Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-24
THE ANTELOPE DEPOSITS,
A Scientific Consideration of the Ma
teriais There Found.

A Scientific Consideration of the Ma-
teriais There Found.
EDS. RECoRD-U MON Several papers
upon the coast have recently published the
following, or similar items concerning the
same matter:
When the State Mineralegist decided that the
vast mineral deposits discovered about year
| ago at Antelope, Sacramento county, contained
| nothing OF value he was mis,ei by appearances
| Professors Price and Soderling, after more eX-
| tended investigation of the product of the mine
| have discovered that it includes sulphide OF
iron in practically inexhaustive quantities Tests
| recently made in England show the mineral TO
| be all-important in the manufacture of fiue
| steel blades, and a mneralogist who is willing
to pay S6O,O0O for the property is on his way
| to California TO make arrangements for its pur-
| chase.
| As this item was somewhat important,
| if true, took the liberty TO make inquiries
of Professor Hanks himself regarding this
mine, which happens to be located in this
| county and in which every resident is sup
posed to be more or less interested.
AS sulphide of iron was mentioned be-
ing source of supply in the manufacture
| of fine steel blades (also Damascus blades.
the writer's curiosity was very naturally
excited, for iron only combines with sui
phur in two forms, being He 81 and Fe S.
fhe first being composed of one atom of
iron to two of sulphur, which equals
pyrites marcasite, phyrrhotite or magnetic
pyrites, generally called here ''sulphurets, :"
also occasionally mundic.' The second
(Fe s. produced artifcially by melting iron
and sulphur together, principally for the
production fsulphuretted hydrogen H IS,
a most useful reagent in a chemical
laboratory.
1t must therefore be the first which pro-
duced the fine Damascus blades" and as
this sort of " iron sulphide" is very abund-
ant in this State, it is hoped that Turkey
will become interested, for here is supply
for the manufacture of Damascus blades to
enable Turkey to cut the whole of Russias
throats with little Greece thrown in as a
bargain. The fact is, pyrites have seldom
been utilized for the sake of iron, as the
ore would have TO be freed of the sulphur.
The ore, however, is used for the produc-
ton OF sulphuric acid and very seldom for
its sui phur it then becomes the red oxide
of iron (Fe2O3), and III this, if it contains
gold, this precious metal is locked up, to be
liberated by the chlorine or amalgama-
ton process, and by smelling with or with
out lead. Only few weeks ago the writer
made assays of ore from some locality
above Delta which contained $l97 81 in
silver and gold, ard a large portion was
composed of this mineral. which in all
cases carried some gold, but in most cases
not sufficient to pay for the working of it.
If this party on the way here with $60,-
600 desires to find 4 large supply of iron
ore FOR cutlery, the undersigned can point
To locality where it must be in great
abundance, and can be extracted as in New
jersey, by ctro-magnets, from the sea
sand in Humboldt Bay, this State.
hn,,
Francisco contained long article of the
riches of gold stored up in the black sand
of Humboldt Bay The writer would have
it that the sand contained M ore than suf-
iicient to pay off our national debt, and
knowing that Uncle Sam was loaded down
pretty well in that direction. was anxious
to see that famous sand. After some
trouble I procured about five pounds for
investigation, but did not find sufficient
gold in that lot (which, by the way, was
taken at random), to pay for its extraction.
| found, however, besides gold and silver,
platina or what is known as the platina
groupe, there being about five rare metals
combined with it, but the principal part
was black magnetic sand. which could
very easily be extracted with large mag
net and then brushed off ready for smelt-
ing. From 90 to 20 per cent. of this sand
is magnetic, and could be utilized for the
purpose already mentioned, viz fine cut
lery, etc.
subsequently the Siemens Bros. & Co. of
Berlin, were consulted about the machines
to extract this iron ore, and the London
house answered it, stating that the machines
were sold at f225, f5 for packing and ESQ
for dynamo-machine for continuous cur
rent. To this must be added the freight
and duty on these machines.
Ac lot ,,,
be utilized on this coast, it may not be
amiss to point out this source of supply to
| the world, and thereby aid in the progress
of our industries; and, as fine steel is pro-
duced from such sand in other localities. it
certainly could be done on this coast when
ever a beginning is made. The Siemens
Bros. were the originators of the Berlin
electro railway and, thinking some in
formation might be gained incidentally in
| the utilization of the water power above
| Folsom for electrical purposes, inquiries
| were also made, and they did not think it
| impossible to carry out an enterprise sug-
! gested by me in communication to YOUR
| journal in 1881.
The time may yet come when electricity
may be the subtle agent which conyeys
that great motive power to this city, or if
not here, to a locality where it can be more
readily utilized either as light or motive
power, as the profits may dictate.
In conclusion, the undersigned does not
wish it understood that any doubt is thrown
| upon these iron deposits, which NAV or
may not exist in large quantities at the To-
cality mentioned. That sulphide of iron
be used for fine steel work, and 100000 be
paid for deposit of iron of that sort, is
| certainly open to doubt, and will be no ben
eft, but rather an injury, to this county
| to have it spread broadcast over this coun-
try. Very respectfully, JOHN EITEL
| THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILROAD