The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-05-24
THE ORIGIN OF ORE.

TO the pupils OF the puDlic schoois In
Tombstone, Arizona:
No one has ever seen ore in process of
formation, but something has been
learned of its formation, and l will try
and tell you how it is deposited in Tomb
stone. In the human frame there is a
circulation of blood passing from the
heart through the system and back to
the heart. In plants there is circula-
tion of the sap; the earth has its circula-
tion-water comes to it, passes through |
it, and rises again to its surface in the
form Of spfings.@ The first thing to be
observed is the rainfall passing into the
rocks. Rain penetrates more than
twenty miles into the crust Of the earth:
it dissolves substances-ore as well as
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 of the earth) and then returns
in the forms of springs. The rainfall is
pure, but the springs are not pure, for
they have taken up these mineral sub
stances. Air also circulates in the earth;
it takes up oxygen and nitrogen. When
these combine with solid rock, the
rock is said to be hydrated. This air is
passed upward through the rocks as the
water passes downward. These form
springs.
In addition to water and gas, the earth
has circulation of solids; sea waves
beat on the rocks and bear them away;
where those particles are coarse We have
pebbles; where smaller we have coarse
sand; smaller yet, mud. Sea beaches
are found in the mines of Tombstone.
| When these particles are first worn off
they are born away; the finest particles
are borne far away, and are called shale,
In the mines Of Tombstone are found
limestone, quartz and shale; which proves
that where we now stand, on the hills of
Tombstone, it was once deep water.
The history Of rocky sea cliff is the
history of the whole world. The world
was originally composed of gas. much
heated and then cooled, like the volca.
noes of the present day, where the top
goes to the bottom and the bottom comes
to the top.
No one has ever seen the original
earth. 1t cooled gradually from gas tc
solid. In this way the chemist tries te
: obtain pure water; he takes water as pure
as he can find it, heats it, then cools tn,
steam, and repeats the process until HI
gets pure water. In this way quick
silver is purified, and camphor gum. So
l a gas will condense into solid and
| solid may be heated until it becomes
gas.
This earth was once a gas, heated AM
e then cooled until it became solid. 1
! is by these circulations of air and waite
n that the ores are collected together AM
t found in one place. If we were to Sc
q the original earth, unacted upon by tn
circulations which have attempted t
explain to you, we should find the quan
u tity of metals in rock very small.
!. At Comstock Lode, Nevada, are foun
Il volcanic rocks which contain So per cent
!. silver, and gold As per cent. So in tn
d eruptive rocks of Leadville, Colorado
Il the productions Of gold and silver hav
Il been found to be similar. The geologist
: have been unable to show how many tor
:. of rock must have been dissolved to civ
- - this per cent Of precious metal. III
4. water found holes or crevices where the
1t could deposit the metals they had take
"a up. all of which are not deposited 3, 81
:. feet or one mile below the earth's su
,e face, SO that mining for these meta
le will not be carried any further than OF
,e mile below the surface of the cart
u though the water penetrates 20 mil
into the earth. The deeper the wat
J: goes the more the pressure, and the me
IN the pressure the more you must increa
~ the power of solution; releasing t
q pressure also releases the metals; t
waters passing through the rock
- forced now slowly, now more rapid
It. and when such waters reach the crew.
he there is much less speed and the met
I'M are deposited there. In regard to
deposition OF ores, scientists show us Il
I'M the rocks have been acted upon ag
au oa and again by water, and in this way
is collected. 1t is difficult to distingu
the are Of the rocks, but Shey have sho
so where the first concentration Of me,
n. in the Oldest rocks known gave yiele
only one.half per cept to the ton.