Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-09-29
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES OF NICKEL,


As the discovery Of nickel on this coast has
opened new field of mining industry, and
one which has every Indication of becoming
equal to the C0mstock in richness, the
RECORD UNION concluded to gather the
facts. In this discovery, as in hundreds of
other great tinds, these mines have been ~
ing for years within plain sight of stage
road, where people constantly travel, with
out even notice. Many samples of the ore
have been sent to different assayers for cop-
per, but none ever took the trouble to anal7ze
the rock until it was sent to this city. In
1881 ssmples of this ore were sent to Charles
Bell for copper assay. Upon examination it
was found to contain large per cent. of
nickel. More of the ore being secured. it
was analy Zed, proving the first result Upon
this showing, Wm. s. Bell was seut Go dis
cover the locations, and succeed d in ending
the richest and most valuable nickel property
ever discovered. The discovery bsiug kept
IS secret as possible, little Vas known rs to
les extent until recently. The property is
located in the northern portion If Churchill
county, Nsvsds. The property hiss been
well pcospected, and the iargss. bodies OF
this mineral exposed that has ever been
known. The nickel ores Uf Pennsylvania-
average but 2 per cent. They are reduced
upon the ground tn 10 per cent,
and cent to Camden, New Jer-
sey, where they are again reduced
and the metal extrscEed. The nickel found
in Oregon has also been opened, but to what
extent cannot be ascertained. Thirty tons of
the New da nickel was sent to London, which
gradsd 294 per cent. Thsse mines are the
only ones yet discovered that carry uni
formly the three distinct characters, viz {:
Arssniufet, which Is O grayish metallic-red
and arseniste, beautiful apple green and
srsenite. hsying a dark metallic lustHe. As
developments progress the former characters
are merged into the latter, caused by nom
oxidation. Several samples showed the re-
portsrs have sssayed, both by Edwin Booth,
IF San frsncFeo and Charles Bel, Of this
city, G5A and 66f per cent, being the richest
ever discovered Ia che world.
the working of this metal Is but little
known outside Of Camden n. J., where the
process has been Kept secret. However, the
company have succeeded 10 finding parties
who Can handle the ores IS easily as galena,
copper, or gold is worked. A furnace was
erected by L g Smith and CHARLES Bell for
the express purpose of reducing this charac-
ter Of metal, It's construction being different
from gslena or copper smelting. Toe heat
can Ds psrI6CLty DauOA5u ana augmented 10
any degree required. Ia order 20 demonstrates
the difference, We give the degrees of heat re-
quired to melt the following mstals Lead, 620;
anthony. l 100; silver. L S74; gold, 2 065
cast-iron 2, sos, while nickel requires 521
The furnace was started st Q A. NJ, and run
steadily until p. NJ The Stag that was
drawn was thin aud resembled jet, showing
complete separation in the furnace Four
bars of nickel bullion were drawn eff as
easily as lead. Several old smelling men
were present, among them MIR. Baxter.
smslter and Superintendent Of the Central
Pacific Railroad foundry, who expresses sur
prise at ,hs ease this character of metal was
reduced and extracted. There is no doubt
but the furnace Eili be erected upon many of
the rsbelious smelling ores III Arizona, where
so much trouble ia had in reducing, etc.
Samples Of these ores were sent to Professor
Hanks, State Mineraloeist, where they can
be seen in the mining bureau. Edison has
recommended the coating of telegraph wires
with the metal, which prevents oxidation.