Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-01-22
Notes for Prospectors

There are many men now engaged In
the search for valuable mines. There can
ne M douot that such mines exist and II
the 'Ahors Of those men are rightly directed
the mines ~ill be sooner found. The pros-
Pectors III Maine ere now searching for
Yold. silver aud copper. Most Of them are
poor men who cannot afford to psy for
many assays aud II their nrsf ventures are
unsuccessful they must become speedily
discouraged aud their search come To an
cod.
Even u they get encouragement from as
says reporting high yields. they may be
mis'ed asd noaiiy fall Of success; for the
assay represents ooty the yield OF that
piece vi rock sssayed.
To have valuable mine there must De
not onlv ore. hut much ore. A large de-
post 81 poor ore may be valuable, . ANAL
amount Of rich ore worthless. For these
reasons II appears desirable that some In.
formation should he given to enable them.
a. far "a possible. tn Judge Tor them selves
where they stand
IL cannot b~ supposed that the prospec-
tor can make Away. to arrive nj the GUAM
thy OF w-,sl I'D given mineral; that re-
quir~s long training and much apparatus /:
hut there seems to be . chance that intel
lty.nt Americans can learn . few qusiits-
tive tests. to determine that certain met =
are present; or to discriminate Q few min
erals with moderate certainty.
There IL word also 10 say for the chem
i~t or sssayer. We are compelled day
amer day to assay samples and report no
Weld; II 10 \ pleasure TO report Q high re-
turn and oftener pain to take money from
one who can III afford IL, Ia return for the
destruction OF his hopes
do not thins Il is generally known, even
among chemists. that an easy qualitative
test for gold ore exists. I refer to that Of
Mr.. Skew. Analyst to the Geological Sur
vcy Of New Zealand. II even affords a
rough guess At the quantity present while
It's delicAcy 10 such that " often enables one
to get test and = decisive one from the
rock around the vein.
shall nov describe Il. The requisi,se
are, Aniron mortar End pcstle. 4 line sieve.
best made BY knocking the top and bou ON
oot Of strawberry box and It's cover. then
stretching over the box . One silk sieye
cloth; even a line muslin will suffice. Then
put the cover rim on the boz Of or the cloth
To hold IL A bottle Of tincture OF bromine
o: iodine IL needed and a sheet OF otter
paper that will burn to pure white ash In
an alcohol fame. A little vial 10 which to
shake the mixture. An alcohol lamp for
oS'"'"k WIG psFNas ~ bitiS tut1 porcelain
crucible to burn II In. wire triangle
with the ends turned down for legs. hold,
the crucible while burning. Auy apo,h-
ecary has the entire apparatus and can
make the ties, II he has = suitable nlter pa
per.
First, the supposed ore must he crushed
and roasted. as the ores are often hard and
tough. 1t Ia hard to get nue powder Pot
the lump OF ore 10 the stove tilI dull red
only. then throw IL into cold water. Iris
then readily powdered 10 the iron mortar.
II Is best to hea, in . cool part OF the stove
first, and then put In . warmer part so tina,
the piece OF ore Ia dull red throughout. If
the heat Is too high . partial fusion NAV
occur and lock up par, Of the gold
Dry the coarse powder In the oven and
mix we'll, then take a part say q table
spoonful aud powder and sift iii 1t has all
gone through the sieve. Take a teaspoon
tut OF this Pc sder on = dry brick "A clean
piece OF sheet iron will do-snd hea. 1t In
the steve to dull red. In = thin layer, until
ali the sulphur Ia burnt o6, II there Is any,
and any iron present Ia the rock has be-
come peroxidiIed; . few minutes a. . dull
red II the layer IL thin enough.
Then put this roasted ore In the shaking
vial With enough weak tlncture Of bromlne
or iodine 10 cover 1t aud little over Shake
IL well for = couple OF minutes and let |,
settle. Wet piece OF the litter paper with
the clear supernatant liquor. let IL dry,
twist /. up. put 1t In the little porcelain
crucible and tina, on the wire triangle
tripod aud heat over the alcnhol lamp to
redncss. The piece of paper must be no
larger than the thumb. II the ash Is pur-
pie, gold Ia probably present In workable
quantity; At least twenty dollars ton. A
dull color may result from poor and In
complete roasting or bad paper. or half
burning. 10 test that the purple color Is
gold and not due to these causes. cool the
crucible aud put In Q li,tle weak tincture of
Iodine or bromine IL It Is the gold tina gave
the purple it will lose that color As the gold
again dissoives. Il Is not . bad plan to
begin by burning paper few times to
make sure you can handle that part OF the
process. Then powder some glass. or
granite, ~ tina. Is not likely to Contain
gold, though II occasionally does. and go
through the whole operation. You should
then get . white ash. Repeat this after
mo,stenin. your powder with = little cop
peras In watery solution. roast this and go
through the operation. You will learn
thus TO recognize the iron color coming
from imperfect roasting. When you can
get white ash you arc able to test for
gold.
II the test be shaken repeatedly and Al
lowed to stand, Il becomes more delicate
IL the paper before burninG 10 repeatedly
dipped and dried. the delicacy Is Increased.
BY care IL may be made TO show fifty cents
worth Of gold to the ton ot ore. / advise
the use OF tincture Of bromlne Is It costs
iess than Iodine and works better and
faster. The bromine should be kept out
OF the gay OF children and care should be
taken not to get it into the eyes.
CHARLES f.. AVERY.