The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-04-22
The Apparent Growth OF Gold.

~ VIC Mauy uy tAto pIoVdlelt Ie-
garding gold, the greatest one of all
is its growth. Of course there are
many interesting instances where
ancient worked-out galleries in
mines are slowly closing up by the
incrustation process, so that space
long ago excavated is being filled
with an accumulation resulting
from the percolation Of water thro'
the adjacent wall rock. This water
has in chemical combination such
minerals as iron, copper, sulphur,
and the precious metals, which are
deposited in the open crevice, max
ing for a second time mineralized
body which will show by analysis
the above-named and many more
minerals. In fact, I have had this
actual experience resultant on the
examination of an old gold mine
in Honduras, Central America, that
had been worked some time prior
to any history we have Of that coun-
try. This circumstance gave TO the
natives the idea that gold grew, and
they so expressed themselves while
it seemed in the case of one individ-
ual transmutation idea had per-
meated his head, for he explained
that the green carbonate of copper
was undergoing change into silver,
while the silver in turn would de-
velop into gold.
In India [ found caste of min
ing people who believed that gold
grew in the bottom of the large
lakes situated in that country. They
expressed no practical reason other
than fairy-tale superstitions; and
even in this country there are con-
verts to the idea. / was much
amused and interested some years
ago to hear an intelligent acquaint-
ance maintain in strong and not
altogether religious terms that "the
stuff grew. and he knew it," His ex-
perience was based on the fact that
in a certain pile of tailings, result
ing from the milling of heavy sui
phuretted gold ores, he had treated
at one time several tons with no
result. Again, in three years time,
he discovered by a pan test that
the same pile had gold in it, where
upon he treated several tons, with
the approximate result of one dol
lar per ton. After this last treat
ment he declared the tailings were
barren of gold SO far as he could
detect by the mechanical means at
hand. In order to convince him |
selected an average sample, which
on assay gave 2 pennyweights 20
grains COLDS per 2OOO-pound 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 years
he was at the pile again, and by his
crude but sure methods was saving
one dollar per ton from the ore that
would yield nil by his methods two
years before. Again l took sam
Piles for assay, and was somewhat
surprised to find that the value had
increased just so per cent, as the
result of my determination was 5
pennyweights 16 grains per ton.
On investigation l found the sui
phurets to be of a character readily
decomposed by the elements-in
fact to such an extent that, as |
afterward calculated, over one-half
of the pile must have been decom-
posed or washed away, so that
with the decomposition certain
rapid concentration was maintained
by the action of heavy rains, and
the natural advantage this particu-
lar ground offered causing the gold
to remain behind while the oxides
were carried away in suspension by
the water. My explanation has
failed to convince my friend of the
pick and shovel. AS the gold in
the tailings has become about ex-
hausted, his last attempt to make
it pay was a failure. He remains
strong in the conviction that a few
years will grow it again.--Science.
WE have the names of thirty-one
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