Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-08-19
HAVE GOLD AND COAL
Mineral Wealth of the Philippines Greater
Than Was Expected.

pamphlet on "A New Center of Gold
Production" to Ambassador Hay, at
London, Of which the following is an
excerpt Mr.. Karuth, who is president
of the Philippines Mineral Syndicate,
limited, says in letter to Ambassador
Hay accompanying the pamphlet:
These were written in 1894. Since
then the exploratory work under my
direction has been carried on as vigor-
ously as circumstances would permit
At all events, extensive auriferous ore
deposits have been opened up quite
near the sea, assuring a large output
for many years to come Also, the
continuation of the auriferous forma-
ton has been proved over a wide dis
trict.
The complete absence of practical
roads throughout the district, and, in
deed, throughout the islands must at
hrst contine mining operations, requir-
ing heavy plants, to points near the
harbors or navigable rivers. But such
points, venture to say, are numerous
enough to give rise to a prosperous in
dustry. l know of no other part of
the world, the Alaska Treadwell mines
excepted, where pay ore is found with
in few hundred yards of the anchor
age of sea going vessels SO far the
fringe only of the auriferous forma-
ton has been reached. There is no
brook that finds its way into the Pa
ciiic ocean whose sand and gravel do
not at least pan the color of gold.
Heavy nuggets are sometimes brought
down from the Sierras, where l believe
there are promising fields for hydraul-
ic mining. Alluvial gold is also got
IN the Island of Mi1dano, especially in
the districts of Surigao and Misimis,
on its northern coast. Extensive de-
posits of copper ore occur in Luzon,
which will probably prove remunera-
tive when means of transport have
been devised.
Galena, both auriferous and argen-
tifelous. is found ia veins in Luzon and
Cebu, sometimes accompanied by zinc
blends
l do not know the occurrence of true
coal in the islands. The beds which
have been internationally worked in the
islands of Cehu and Masbate consist Of
Ignite of very good quality. Some
years ago large OutcTOps of such coal
were found near the beach in the Is
land of Masbate, but most of it, which
could be got without mining, has been
removed for the use of interinsular
steamers. One of the syndicate's en-
gineers, a man of experience as mana
ger Of coal mines in Lancashire, found
Masbate coal quite useful for steamers.
The quantity of coal available in a
concession of about sixty acres is about
100000 tons. The Mesbate beds are
so tilted as to form an angle of about
20 degrees with the horizontal.
l have also evidence of the occur
renee of gems in an upper valley of the
Sierra. One of the engineers observed
in a sample of roughly washed alluvial
gold brought down by the aborigines,
certain small stones, which, on exam
ination in the schools of mines in Ken
sington, were found to be rubies and
| hyacinths. | was unable to detach a
party for the examination of the To-
cality, but have marked it.
We were at no time in want of labor
at cheap rates, though at times we en-
ployed several hundred red men. The
Bicol men are adopts by avatism in
thsir work, and soon adapt themselves
| to European methods. On the whole,
the general conditions for mining en-
terprises are exceptionally favorable.
After describing the appearance of
the country its government and the
| gold fields, and the manner in which
they are worked, the writer continues:
A very peculiar deposit of native cop
per occurs in the neighborhood of one
of the Philippine mineral syndicate's
concessions. The metal is found in a
bed of gravel, in little nuggets of glo-
bTlar or pear-shaped form. 1t assays
over 80 per cent of pure copper, with
q not incOnsiderable mixture of gold
and silver The extent of the deposit
and its commercial values have not been
determined as yet, and its origin is
rather puzzling.
The coal found in the island is not
true coal. but Ignite, probably of the
tertiary period, and of a variety which
can scarcely be distinguished by the
eye from true coal. There is no rea-
son why true coal should not eventual
ly be found, for ii is found and worked
in Japan, whose geological formation
has much in common with that of the
Philippines. There has been no sys-
tematic search made in these islands
for coal, and wherever it has been
found, ii has betrayed its presence by
outcrOps. Thus IN the Island of Mas
bate coal steamship owner drew his
supply OF coal from a bed which is so
tilted as 20 have the appearance of a
vein. He supplied himself as long as
his native labOrers could get the coal
with crowbars Nj. Hilton, who ex-
amined the bed cursorily. estimated the
available quantity Of coal at about 600,
600 tons in that particular concession.
He is, however. o. the opinion that
very much larger quantities are avail
able in adjoining concessions. These
mines are practically untouched and
as they are situated within a few miles
of the coast, they can be worked at a
profit by whomsoeyer should venture
to introduce the necessary capital Mr.
Hilton, after trying it in local steam
err gives ii the character of "a very
good steam coal" A similar quality
of Ignite has recently been found in a
district where the Philippine Mineral
Syndicate is now working, and it will
soon be tried for the production OF
]