The times., 1897-09-12
ABuSineSS Which Offers Infinite
Chances for Speculation.
FEW MAKE LUCKY STRIKES"
The Precious Metal TO Be Found
in Every Country, hut Seldom IN
Paying Methods of EN-
tracting the How Geld Is
Obtaiued From rIacers.


yer as an alloy, and occurs with many
other metals, though the only substance
with which it is found united in nature
so as to form a new substance is tellu.
rium. Not Few nietallurgists have sus-
pected that it is occasionally united i'll
nature wirh sulphur, bat this has yet to be
proven.
Gold Is found in placers and veins
Veins are spaces in the crust of the earth
Of different material and appearance from
the rock bordering them. They vary great
~ in leagth from few feet 10 miles, and
In width fuCm a mere seam In the rock
TO hundreds of feet. Generally they arc
from few inches TO twenty or thirty
feet IN width, often varying that much in
the same vein. The ma lority Cf the pro-
ducing veins of the world will average
less thsn six feet in width Veins have
general course, called their strike, and
Usually incline more or less from the per
pendicular, as they 60 down. There are
many kinds of veins, but what j. called
the true fissure'' veins are regarded as
being he most permanent in strike aHo
depth, often penetrating several kinds
Of rock in their strike and depth Veins
arc not fdled with ores continuously il
either STRIFE or depth Some very prom
ising veins have little OF no ore In ITEM,
and it may be affirmed that the veins
having sufficient ore in them 10 pay Tor
taxing il uut are a small fraction of those
found, and the number that pay largely
is sull smaller.
Ores occur in runs, in shoots loften
spelled chutes), chimneys, pipes and
pockets. Shoots of ole generally incline
more or less irregulariy from the perpen
dicuIar toward one end of the vein.
Chhhneys may be- called small shoots of
ore, usually nearly perpendicular. Pipes
OF ore are small chimneys, and pockets
are deposits Of ore larger OF smaller dis
connected from each other, and OCCUR
ortener ia limestone formations than any
other. The barren places III veins are
alnest universally muck more extensive
than the places that yield pay ore.
Veins are found in mountainous re-
gions. The surface OF mountain re-
gions have undergone great changes, and
are even now undergoing considerable
change. Portions have been raised and
depressed several times, and portions
which have been raised have been de
Glaciers have been factors in denuding
the mountains, OF, at least, I'm carrying
the detritus to less or greater distances.
The evidence of the denudation of the
mountains is TO be seen almost every
where in the drift that has covered
great portion OF the surface Of the earth,
as well os in the removal Of the bedded
rocks.
The finer. portions of the material on the
earth surface-the clay, sand, gravel is
decoInposed rock. Vast masses OF granite
and other intrusive rocks are now bare,
Il ough once they were covered with be d
ded rocks of considerable thickness, the
huge boulders aud masses of rocks bearing
testimony that they were nnlded in the
creviceS and openings of the bedded rocks
that overlaid them. These bedded rocks,
IN many places have entirely disappeared
They were no doubt broken by the forces
wnich caused the upheaval of the noun
tains; were altered and decomposed by the
cheudCal action Of the intrusive rocks, and
lave been dissolved and washed away. The
main chain Of the Rocky Mountains in Non
tana was once evidently from , geo 10
5000 feet higher than 1t is now. No doubt
the Older mountains, out Of which the pres
entones were constructed, Were worn down
as the present oEes have been.
The value Of the ore III a vein can be
Approximately determined after IL has
been explored and opened up. Before that
It's value is tile merest conjecture, but one
that exceeds Tie actual value 999 times
in a thousand. Enthusiasts often see
mil ions in a vein whose ores viii not
pay the cost of working it, and charlatans
orten purposely exaggerate the facts to
draw money from the pockets of cTedulous
and greedy investors. These should re
member that rich mining districts are
few, and that even in those the rich mines
bear but small proportion 10 the number
located.
Throughout the mountain region gold is
also found in placers. Though different
theories have been advanced III regard To
the occurrence OF gold in placers. the
CONSENSUS Of opinion is that gold cane from
veins, and that when the mountains were
denuded tie veins We're broken down and
the gold IN them washed down with the
rocks and cirt. The gold, being heavier
settled 70 the bottom and was not carried
as far as the lighter material. often sev
eral ''strcaks' OF gold have been found In
plaoers, showing that it washed down al
different times, and that the denudation OF
the mountains was not continuous, but oc
CURED at different times, probably re-
mote from each other. When the older
mountains We're denuded placers con
tanning gold undoubtedly We're formed
along tle then streams and rivers.
Gold Is obtained from placers by much
the same process II was deposited in them
by the force Of water. Some placcrs are
worked by dry process, but the amount
of gold v'faiBed in this way is lnconSid-
cradle. When prospecting, a gold pan is
used. This is found, wide, shallow, iron
pan, with flaIng sides. When the dirt is
very rich Ii is often washed in pans until
better means are prepared for washing IT.
The pan IS filled with dirt, taken To a
stream and dipped in the water. The pan
is given a rocking whirllng motion, and
the softer dirt is dissolved and floats off
This is continued, the gravel being forced
over the rim OF the pan when it is certain
tbe gold has been washed out and settled
20 tie bottom. When the dirt is washed
ou:, tie gold will be found in the angle
formed bF the bottom and rim Of the pan,
mixed with what is called ''black sand
grains or iron.
The rocker is a box set on rockers at an
incline, the bottom arranged TO carry
off the larger gravel and to save tie gold
below The dirt is sheveled in, water
poured upon 1t and the box rocked back
ward and forward. the coarser material
passing out and the gold, or at least a