The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-04-01
SAVE BLACK SAND GOLD
SAMPLES TO PULLMAN
HEAD OF MINING DEPARTM EMIT
WILL EXPERIMENT AT WASH.
lNGToN STATE COLLEGE.

The operations OF J. b. Green, form
erly of this city with his amalgamator
designed to save fine gold on bar
of the Snake river, about three miles
below Lewiston, has evidently attract
ed considerable attention. In addition
to the fine gold, the black sand Of the
river also contains high values In gold
and its recovery has proved a problem
which no one has yet been able to
solve ON a profitable basis, Accord
ing to the following from the Lewiston
Tribune the mining department Of the
Washington State College at Pullman
Is now going to undertake its solu-
tion:
'The school of mines at the Wash
ington State college has taken up
anew the matter of treating black
river sand with a view of discovering
q process that will successfully and
profitably recover the gold found In
the rivers of the northwest. The col
lege has been working on the sand
tests for a considerable period and the
investigations have now reached IA
state where the school authorities
are anxious to secure samples of sand
from the various sections where gold
is found in the river deposits.
Samples of Snake Sand.
A letter has been received in Lew
iston from Francis A. Thomson, head
OF the school of mines at the Wash
ington State college, Pullman, In
which he asks that samples ranging
from 80 to 100 pounds of black sand
concentrates be sent to the college to
be used in connection with the tests.
The Snake river sand has been used
In making the tests for practically
every machine made to recover gold
from the rivers and in many cases
the Snake river sand has demonstrat-
ed the faults of the invention. At the
present time a company Is preparing
to operate extensively on the Snake
river about three miles below the city
and the investment in equipment and
preparations has already run into
several thousands of dollars. Mining
men. who have investigated the new
machine, have pronounced it to be one
of the most practical appliances ever
brought here and confidence Is ex-
pressed that the principles employed
by the new company will solve tho
nf In he
the sand even II the machine now in
use is not perfect. Up 90 the present
time, however, the tests made by the
new machine have been very salts
factory.
Pullman Tackles Problem.
The river sands of practically all
of the western rivers carry gold in
small quantities and the Snake river
sands are rich in gold for a distance
of 200 miles. The perfection OF
process for separating the gold from
the sand would mean the Inauguration
OF extensive mining operations on the
Snake river for a great distance and
for this reason the Investigations al
the state college are OF more than
passing interest. The following Is the |
text of the letter received from Mr.
Thomson;
THE extraction Of gold from black |
sand Of the Snake river and Its trlb- |
utarieS affords a problem as old as !
the west itself. Much has been writ
ten about 1t in a general way and
some valuable Investigations have /
been carried out without however
reaching any very positive results.
The metallurgical laboratories OF
the state college have decided to /
tackle the problems afresh and con-
siderable work has been done, but we
desire TO obtain as great variety Of
material as possible and would ask
you to give this letter publicity with
view that Interested parties in your
nelghborhood may have an oppor.
tunity to send us samples OF so to 100 ,
pounds of black sand concentrates, for
investigation az to possible methods Il,
for recovery OF their gold content /,
Results Of this Investigation will be 4,
given full publicity"