Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-02
TEE APPAHRHr GsOwrm ol
~ GOLD.

TAB AKkARBWT 080WIM o.
GOLD.
OF the many myths prevalent re-
garding gold, the greatest one Of al
is its growth. OF course there are
many interesting instances where
ancient worked-out-gaIleries in mines
are slowly closing up BY the incsus-
tstion process, % thst space long ago
excsvatsd is being filed with an ac-
cumulation resulting from the per-
collation. Of wster through the adjacent
wall rock. This water has in chemi-
cal combination such minerals q iron,
copper, sulphur, and the precious
metals, which are deposited in the
open crevice, making for the second
time . mineralized body which will
show BY analysis the above-named
and many moro minerals. In fact, ]
have had this ctuaI experience r.
sultant on the examination Of IN old
gold mine in Honduras, Central
America, that had been worked some
time prior to any history We have Of
that country. This circumstance
gave to the natives the idea that gold
grew and they 50 expressed them
selves; while i. seemed in the case Of
one individual transmutatIon idea
had permeated his head, for be ex-
planned that the green carbonate of
copper was undergoing . change into
silver, while the silver in turn would
develop into gold.
| In India l found . caste of mining
people who believed that gold grew
in the bottom Of the large lakes situ-
ated in that country. They expressed
no practical reason other than fairy
tale superstitions; aud even in this
country there are converts to the
idea. I was much amused and in
terested some years ago to hear an
Intelligent acquaintance maintain in
strong and not altogether religious
terms that "the stuff grew and he
knew IT," His experience was based
on the fact that in . certain pile OF
tailings, resulting from the milling OF
heavy sulphuretted gold ores, he had
treated at one time several tons with
no result Again, in three years
time, he discovered by pan test that
the same pile had gold in it, where
upon he treated several tons, with the
approximate result of one dollar per
ton. After this last treatment he de-
clared the tailings were barren oil
gold SO far as be could detect by the
> mechanical means at hand. In order
to convince him / selected an average
sample. An assay gave 2 penny
weights 20 grains god per ton,
This was considered not worth the
working, but my friend maintained
that the gold would grow again in
two or three years.
True to his word, in two wears he
was at the pile again, and by hi.
crude but sure methods was saving
one dollar per ton from the ore thai
> would yield nil by his methods two
years before. Again 1 took sample,
for assay, and was somewhat sur
prised to find that the value had in
. creased just so per cent, as the re
suit of my determination was pen
nyweights l6 grains per ton. On in
vestigation l found the sulphurets tt
be of character readily decomposee
I by the elements-in fact to such al
extent that, as l afterwards calcu
lated, over one half of the pile mus
have been decomposed or washed
away, so that with decomposition
certain rapid concentration was mai
tanned by the action of heavy rains
and the natural advantage this par
u tlculsr ground offered causing th
y gold TO remain behind while the Oh
;. ides were carried away in suspension
d by the wster. My explanation ha
g failed to convince my friend of tn
=, pick and shovel. As the gold in tn
;. tailings has become about exhausted
, his last attempt to make it pay was
)" failure. He remains strong in tn
conviction that few years will gro'
it again.