Gilpin observer., 1905-05-25
Production of Gold in 1904.


are not yet available. Mr.. Waldemar
Lindgren, of the United States Geolog-
ical Survey, has made some interest
ing Drognostications as to the distri-
button of the production among diff
ferent classes of ore deposits. A pc
liminary estimate of the production Of
each state and territory was given out
by the director OF the mine at the first
mate. the production of gold in the
United States during 1904 amounted to
$S4, ,551 300.
After a period of very rapid advance
in the gold production from 1892 to
1900, inclusive, during which an in
crease from $33,OOO.OOO to $79,O0O,0OO
took place, there were two years OF
nearly stationary output and one year
of decided decrease. 1t is therefore
very satisfactory to find that the pro-
duction of the yellow metal has risen
again to record figures. the estimate
being $S4 1851, 300 against $73,591, 700
for 1908.
Mr.. Lindgren finds that the sources
of this increase are easily traceable.
In the first place, Cripple Creek. the
greatest gold mining camp OF the
United States, has gained about So
000, 900, due to renewed mining actlv-
ity following the successful compile
ton of a new drainage tunnel, the
cessation of the strike which interfered
with the production Of 1908, and new
discoveries of rich ore bodies. In the
second place, new mining district OF
great promise, named Goldfield, has
been discovered in Nevada, and this,
during the first year of its existence
has added at least $1,500,000 to the
value of the output for that state. In
the third place, the production of Cal
ifornia has risen nearly $3,000,O0O
compared with the production of 1903.
This increase is due in considerable
degree to the wonderful development
of the dredging industry in the Sac
ramento valley. Lastly. the smelling
of auriferous copper ores has received
a great impetus in Utah, augmenting
the gold output in that state by $1,0O0,-
900. These four factors. together with
moderate gains in the production of
Alaska, Montana and South Dakota
are sufficient to account for the
increase of nearly 100000 in the
production OF the last year compared
with that of 1903.
Mr.. Lindgren classifies the gold pro-
duction according to its derivation
from placers, dry or Quartzose ores,
copper ores and lead ores. He esti-
mates the production of gold from
placers as $12,9OO.00O. from quartzose
gold and silver ores at $62, 900.
from copper ores at $4,3O0,0 900, and
from lead ores at $4.600,0O0. making a
total production of $S4, ,554 900, a sum
that practically agrees with the esti-
mate of the director of the mint.
Alaska is the largest producer of
placer gold and should show gain of
at least 100000, the output being es-
timated at 81, ,SOO,OOO California will
show an increase which may reach
$500 900, the production being estimat-
ed at $4, 500, 900. This is partly due to
favorable season for hydraulic min
ing. but chiefly to the great develop
ment of the dredging industry. Unex-
pectedly large areas in Yuba, Sutter,
Nevada, Butte and Sacramento coun-
ties have proved suitable for the
dredging process, while the dredging
machines have been greatly improved
and enlarged and the expenses corre-
spondingly reduced. At the same time
the output due to drift mining and hy-
draulic mining is on the whole
slowly decreasing.
Idaho, Montana, Colorado and Ore
gon have probably maintained their
production at the value reached for a
great number of years. During 1908
these states, respectively. yielded $780,
600, $482, 900, 100000 and $207 600
Since 1902 New Mexico has contributed
over $1OO, 900 annually in placer gold,
derived from veins of unknown age
and obtained by dredging operations in
Colfax county. but none among the
other states has exceeded 100000 in
output.
The production Of gold from quartz
ose gold and silver ores Is subdivided
by Mr.. Lindgren into the production
Pacific coast belt, $21 ,600,0 900; and of
of pre-Cambrian quartz veins. $5.454.-
600; of Mesozoic quartz veins in the
Tertiary gold quartz veins in the
Rocky mountains and Great Basin.
$50, 700 900. making total of $62.754.-
900. Auriferous quartz veins of pre-
Cambrian age are. SO far as known,
confined to the Atlantic states, South
Dakota and Wyoming. The bulk OF
the yield from the Atlantic states
comes from North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia and is derived
from gold-bearing pyrites. In South
Dakota the great low grade deposit
of the Homestake mine is considered
to be of pre-Cambrian age. The small
production of Wyoming should prob
ably also be credited to the same class
of deposits.
Auriferous copper ores occur
throughout the United States in de-
posits Of widely differing age and
form. Some OF the greatest copper de-
posits, however. such as those OF Ari-
zona and Michigan, are practically free
from gold. The gold from Californias