Graham guardian., 1901-11-29
GOLD PHILIPPINES
Plenty ss Precious Metal g Our
New Islsass, .
&aAH AmepseaAs Now EaauUs4 U
Surface Operations rntosUsfs
ipR Psrtic.lars ~ xiainR
ANNAexitY.

ip9 Particulars ~ 2iAina
t~-- AstherisE.
The subject Of gold to be found II
our newly acquired Pacific islsnds q
treated in the Engineering and Mininl
Journal by @. d. Rice. He says thai
although there is plenty Of tho pro
cious metal in the Philippines, It can
not be obtained in any considersbl,
amounts without the erection OF large
stamp-mills or smelting-plants, and
that the man who is looking for gold
without great capital had better en-
ter the field simply ~ q dealer. buy
ing up the accumulated hoards OF the
natives In the interior. Mr.. Rich tells
us that, generally speaking, the gold
is found either in alluvial deposits OF
in ledges and veins. The former pay
best at present. and numerous dis
charged soldiers and civilians are al,
ready making considerable money
from operating on the river banks In
the foothills. Says Mr.. Rice:
Some miners In the Philippines
claim to have made large profits by
working the sands and beaches on the
seacoast. 1 saw one place along the
beaches Of Pansy where there was
mining apparatus in operation for .
mile or more getting out the gold de-
posits. which probably had been
washed into the ocean in the currents
Of some river and deposited along the
shores. The gold obtained seemed 10
be very 6ne and worn smooth by long
action bf the waters. Evidently the
original lodgment OF this gold wss
In some far-away mountain, and Il was
washed to the seas by the rivers. Much
OF this gold was invisible and would be
classed under the head Of -four gold.
placer gold in the Philippines al
ways has . smoother appearance for
she reason that it 10 tumbled about in
The ravines and along the river-coursss
for long time before II reaches Q
place Of deposit in the shores of soma
river or at the beaches. The natives
have been at work getting gold for
nearly 100 years, and somo of them
have secured larg& stores Of the valu.
able metal without knowing it's true
value I have entered nipa shacks OF
the natives for resting-place through
bhe night and have been shown the
Gollections Of gold and other metals
pf the native father and his family.
Hlthough the shack may not be worth
leen dollars and there may be a shortage
lof the necessaries of life, the native
miner will be able to exhibit bag
1ul OF nuggets about the size Of peas,
most OF them being fattened and worn.
Flour gold, too, will be seen. but thjs
is the kind that the native sells or dis
poses Of in some way first and he keeps
the nuggets. In fact, in almost every
portion OF the archipelago, until the
past few months, there has been prac-
tically no profitable way for the native
miners to change his treasure into
commercial money. He has had 10 do
bis bartering with gold, and frequent.
- ths gold has had but little cur.
Fent valne In sections Of the isiaadsl
which have been cut on ff6tlnd1S ths out.s
side world.fk II have seen na.s7r,. III
actual want who were posxessors OF lii.
BE boxes of gold.
"A far richer field to work in the
philippines than prospecting just now
ls TO 20 among these isolated mountain
towns and barrios for the purpose Of
purchasing this accumulation OF gold
In the hands of natives who have not
Ehe ability to dispose Of It. There are
many OF Abe natives who never 20 more
Than five miles from their homes dur
ing their lives, and they might have
several thousand dollars worth OF
FOLD which they have collected since
hey could work, and have not been
sble to get the benefit of II for wan.
u means for changing it into CONNER.
cial money. Large amounts of this
roid could be bought up and shipped to
Inc seacoast fer transportation TO
America or other countries, and the
'eturns would be profitable.
1T is evident that there will not be
my extensive mining operations in the
Philippines until parties with capital
inter the field and put up stamp-mills
" smelting-plants. There are some
'ich lodes in the noun tains OF tn. |
outhern islands Of the Philippines, |
md In less than Ave years some OF |
ne promoters Of mining schemes there |
're going to make great amount Of
money. There are Thousands of ma.
ives available for service in the mine,
the low rate of wages Of ten to fif,
cen cents per day, while there are A
reat number Of Chinese coolies here
mo would work for even less than
nas. There are at present some Amer.
'sn mining concerns represented here
nd steps are being taken to put In
ecessary equipment TO utilize the |,
sins OF quartz which have been 10.
wed. 1 have been through the min. |,
g sections of Panay, part Of Luzon,
'inosnao and several other tslsnds.
"a in every instance the samples ot