Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1912-05-11
| AR0RATORY AT STATE UNIVERSITY
GREAT THING FOR NEVADA MINERS
PROSECUTORS and Others Now Have Chance to Get Their oa
pies Assayed Free at Mackay School OF Mines

Under an Act passed by the State
| LEGISLATURE. March 10, 1895, citizens
, Of the State OF Nevada may send ores
and minerals to the State University
land have them analysed and assay
ed without cost. (Sections l402 14O5
inclusive. Compiled Laws OF Nevada. }
Only citizens OF Nevada have tins
privilege and they may send only such
material as may be taken from within
the boundaries OF the State
The President OF the University
has organized the State Mining Lab
boratory. part of the Maekay
School OF Mines, to carry on this
work. Professor George J. Young /,
in charge OF the laboratory. Under
! his direction the work has been Oh
vided in such way that all assays
and analytical work are done by Mr..
1 Walter S Palmer, all mineral and
rock determinations are done by Pro
| lessor ! G. Jones. \ student assist
ant prepares samples for assay and
ANALYSIS and assists in assaying. No
determinations are done by students
Material submitted to the labora
tory is classified
Il. Ore specimens. Single pieces or
several pieces OF small size
b. Samples. Crushed material
pulps or a number OF pieces OF mod
crate size.
{. Rock specimens.
Determinations are either qualita
tive or quantatlve. Qualitative dc
termination" signifies that the ord
nary chemical tests To identity metals
and compound, have been used
"Ouantitativc determination signifies
that the proportion by weight of the
metal or compound i'll the sample has
/ been found This involves the use
4 oi gravirle,ric and volumctric meth
ods OF analysis,
Specimens-On ore specimens no
/ cumulative work i done unless ex
/ ceptioual conditions pertain, a. Tor
example. the identification Of a min
craL The reason for this Is that
cumulative work on small pieces
means little or nothing to the per
son receiving the report and rep
rcscntS a large expenditure oi time
md money on the part of the labora
tory Qualitative tests are invariably
made on such material. Gold and sill
yer are always determined by fire a.
/ say on specimens and samples alike
MI minerals are determined The
report which is made gives the name,
81 the mineral or minerals composing
the specimen. and the order in which
they are named indicates the rela
tive order OF their abundance: the
first thing being the most abundant.
the last being least Where the guam
tity OF the mineral is unimporiant ii
is so stated. Report, a, To value from
specimens are apt To be misleading
and SO. noting the certain mineral,
are or are not valuable. this point /,
left for the prospector to settle.
SamplcS-Wherc special requests
are made for quantities work ON sam
pies this is usually done In the alb
Ncence OF any special request il valu
able metals, such as gold. silver lead.
copper or zine. be present they are
quantitativcly determined If prelim
mary examination shows no minerals
OF economic Importance no auantita-
tive work is done. In general. the
laboratory reserves the right 10 de
eide upon how extensive a chemical
examination is to be made. This is
necessary in order to prevent use
less amount OF work. 1t is very easy
Tor correspondent to request com
piete quantitatlvc analysis, but it may
take from five to twenty hours and
represent. III cost to the State. from
Sl0 to $50, In the end the results of
such analysis may be OF no value 10
the correspondent Again. if each
correspondent requested complete
/ cumulative analyses such laroe
amount ct work would be required
That almost two months would elanse
III any one case before reports could
be rendered. The laboratory is di,
posed to give the benefit of the dorh,
TO me correspondent and correspond
ents' when the request comnletc
cumulative analyses, should indicate