Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-01-15

some Idaho ores which were submit
ted % rs far examination.
II i well known fact thAs tls
metal. tellnrium, acts a. mineral
ising agent, not only In relation I,
the amount OF gold tbs orc contains
but ALSO in its combination With sill.
yer and copper, known as hessite,
We have also found bismush associ.
ated with the tellurium.
A sample We found TO con.
sist Of > mass Of quartz. having small
cavities filled with vitreous variety
Of iron oxide, and which had I'M
doubleday bssn formed BY tho de-.
somPosition 81 pyrits, a concoatra-
sion 81 this ferruginouos material BY
washing showed the gold 10 be init.
snately associated with ii. Tho ore
in bulk asssyed II ounces per ton in
silver, while the concentrated pro-
duct assaycd "a ounces per ton.
A further examination showed tho
existence OF tellurium and bismuth
in connection with gold, under the
microscopes. The gold exhibited that
rusty coating, or oxidation, which has
been the cause in many casss Of the
Losses Of gold and silver in ores,
more particularly when workad by
the rule Of thumb mill men. The
presence of tsllurium and mismuth
has some influence in the treatment
Of such ores by amalgamation We
must admit.
Another sample which assayed two
ounces in gold and 20 ounces 10 oil.
yer per ton was taken for examina-
ton and found to contain, as far a.
the sys could discern, an admix-
tare q quartz, pyrits, chalcopyrite,
fahisrz, zinchlend and chalybits which
after concentrating to : higher point
by washing the concentrates, showed
no traces Of free gold, even under the
microscope. A chemical test Of this
sample gave the reaction Of bismuth,
and after prolonged treatment the
gold was separated in fac crystal.
line form, which may have existed,
combined with silver, in a matrix OF
bismuth, under conditions somewhat
analogous To tho gold and silver crys.
tallins alloy which / have produced
arsi6cially.
Another sample, from the vicinity
Of Rocky Bar, Idaho. was OF an ordi-
nary pyriteous character, showed BY
chemical analysis TO contain bismuth
and tsllurium, the former 10 we'll de-
fnsd quantities, aud this class Of ore
has given the mill men considers BILE
trouble while working the same.
Perhaps | have attached too much
Importance 10 the association OF these
two metals (bismuth aud tellurium)
with gold and silver. We know.
however, that tellurium can by no
means BIO regarded as an accidental
associate with the metals in question.
am convinced that the metal
toismuth) performs part In iniiuenc.
ing the general disposition of gold,
and also in causing the refractory be.
havior Of this metal under metslIurci.
cal treatment.
Judging from these samples the
gold seems to be intimately associated
with that OF eruptise porphyries, and
the veins OF these gold bearing rocks
are filed with the above named min.
erals, accompanied with SILICA and
iron.
The evidence before US is indisput.
able that vein formation is caused by
the percolation Of siliceous waters
through tho inserstiass OF the porphyry
dykes. In this case tellurium is the
chief Undertaking agent Of gold.
Evidence Of intense thermal action is
one OF the chief characteristics OF
gold deposits. Examples OF these
processes may be found in Boulder
county, Colorado, also Alturas, Ell.
more and Ada counties, Idaho.
All the telluridcs are fusible at a
low heat aud are easily dscompo.sd |
by the atmosphere or alkaline iiuxes.
They are Of lead grey, dark red and |
light yellow in color.
In conclusion l may add that true |
and earnest lover Of bis profession is |
ever on the alert watching for new
conditions aud methods which will |
lead him TO more perfect knowledge |
OF the laws which govern the behavior
OF metals and other elements in their
relation towards each other.
At the present time there is per.
haps no branch Of mstsllurgical sci.