Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-18
WEALTH IN THE SAND
xxOxDVpruL sEA-BEACH DEPOSITS
EXPLORED ny THE SURVEY.
Ved with Rubies and Gnrnets-Gold
and Other Precious Metals on the
Oregon sca.hore-Opiuion of Ex-
perts.
Rene Bache. in Washington starr

The metallic treasures or the sea
beaches OF oregon have just been made
4 subject Of investigation b. the Geologi-
raj Survey. Two experts. III. V. Winchell
and +. r. Sharples.. were sent three
months ago To- explore these wonderful
sands concerning the possibilities or
which as source Of wealth there has
been much speculation. They contain not
only gold. but also considerable quanu-
tics OF platinum. as well as other raIe
and precious metals So rich are they III
ruhles and garnets az TO be actually req
In places from the presence Of those gems.
In one spot there are ut least 5000 tons
OF sand that holds 10 b per cent OF
6.garnets and rubiss IN remarkably per-
'Nkfect and beautiful CRYSTALS.
III The experts report that in their opinion
*f the gold end platinum might be extracted
q prohtahly from these beaches While the
rubies and parnets would be valuable IN
the manufacture Of emery wheels The
sands OF the scashore are rich I'm gold all
along the Pacific coast from Point Men
dicino In northern California TO the mouth
OF the Umpogna river in oregon. Gifts on
the ocean front commonly contain g0ld
and. where washed by the waves, the
shore for miles actually gliuers with
,pecklcs Of the yellow metal. What ap-
pears to-day. however, Is either washed
away or deeply buried tomorrow Many
attempts have been made 10 extract the
precious stun from the sands. but as
rule they have been Improbable The
metal-bcaring strata are some distance
below the surface and the everything ma
ter.al IS apt TO he washed back by the
sea as fast rs 20 IS removed
In a few places such work Is stu car
Iied on at intervals and each year these
beaches contribute something 70 the
worlds store Of gold The locality upon
which Messrs. Sharploss and Winchen
bestowed their chief attention was near
the mouth Of the Coquiue river. in the
southwestern part Of oregon. Tho tract
here explored extends along the seacoast
for two miles. and runs about an equal
distance inland. Digging disclosed the
fact that the sands are divided into we'll
defined layers. and In them are imbedded
many trunks ana stumps of trees, some
OF them of the gigantic redwood. Ma
turoly, the metals being heavy occur
in the deeper strata Gold and platinum
are found mostly IN layer Of black sand,
which varies in thickness from few
inches 70 twelve f,,et. on the top of the
black sand Is a stratum OF gray sand,
which is not so rich.
DON'T PAN OUT WELL.
Tho gold in these sands occurs in the
shape Of minute scales. These yellow
fakes are so extremely small and thin
that frequently they will float in water,
on account OF minute air-bubbles which
collect upon them. Some or them are
almost microscopic, and often they have
the form Of small cups or basins. Here
has been a fruitful cause of disappoint-
ment TO miners. When prospector,
under ordinary circumstances. finds twen-
" or thirty specks Of gold IN his pan,
he assumes that the material will yield
s. or s. Ia the cubic yard These sea-
beach scales are so very thin that the
average value Of 600 "cOlors' ia only l
cent 1t Is a remarkably large color
or scale that measures an eighth or an
inch In diameter.
The sands IN the locality described have
been washed and secured very clean
having been subjected 10 the action Of
the C0oulle river. and Of the waves or
the Pacific Their accumulation at this
point has been caused by the opposing
forces Of the river and the ocean. The
deposits have been laid down within the
age Of man, as is proved by the charac-
ter OF the tree-trunks and geological
that to work the gray sands would not
paw inasmuch as II yielded only Z
cents ton on an average. The black
sands. however, hold from % 20 % cents
!n gold per ton. and their treatment for
its extraction is regarded as a problem
worthy Of serious consideration.
WHY PLATINUM Is COSTLY.
\ good deal of platinum is found assoc
clated with the gold In the Pacific beach
sands. At present market rates IT IS
worth s. an ounce. a couple Of years
ago "A big syndicate bought up tho entire
visible supply Of this metal, actually set
ting ont 10 purchase all the scrap
platinum existing in the world. But
there was more Of the latter than had
been counted upon. so II was found i'm
possible TO control the market. This
REGULATION carried the price OF the sub
stance up 10 SIS an ounce-a circumstance
very annoying 10 scientific men. who use
it t'r instruments Of precision. and cspe-
y FOR chemical apparatus, inasmuch
+, win stand the fire of the blow-pipe
.r. does not corrode. Electricians also
.t l. suantities Of platinum-an inch OF
U.. r each incOndescent lamp, In con-
zion with telegraphic instruments. and
90 every place where the passage OF a
park Oi.ifes ozone 10 oXidize the metal
ir,s r sses between.
M.-.rt N.nchel and Sharpless express
u onrou that platinum could be ex-
uaot.l rom the sands at the mouth OF
o.. guile river AT profit. II Is found
/ ta tHe Pacific coast wherever gold oc-
QUITS. though IT'S distribution is not uni
form much being discovered in some
places ana very little in others. Samples
ia.w.ttcl 10 test yielded two ounces of
platinum 10 the ton OF sand. which is
s..ul1 10 pay -Four fifths Of the plati- /
r that supplies the world Is obtained |
q %. two mines in the Ural mountains. |
Siberia They are gold mines. the plnti- |
a.m bsng a by-proluct. Both metals /
sr got from placer" deposits. being |
found mingled with the sands that have |
been worn away from the hills 10y run
eng water Twenty-nine hundred cart
....s Of earth must be washed 20 yield I
fifteen pounds Of platinum. Nuggets are /
v.:y rare. the biggest on record being now 4
20 The Dresden Museum. 1t is about as
tF as a tumbler.
SOME RARE METALS
Samples Of sand assayed by the two
experts yielded small quantities Of those
are metals. iridium and osmigm. but ii
.s very doubtful whether they could be
extracted probably. Iridium is now
quoted in the market az Sl5 an ounce, ard
o.iniGm az so an ounce. The latter. it
Vll Doe observed. is nearly three times as
precious as gold Iridium and platinum
afe the only metals that are heavier than
c.ld. The former is utilized 90 some eX-
'.1t for making scientific instruments,
ut beng susceptible OF corrOsion.
In the beach sands described are found