Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-05-18

DIAMONDS IN TRINITY.-Mr. VIM.
Ritterbush, of North Fork, handed us
the following clipping this week. twas
published in the JOURNAL about eight
years ago, but as many Of our present
readers did not see it then and many who
did will be glad to read it again, we give
it a place:
An interesting article appeared in the
American supplement OF the Chemical
NeWS, Tor November, 1869. ON the oc-
currence OF diamonds in the native plat.
mum OF Oregon. The communication
Is OF high authority, being from the pen
OF Prof. +. Wohler, of Gottinget.- :
After removing gold, platinum, CHI omic
IRON, silica, ruthenium, ETC., by the US
uaI methods, he examined the residue
mlcroscopically, and observed colorless,
transparent grains, which he presumed
to De diamonds. Subsequent com bustion
IN oxygen and precipitation of solution
OF baryta by the csrbonc acid evolved.
convinced him chat the microscopic
crystals were true diamonds. This tact
Is an extremely important one to the
inhabitants Of the Pacific coast. Ii is
probably known to all the gentlemen
present that diamonds have been found
IN several localities in California.
The new discovery confirms the
opinion of experts, who have held that
diamonds might be found in paying
quantities IN our State. | have brought
some of this pIantinum sand for the
inspection OF the society. have myself
long since observed these crystals under
the microscope without suSpectirg their
nature.
Platinum, with iridium and associa.
ted metals, is found in considerable
quantities in Trinity county. At HAY
Fork, considerable stream in that
county, all the gold round is more or
less mixed with the plantinum metals :
SO much SO that dealers deduct two dol
lars per ounce from the price paid else
where for gold dust. AT North Fork,
Trinity river. platinum is found in less
quantities, but in larger pieces. One
was once offered for sale in Marysville
which weighed over two and half
ounces troy.
Although Platinum is found in the
river beds and on the banks of the
streams, yet in the so called "hin
claims" about half mile from the
river, no trace OF that metal has been
found. In Lower Trinity, near its june
ton with the Klamath, platinum abounds
in very tine particles and it is with
this finely divided platinum that Prof
Wohlcr discovered diamonds.
The metal is so abundant that the
miners have the utmost difficulty in
-.4f, ia i
iicles are 50 extremely fine that they
can hardly be distinguished from the
black sand which accompanies the gold
Heretofore no effort has been made TO
place the platinum in the market, ex-
cept the sending to San Francisco OF
one hundred ounces or more, year or
two ago. Il could probably be sent to
Europe to advantage. In Salmon river
1t is also found. In fact it is common
i'm ,hr beds Of the stream. in Si.kiyou,
Trinity, Klamath and Del Norte, comn
ties. The attitude of Trinity is about
3, 500 feet. No search has ever been
made for precious stones in this region
that | am aware of, except by Mr.
Nolcross, who claims TO have found
rubies and opas.
Miners are not generally familiar with
the appearance of diamonds in the
rough state. and would most likely
mistake them if found, for chalcedony
or some similar mineral. If in crystal
form, it would be to them crystal
only-interestng for the moment, to be
soon thrown aside as useless. | have
heard of It case where beautiful crys-
tai, supposed to be a diamond, being
tonnd in some placer mine in Caliior-
mia, was put to the following test 1t
was placed on an anvil and struck n
heavy blow with n sedge hammer, it
being assumed that the diamond being
the hardest OF known substances, could
not be broken. 1t is, perhaps, unneces-
sNry to saw that the character Of the
crystal stIll remains unknown.--ScW
Francisco Alta.