Gilpin observer., 1909-12-16
PLACER GROUND

An old-time miner, who has seen
placers worked at Breckenridge,
Hamilton on the Taryall, Fairplay,
California gulch and Deadwood, Black
Hills, has been doing desultory work
for the past three months from the
mouth of Cottonwood to near Smith
Hill with view to demonstrating
several important things. from a
financial point of view. He was
hardly satisfied, because of the vari-
able weather and obstacles incidental
to placer mining in primitive way.
He is willing to concede that the gold
Is in the creek, great deal OF 1t
and only wants method of a prac-
tical nature to extract the same from
its very loose gangue.
A noticeable characteristic was the
habitual gravel containing the gold.
The uniformity of the gravel deposit
carrying the gold was invariably the
same all along between the places
mentioned and just above where
water begins to appear. This depth
varies considerably, but 1t is seldom
ron the surface but few inches to
several feet below. Not great deal
Of coarse gold was found but the
quality was something surprising. due
no doubt, to its very finensss.
While he has no figures to give out
concerning operations, he was care
full to note the peculiar manner in
which the deposits were laid down
in the creek. He saw little differ
ence in the deposits or pockets from
those of lead claims. Nature evident
ly working in the same manner in
both cases. A sort of affinity of sur
roundings was almost similar in both
cases; but why, is not rightly under
stood.
In the old days it was quartz for
gold and lime for silver. The precious
minerals now are where found, and
elsewhere, too, for that matter. The
quartz rock is still in evidence in the
gulch in the shape Of pebbles or
boulders, granite, too, for that matter
but nothing compared with the for
me-. The point is not made that the
| fine gold in the creek is due to any
Of these. 1t is presumed that the
gold has it's origin in the breaking
up OF the mineral rock taken from
the mines around Black Hawk and
Central.
i The surprise is that there should
be so much of it. and, scattered as
it Is, the loss to the mills and mines
must be very considerable every year
AS evidence Of this several concen'
traitors are operating in the creek
which only handle tailings caught a
mile or more below stamp mills
which also have concentrators believ
ed to be doing as successful as anti
cipated. Much Of the gold also comes
from the mine dumps. Now, ever
though these concentrators are oper
ated at a profit. the placer miner
can still find gold in the creek fal
below any concentrating plant.
Taking Smith Hill as starting
point and ending at Cottonwood. ;
!, distance of two miles the placer dir
should average twenty-five cents t.
the yard. This is merely to SHOW
either the enormous loss to the mill
! and concentrators or the great quan
| tity OF gold thrown down by nature
I from her vast store-house.
As to what is on the bedrock, tn
/, gentleman is unable to give Al
opinion. An attempt was made 4
y reach that particular level Of tn
E creek but owing to number OF mis-
q haps the coveted goal was not reach
: ed. He is willing to admit that tn
8 methods adopted to work out tn
!. problem Of the desirability Of any e1
= tensive investment were of tn
!. crudest. Not hoping to gain any cor
\ siderable advantage only the simples
: and most economical means wer
4 adopted.
g Whether anything Of an extensiv
n nature Is to develop from his invest
y cation. he was unable to state a