particles of gold are not
heavy enough to remain at the bottom,
but float away, the bed will not pay
Among the streams rather high up in
the mountains, and in the gravelly drift
covering the slope of the valley below, are
the best prospects. Where the stream
meets an obstacle in its path, or makes
bend, or has deep holes, there we may look
for pockets of gold, Black or led
sands are usually the richest, Gold bear
ing rock is slate or granite Astounding in
rusty looking quartz veins, the latter con-
tanning iron pyrites or cavities. Almost
all iron pyrites and silver ores may be
worked for gold. When the quartz veins
are thin and numerous, rather than mas
slve, and lie near the surface, they are con-
sidered most profitable. Few veins can
be worked with profit very far down As
traces of gold may be found everywhere,
no one should indulge in speculation be-
fore calculating the percentage and the
cost of extricatlon. Gold hunting, after
all, is lottery, with more blanks than
prizes.
For substance most frequently mistaken
for gold are iron pyrites, copper pyrites
and mica. The precious metal is easily
from these by its maIleability
ihattening under the hammcr) and its great
weight, sinking rapidly in water.
For Hon.-Any heavy mineral of
black, brown, red or yellow color may be
suspected to be iror. To prove it, dissolve
some in oil of vitrloI and pour iu an intu-
sion Of nut gall or oak bark if it turns
black, iron is present. If a ton of rich
magnetic ore costs more than 81 at the
furnace pood hematita moro tb.n 60 md
poor ores more than $50 or 81, they are
too expensive to pay, unless iron is unu,
sually high. Deep mining for iron is not
prhotable. Generally speaking, a bed of
good iron oar, foot thick, will repay the
cost Of stripping it of soil, ETC., twelve feet
thick. Red and yellow earths, called
ochers, contain iron. Magnetic ore is
easily found by Unde rground
Treasures, By Prof. Orion.