The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-01-11

| 1vus HS annual yleiu, WHICH
sprung up with bound after the.
California and Australian discoveries,
has varied greatly, and is now on the
rise again, after some years Of deprcs-
sion. Thirty years ago, the annual
production was $140,0o0,000, but
now it amounts to about $1OO,0OO,-
900 per annum. The chief contri-
butor is the British Empire; next in
importance come the United States;
next comes Russia; and these three
countries between them yield more
than four-ifths Of the gold crop.
/ Gold is found allovor the United
States; in the great gold belt of Vir-
ginia, in Dakota, Nevada, and, of
course, in California. The latter
| State has fallen off greatly as gold
! producer. In lSS0,it yielded little
over SIT, 100000 worth, in 1884, the
WELD had decreased TO $13,600,O0O
worth, but California still produces
more gold than any other State OF
! the Union; Nevada and Dakota COM
ling next. In its prime, the yearly
value Of the California output aver
aged $4,000 900.
Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil are
areas in which the gold yield has de-
creased. Nowadays, Venezuela
comes far above those States as a
gold producer, its annual output be-
ing nearly s5,ooO,ooo worth, Col
nmbia coming next with three-quar-
ters of that amount.
OF the gold produced by the Brit
ish Empire, the bulk is from the
Colony of Victoria. Up to the end
Of 1889, the total Victorian yield was
over Sc, 282, 600 ounces, representing
value of over 81, 125, 100000. AT
first, Victorian gold was purely allu-
vial. but soon quartz-cruslling began
and now the years yield shows $780,
600 ounces from the reefs, as against
: 100000 from. the gravels. These
gravels give employment to ll,70O
s.alluvial miners" as against 1900
"ouartz miners" Some of the shafts
at these reef-mines so down enor-
nous depths; one at Sandhurst de-
sends 2,640 feet, and there are
eight others over 1000 feet deep.
New South Wales has an estimat'
ed auriierous area Of 1900 square
miles, and up to the end of 1889, had
produced a total Of 10,O92.355 ounc-
es, valued at $1SS,074.435. The
years yield Of 1889 was the largest
in seven years, amounting to nearly
100, 900 ounces. For it's production,
there were 4,569quartz miners work
ing 58S reefs, and 1928 allnvial
miners working 1,O4l square miles
of gravel; the yield from the "wash'
being 2 dwts.. % grains per ton, and
the Weld from the "crush" being 20
dwts., 2grains per ton, there being,
of course, 20 dwts. to the ounce.
Queensland comes third in rank OF
L the Australian colonies IS gold
producer. Up to the end of 1889, it
had yielded total of nearly 7,O00,-
600 ounces, worth nearly $4,000
600. Queensland has produced but
little alluvial gold, having $500
quartz miners as against $50 allu-
walls.
Western Australia has several
gold fields, but is as yet q land OF
promise. For some years past the
government has offered reward of
$25. 1000 for the diacoHerg ola payable
gold fold within 500 miles Of 2 de-
clared port.
South Australia is as yet more
notable for her rich copper and silver
mines than for her yield of gold, SO
tsas very little morehas been done
than to@piek the eyes of the reef, "but,
according to 8 government report,
when it comes 10 DO scientifically
dealt with, miles Of auriferous quartz
will be worked at handsome profit.
In Tasmania gold is found widely
scattered over the northern part of
the Island, the richest fields being
near the TaAar river. The annual
production, according to /! + Tate late return,
was 1924 ounces.
| New Zealand has much larger
production, Up to the end of 1889.