New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-11
GOLD IN THE BLACK HILLS.
CHARACTER OF THE MINES.


Black Hills. printed below, describes the
character Of the gold mines of that region,
with the methods by which the gold is OBJ
tanned from the placer mines. The geological
character Of some of the cement deposits is
set forth with the aid Of the new light which
has been thrown on them by biologists.
THE FOUR KINDS OF GOLD MINES.
TIE FAscISATfNG PURSUIT OF GUIcH MINING N
IT'S VARIOUS FORMs-THE QUARIZ AND CEMENT
DEPOSITS.
lFEoN a STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUSE.l
DEADwoOD. D. T.. July 31.-The gold mines
of the Black HIS are of several varieties, al Of
which, as far a. have been able 20 learn by 0bseT-
yation and inquiry, may be included in the follow
ing classes: !. Placers ?. Quartz veins between
slate walls. 8. Quartz veins between porphyry
walls 4. Cement deposits. placer is deposit
Of sand gravel, bOuders aud loose rock containing
particles Of free gold which has been washed down
from the hills by creek or rlver and which is now,
OF was at some former time, part Of the bed Of
stream. Placers are Of two knds-wet and dry. 4
vet placer is one through which stream still flows;
a dry placer is one from which the water has dis
appeared or flows only for short time after heavy
rains. PlaceIs are discovered either by finding
nuggets Of gold in or near the bed
of a st1cam, Of by prospecting With
pan. miner who suspects that gulch
may possibly contain gold digs up a couple
Of spadesfu Of the gravel, puts the dirt
IN a sheet-lrOn pan, similar In size and shape
10 a milk-pan, and holding ii in running
water shakes it constantly. The water carries off
the earth and small stones. the larger stones are
picked out by hand and the gold. which is the
heaviest substance, sinks to tie bottom. BY care
ful washing, the yellow dust can be completely sep
and ~ b-1tt ha Il
generally expedited by mixing quicksilver with the
sand anu goiddust that settles in the bottom Of the
pan. Tue mercury Of course amalgamates with
the gold leaving the other substances tree, and the
gold is then easily separated from the quicksilver
by heating It IN a retort.
The number Of "cOlorsD or the amount Of gold
which painful Of gravel contains, shows the value
Of the placer If the miner finds 10 cents worth Of
gold IA his pan, the mine viii Just about pay fair
wages for working, unless there unusual obstacles
to overcome which increase the labor and expense
of mining. Three men take out from $50 to
SO day from a placer that prospects 10 cents.
The richer the mine, of course the more profitable
viii its working be. The gold is not generally dis
tributed over a placer deposit with anything like
regularity Some parts of the gravel may be barren,
while others are very rich. The latter are called
"pav streaks,7 and are often the only part Of a
placer mine which it Is profitable to work. Some
times the pay streak Is found many feet below the
surface and extending for some distance beneath
the banks of the stream. In such cases, 10 avoid
the expense Of moving the great mass Of worthless
earth that lies above it, shaft is sunk, and tunnels
from the bottom Of the shaft are driven in it. The
auriferous gravel thus obtained is ho.sted 10 the
surface and he gold washed ont of II.
When a placer mine Of promising character has
been discovered its boundaries marked and the
facilities for working taken into considera-
ton. A placer claim in the Black Hills extends
800 feet along the Quieh and " from rim TO RIM"
that is, 70 tie point on each side Of the stream
where the rock mas not been disturbed by the
rent. Water is an essential in placer mining;
without il the gold cannot be separated from the
gravel. For this reason dry placers rarely Of
much value; they are absolutely worthless unless
they are rich enough 70 warrant the expense of
bringing water To them from distant streams I'm
bitches and fumes, OF 70 pay for hauling the dirt in
wagons to some creek or river. Wet plaeors are,
therefore the Only that worked durlug the
early history of gold mining district. II stream
runs through placer the water or part Of it. Is
taken our 1t point just above where il is proposed
TO work in a s!uice-box which Is a wooden trough
about a foot wide and set upon movable supports.
On the bottom Of this pieces Of board al inch or
two vide are nailed at right angles 10 lis length,
each alternate one having row of augur holes
bored in n. These called rifles Tie sluice-
box is set at an incline Of from SIX TO twelve inches
IN twelve feet of length and q little mercury Is
placed at the bottom on the upper sides OF the
rifles The water Is then turned in, and the auIif
erous gravel is shoveled into the sluce-box. The
momentum Of the water carries down the gravel, but
the particles Of gold. being heavier sink to the
bottom, are caught by the rifles and held by the
quicksilver. man at the lower end OF the suice-
box shovels away the taililgs" or gravel that has
passed through and been deprived OF us gold. The
digging extends to bedrock and from rim to rim.
Although no better method Of working placer
mines has beer~d.scovered, that which l have de-
scribed is far from perfect. Many OF the particles
of gold are 0xidized on the outside, making 1t i'm
possible for the quicksilver to amalganlate with
them and they are carried the rifles and lost
especially when the Miners in order TO wash out as
much dirt possible in a day, set their suiee-
boxes at TOO sharp an angle At this point the work
of the Cinnamon comes IN. After the pay streak in
a placer has been entirely worked out by white
men. four Cinnamon will take 1t, pay the owner q
royalty of 80 cents day each, 81, for the priv
ilege of working over the tailings. and by patieLt
and careful labor VIII earn from 81 to 81 so a day
apiece.
Hydraulic mining Is resorted to where the old bed
of the stream was lar mp the mountain side and
rich placer deposits have been left above the pres
emf level Of the creek forming part Of the hill To
work such deposits waterIs taken out Of a stream at
A high elevation aud brought in a ditch or hume TO
the vicinity Of the mine, but TO a point above II.
Passing then through strong hose 1t issues from the
nozzle with tremendous force and this stream being
directed against the side of the hill washes It away
with great rapidity The gravel thus taken down
Is washed in sluice-bozes In the manner have de-
ID