Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-01-08

ROlu cACcpU uldO WHlCi htbo OCOh
coined and alloyed suppose that
all gold is alike when pure, but
the fact is that gold has peculiari-
ties of color in different localities
in a great auriferous region and in
the gold fields of different countries
even when freed from all the baser
metals and moulded into bars 1000
fine. An experienced metallurgist
is able to distinguish between the
slightest shades and tinges of color
and often can tell at once what
country bar, nugget or package
of "dust" comes from; and a vet
eran assayer in a gold region is
nine times out of ten able to tell al
most at glance from what par
ticular district sample of placer
or quartz gold was obtained.
The dust, grain, chispas, nuggets
and masses Of gold from different
lodes and from placers in different
localities also have certain slight
peculiarities of form that an ex-
perienced mining man or metallur-
gist long established in particular
locality is able to distinguish,
though to the ordinary observer all
the samples in the shape of dust or
nuggets may look alike. Each
gold-bearing quartz vein produces
gold but it does so in way pecu-
liar to itself in some slight particu-
lar, and it persists in the special
feature which makes it peculiar.
Thus there are lodes in which
much gold is found in the form of
CRYSTALS and such a lode will per-
sist in the production Of crystals of
gold from first to last in certain
parts where like conditions, in the
gangue quartz and inclosing wall
rocks are found. There are also
doubtless certain conditions in the
aqueous solutions and heated me-
tallic vapors with which the assure
is filed when the lode is in process
of formation which determine the
form of gold deposit; besides there
must be a very considerable differ
ence in the components of the mol
ten material in the heated subter-
ranean regions beneath the crust
of the earth, as in one locality We
see silver predominating, in another
copper or lead, while perhaps in a
section at no great distance is
belt in which anthony is the pre-
dominant metal. A very small
per cent of one metal added tt
another as an alloy often produces
u singular effect.
In California are certain quart
lodes that are spoken Of as "speci
men ledges'' for the reason tina
they produce gold in some peculia
form, as of a leaf or flower. AM
q specimen lode persists in produc
ing it's peculiar form of specimens
whether of leaf, flower or crystal
There may be small grains ant
scales of gold in the same vein Q
no particular form, but along wit
this will be found from time t.
time the peculiar kind ofspecimen
which are the distinguishing feat
ure of the lode.
Even in the placer gold of Cali
fornia and other regions contain
ing auriferous alluvial deposits
are observable such difference c
color and form as show it to hav
come from different localities
The expert buyers of gold dust i
California in the early days wer
able to tell almost at glance fror
what mining district, and ofte
from what particular diggings,
lot of gold was obtained, eve
when different lots were all wort
the same amount an ounce. TIL
placer gold was worth from $14 o
SO to over $40 an ounce and Their
were always miners who tried t
sell for the latter price dust wort
less money. They might catch
gold buyer who was new at tn
business, but when they tried thei
game on one of the veterans in tn
business he would say at once thu
the dust was not from the plac
mentioned but from a certain otht
camp.
THE GOLD OF THE DEAD RIVERS.
The gold from the blue gravel I
the channels of the "dead rivers
of California-the deep drift di.
gings-possesses peculiarities th'
distinguish it from that of placer
of more recent origin. 1t is alway
so much worn by ages of attritio
as to be qnite smooth on all sid'
and a great deal of it of bean-shap
also in size much of it ranges abol
as do beans from the smallest
the largest varieties. The small'
gold of the ancient rivers is in Il
IL l. cd 40 b