South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-02

gain 10 its surface in tho form of
springs. The first thing to DO observ-
ed is the rainfall passing into the rocks.
Rain penetrates moro than twenty
miles into the crust of tho earth it
dissolves substauces-ore rs well rs
sugar. when we wish to extract the
silver, we add salt and bluestone-
every substance can be dissolved in
the water, even the quartz; limestone
is readily dissolved. Rain water in
passing through the earth takes up
minerals-lime, iron, potash, etc
which are deposited in the interior O!
the earth, and then return again in
the form of springs. The rainfall is
pure, but the springs are not pure, for
they have taken up these mineral sub
stances in the earth. Air also circu-
lates in the earth; it takes up oxy-
gen and nitrogen. When these COM
bine with solid rock, the rock is said
TO be hydrated. This air is passed
upward through the rocks as the W..
ter passes downward. These form
springs.
In addition 10 water and gas, the
earth has u circulation of solids; sea
waves beat on the rocks and wear
them away where those particles are
coarse,we have pebbles; where small
er, we have coarse sand; smaller yet,
mud, portions OF limestone. Sea bea-
ches are found in the mines of Tomb
stone.
When these particles are first worn
OFT they are borne away-the finest
particles borne far away, and called
shale. In the mines of Tombstone
are found limestone, quartz, and
shale: which proves that where we
now stand, on the hills Of Tombsto
1t was once deep water.
This history of rocky sea cliff is
the history of whole world. The
world was originally composed of gas,
much heated and then cooled, Xix @ the
volcanoes of tho present day, where the
top goes to the bottom and the bot
tom comes TO the top.
No one has ever seen the original
earth. 1t cooled gradually from n
gas TO solid. In this way the che
mists tries to obtain pure water: He
takes water rs pure as he can find it,
heats it, tEen cools the steam and re-
peats the process until he gets pure
water. In this way quicksilveris pur.
flied, and camphor gum So, gas
will condense into solid, and q sol
Ill MAY be heated until it becomes d
gas.
This earth was once gas, heated
and then cooled, until it became sol.
I'd. 1t is by these calculations of wa.
ter aud air that the ores are collected
together and found in one place. II
We were to see the original earth, un-
acted upon by the Calculations which
have attempted TO explain to you,
we should find the quantity of metals
IN rock very, very small.
AT Comstock Lodge, Nevada, are
found volcanic rocks which contain
% per cent silver, and gold a. per
cent. So in the eruptive rocks OF
Leadvlilc, Colorado, the proportions
OF gold and silver have been found to
be similar. The geologists have been
able to show how many tones OF rock
must have been dissolved to give this
per cent of precious metal. The wa
tiers found holes, or crevices, where
they could deposite the metals they
| had taken up, all of which are not
deposited $500 feet or one mile below
the surface OF the earth 80 that mining
for these metals will not be carried
any farther than one mile below the
earth's surface, though the water pene-
trates 20 miles into the earth the
deeper the water goes the more the
pressure, aud when you increase the
pressure you must increase the power
OF solution; releasing the pressure al
so releases the metals; the waters
passing through the rock a.e forced
now slowly, now more rapidly, aud
when sucn waters reach the crevices
there IL much less speed Of the waters.
and the metals are deposited there.
In regard 10 the deposition of ores,
scientists show US that the rocks have
been acted upon again and again BY
water, and in this way the ore is col
lected. 1t is difficult TO distinguish
the age Of The rocks, but they have
shown where the first concentration Of
the metals in the oldest rocks known
\ gave q yield Of only-halr cent 10 the
ton. The part Of the circulation
which collects metals il called the
junction OF tue circulation.
No one knows why the precious
metals are deposited in veins or in
beds; but one thing can be Shown
that where the: c ores are found there
arc eruTtive rocks. In the western
part OF our country this is especially
/ true.
Where moi only shales but bikes
arc found, where melted rock has
been forced TO the surface, but
/ by the action OF water has been
carried beneath the surface which
shows eruptiyc forces at work,
so il is in the hills OF Tombstone
forces as simple as the ordinary forces
that work in every houseEecper' g
/ Kitchen or chemist's lahorasnry r.