The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-12
NUGGETS OF PUNE GOLD.
From the Greeks of Dutch GuIna,
Weighing From IL 10 30 Pounds.
from the Denver Post.

From the Denver Post.
1.-THE recent activity in the Surinam gold
industry, in Dutch Guiana" said NJ. A.
Kruger, a New York importer at the
Windsor. this morning. who has spent sew
eral years In South America, In the in
terests of the American firm he represents.
lis responsible, believe, for the interest
taken in the Peruvian and Bolivian gold
fields and the consequent and sad loss of
life of Americans who have penetrated the
germ-infested countries.
I'm Dutch Guiana gold mining affords
an interesting study 1t Is as yet mainly
placer, although quartz reefs do actually
exist They can, however, be only APP
preached by powerful corporations from
outside the colony, by men fully under
standing the details of the enterprise they
are about to undertake. The country Is
densely clothed with native forests. Be
You'd a radius of 100 miles from the sea
distractions become frequent In all the
rivers and portage has then to be resorted
to. The reason why mining has never
been pushed is the total absence Of any
knowledge Of what gold mining means and
the lack of capital
"In French Guiana the hlly lands come
right down TO the sea. In Dutch Guiana
that portion of the colony adjoining
French Guiana exhibits a rocky formation
within very few miles OF the littoral. As
the border however, extends toward Brit
ish Guiana, the higher ground recedes I'M
On Il Is only TO be met with after journey
of at least 100 miles into the interior. LOOK
ing from the sea nothing is to be seen but
dense tropical vegetation without any kind
of elevation, growing out OF the tiuVo-ma-
rne deposit. The gold zone In Dutch
Guiana begins where the fuvo-marne de-
post ends.
"All the gold which has been recorded
up to the present date has been found In
the alluvial. 1t permeates large surfaces
In minute particles technically known as
spots or color In the creek beds II Is
found In small nuggets IN pockets. Some
finds OF big nuggets. such as that on the
Muller de Jonge placer lying between
Surinam and Saramacca rivers. have
been made This nugget weighed about
thirty-six pounds.
In 1896 a nugget weighing about thir-
teen pounds was found on a placer be-
tween the Surinam and Maroni rivers. In
the interior the rolling country ls called
the hill system, and h described as be-
ing composed Of gneiss and mica schis Is,
crossed by basaltic dykes. containing au-
rlferous deposits OF drift conglomerate,
old river beds and the shallow course Of
existing waterways The drift conglom-
crate Is OF ferruglnous nature, OF a red
color.
THE greater part OF the gold recovered
in Dutch Guiana Is coarse and coated
with iron oxide float, accompanied with
iron pyrites and quartz crystals. One hun
dred and thirty-seven parcels OF raw gold
dust. Weighing 1854 grammes. produced
on smelling, last August, III. $3.50 Rrammes
OF bar gold, showing an average loss OF
1913 per cent. This gold zone. except in
patches. consisting of Savannah lands,
is covered with a dense forest growth.
THE gold bush Is the unhealthiest part
Of the colony. Fumes arise from stag
nant water, poisonous plants are every
where. and lucky indeed IL the American
gold seeker who escapes alive from the
green tombs OF the Dutch colony"