New-York tribune., 1899-07-07
GOLD ~ THE PHILIPPINES.
PRIMITIVE METHODS OF MINING YIELD
RESULTS FULL OF PROMISE
FOR THE FUTURE.
p,vr,on Raves Lala in The Review of Reviews

p,,,r,or Raves Lala in The Review Of Reviews.
Up to the present time most OF the gold mas D,s -
found in the easily accessible dlstrlses ~ arvon
region but little explored. traffic in the precious
metal which they evidently Obtain irofn so The
the inland streams. As yet placer deposiss rr Nv,
chief source OF the metal which has been wo.n ~
the rains from the mountain ranges anu anr cbsn
down by rivuets and creeks 10 their Io"ei ,as- 49,
nes In certain regions there is not i s,reSn Se.
large or small. whose sands do not snow ,,ss ,t oe
.b interior offer heavy nuggets for sale The eo,d
thus buried in the river sands ana gravels so
e-dlv had its source in the mountain ranges Nnoso
quartz veins await the hand and eye OF the Gun, Gun.
ming miner. They may be rich they may Te P''''
only scientific study and exploration can zen. 4. ,h.
The principal god-yieding region OF Luzon @ souns
district q Mambus9 The peIai ppsv hes ebg 1 and tho
smaller islands OF Samar. Catsnduanes; sipuySa. sipyya
Boho and Panaon. one OF tne 1id Gtsgs denos,ts II
Mindoro gains its name from its goid nepos.,s, y.
sienifvine NINA de ora" gold mine Inc nsuF.s
speak OF places in us Interior wnicn ,sJior s ~ TIE
large Island OF Mndanao. where gold Is so pen,a NJ
full that the nauVts , "a selling Here are the
their ordinary buylhg anu ,ba archipelago
Nisams placers the r1cnest IN W ~. az
their yleir ,oo,b NJ Rich quartz veins are said 70 be
Known In this island and there is one such ven III
6a,aoi but hitherto gold has been mined princl-
nailv in placer beds. and these not Wy llSiii
ronnared with those OF California PersonalIy !
II 1lt,le about these gold grsvels. as have
zen only some Of their results. Tney are SO "Iuey
@ 10, ,beir actual richness is largely matter
81 guesswork AS regards the mother VEINS,
have made no snanards have not troubled them
selves In this direction. They rest IN vuEh 49,.
"sIeins i ~ mining nrospector They will have 70 30
deeply hidden indeed II they escape MS p7'e"
In truth at present only the edges 2f ne me goa
districts have d rule peen ~orHse Is 90 r. eY
rioraton OF the interior insuperaoIe 10 tns easS
going spaniard. The natives msHe ea,h as they
90 hi, these are tracks suited only 10 me nake1
foot Of the savage forester. Mining ou.ns ,sh am
pr,sens % viii need 10 be built highways constructed
and railroads laid before these ISLANDS can d 20 20
nronerIv exploited and all this means time capl-
pIppe,Is pns-eX and enterprise So doubtless for
number Of years 70 come the gold must a"a' ''
Shall say about how t6 n: naily. a,T
mining is done? The Filipino uses Two toos on.' 30
great antiquity and form par, OF me
furniture Of every dwelling N tne me uasts, IN the
highest degree All the foa, s9d Is lost 6rssr sna Gn Ths
rich deposits be worked WIN any pro" ,,,sri,
Ear mining. is quite unknown In the Pnllppness
Only that the streams are often rcn W so'q, .a
abmndanf is the precious metal in some locali,ies
that after heavy rains grains OF II may w ''"~
up m do no; wish to Convey the idea that the natives
are que nrE sn sone OF the richer veins in a cruce
fashion breaking the rocks with 5,IIli'e,s e.,s,S "a
sriGirs M bnys,oes The crushed rock IS then washed In
tbe,r usual primitive manner. Insy lack e.Pv
and no blasting s,d,b,ng Of the arr Of ANAL
Sgemsfion The idea sf pumping out the shafts nss
gar ted their minds and the water Is oshea
no. no. pt,b small buckets made OF palm leaf ana
holding about two gallons These are p@ssso pTss ,Ss
,trs bonored method is quite satisfactory 70 hem
thovgh II would be intolerably tedious 20 minsr s
~ ssgios SAXON blood And even this crude metn-
"a ~ working is not pursued with systematic di-
gs,ce The Filipino has no fancy for steady npos
ok. in the mines in the intervals Of his labor
- ,be acids when he happens 20 need Few doIiars
80 80 gamble away in the cockpit; AS for laying up
,passure for the future. the idea is unknown 20
stn There ie1 the gold: there u has always oee,3
and a,xays will be Why neet he trouble nimsen
a. ss,ber more than the hour calls for7 he can
ir,svs turn his hands 10 when other resources
saT Vel even with this ndolent and wasteful way
"a working thousands Of ounces OF the precious
metal have been gained.