Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-11-22

Hydr.ulle GOA Miner.

4y0eeRT.
Hydsulle cold Miner.
It is an sccepted fact among pros
pectors and miners that placer gold
originated from the decomposition Of
the ore in quartz veins. Even among
geologists and engineers there are
scores who accept this theory without
question. But is it one that will
stand the test Of investigation?
Opposed 10 II Is the theory that
placer gold, ike the gold in quartz,
was deposited from water in which
| it is held in solution.
The Argument in favor Of the FIRST
theory can be supposed to be this:
We know from observation that the
decomposition Of ore does Iiberate
gold which is washed down the hill
sides into the gulches. Every pros
pector # experience has proven this
over and over.
If theve is any other reason for be-
heving that this was ITS origin We
never heard it. From this observed
fact the conclusion is drawn that Ill
placer gold originated in that way.
Against that conclusion there are
many reasons to advance:
Gold is known to exist in sea
and other waters, and under favora
bic conditions is deposited from them
Sea water once covered all the earth
SO that it might have deposited por
tion Of its gold in the placers; Or ths
waters that percolate through tn,
earth may have deposited their golt
contents in the placers.
/ 2-Organic matter is an excellen
precipitant of gold from solutions
and organic matter is plentiful in Al
placers.
4 3-If all gold has been derive'
from disintegrated quartz it would al
have a fattened or rounded form
resulting from abrasion against tn
) harder rocks. This IS not always il
form.
Ain most gold-bearing quartz tn
gold is much softer than the rocl
Would not the gold De worn ava
long before the rock had been d.
composed?
5We never find enormous mug
gets or gold masses in lodges, as the
are found in placers. If placer gol
originated only from the decompos
ton of ore, would we not occasions
ly find great nuggets and masses
gold in veins of ore, such as found
9 placers.
!, 6-In plaoers composed of rour
pebbles and boulders which had ey
IDENTIFY been worn by abrasion, v
ind gold In forms which show that
, could not have been washed al
worn as the rock was. The go
could not be otherwise than wash,
round, or fattened, if it had been d
; posted when the boolders we're d
posted. None of the great gold nu
gets weighing over one hundr,
pounds, which have been found, she
anything like cobble-stone form,
. the wearing they would have reeei
ed If they had been deposited at t
= time rocks forming the placer we
y deposited.
. = Slow accumulations of &c
=, from the water, deposited year af'
wear, would account for the form
- the nuggets.
!. S-Electrical action precipitat
:. gold upon metal from sea water
other solutions. Natures laboratC
:. may very easily have precipitated,
means of the earth currents of ell
:. tricity, gold from the water up
;, small nuggets, adding year by "
a to their size, until they became gr'
m nuggets.
= 9-Gold is one of the most wild
distributed metals. 1t is found
Le small quantities in every country a
in the sands in every State in
-, Union thousands of miles from q
"a known gold-bearing veins or loo
:. 1t is difficult to account for its pr
,r ence by supposing that it was DEP
:, tied from sea water, or the wat
a. that flow through the earth,
, lO-Placer gold is almost inva
- bly, finer than the quartz gold fo'
even in the same district. If it "
all derived from the decomposed
it would have the same hneness
hat the gold in the ore.
lin the soft bedrock of
GERS. to a depth sometimes of thre