Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-21
VERIFYING MINERALS BY NAH,
Rr FREDERIC j. nAsKIN.

WASHINGTON. y. G.. August 2O--The
other day man out IN Colorado found
WHAT ne took 10 be q largc-sizcd dia-
mond. Tho varied mineral resources
Of his native state were pretty we'll
known 20 him. and he knew that dia-
nonds are scarce in Colorado outside
of rings and scarf pins SO ne sent
his find carefully registered to tho
United states Geological Survey at
Washington. where tho mincralOgists
regretted TO inform him that II wasn't
diamond. but lump OF quartz.
diamonds that aren't diamonds are
among tho things that come often TO
tho Geological Survey for 'dcn,lilca-
ton y large number OF rocka of one
sort or another arrive with each LAYS
mall. most Of ,hom from pcop!e VINO
think they have found great wealth
tommonest Of all arc specimens OF
Tools Sold'--iron pyritcs. which is a
yellow shiny mineral that comes
nearer the popular idea or what Eoli
| looks like than docs gold Itself
Mica is another strong bidder FOR
! iirSt pia'" among the minerals that
! look moro valuable to tho uninItia,cd
| than they arc. Certain micas In Tho.
! form of vcry small PARTICLES have /.
yelo"iSh, shi"! appearance that leads
| Ia their being taken for gold MANY
specimens Of this sort come 10 tho
survey every weak. Along with tho
! quartz diamonds and the fools pold'
! they are one OF tho commoncst minerals
that nI!Slead tho amateur prosp-ctor.
The Geological survey has little
! trouble In dealing with cases such az
| these. for an EXPERT can tell at Il glance
| what the mineral ~ question really is.
| several people every day, however
s-nd in specimens OF one Eorr or an
| other. with the modest request an
pended that the government furnish a
! complete analysis by return mail
Now. an analysis OF sample might
| cost tho government $50 or SIS and
| might be a very dangerous thing wher!
made. The survey is Forbidden by law.
| TO make such ANALYSES for private in-
dividuas, and is cfrcctually restrained
/ from breaking the law by tho lack Of
| money appropriated for that purpose
The chemists aud mincraloa!sts arc
! all kent busy analyzing specimens IN
| connection with the survey work ON
| cinis believe that were any good pur-
| pose served ny making ANALYSES OF
| specimens sent IN by all and sunGry
| Congress might be persuaded 20 oxtend
! the tur!Sfirtion and tho appropriation
| OF the survey 10 Include such work
| Such step, howaccr, might be far
| from desirable
Your minor may or may not he an
| honest and deserving person to help.
| Men have been known to soil mines
| with tho aid Of artistically illustrated,
| prospcctuses that were snnic,hing of ;,
|
after work was actually begun There
arc min" promoters who only need a
| niue enC"uraEcmon'. ana they will sell
| YOU radium prospect In the middle Of
| the southern Ocean.
Assay Important TO SuIc.
| inc assay Is one OF the important
features of a selling scheme The
| assay is supposed to show how many
! dollars worth Of gold is present i'll the
| rock III question. It is custonary---not
| so much now as ii once was---to max g
| the assay from one or two or three.
! fragments Of rock. Needless 10 say,
! the mine owner with claim for sale
| does not hunt through his rock dump
| for an unusually poor specimen rs "a
! sample for assay lie has been known
I" spend hours going over tho dump
for rich agmcnt-maybe the only
! one in sight.
Suppose that he would send such
! fragment to the Geological survey,
| and that the law and tho appropria
! ton provided for the analysts of all
| specimens sent In. The chemists OF the
! survey would report that rock like The
| sample would run $l00 TO the ton IN
! gold. That would he true enough. but
| man might spend several years Of
! his life looking over the hillside where
| the sample came from without finding
| another one as rich. But armed with
the official assay on government
4
the worthy discovcrcr would find that
| in selling claim or promoting IL
| $40. 1J0,0 company
SO the Geological Survey does not
| make analysis of the specimens thai
are continually coming in. The c&-
perts do however. give the sample
| their careful considerations AS they
are able To recognize most OF the
minerals of the United States AT sight
they can tell the sender whether his
rock Is absolutely raluclcss or whether
| il is worth while to have commercial
assay made and private Scologiat
look over the property.
Frequently Proves Nothing.
Whether the opinion, on th" sub
scaucnt assay, means anything or not
depends on how representative tho
sample Is. Not long ago there was
much excitement over gold strike in
New England. Samples assaycd ran
as high as $50 TO the ton in gold,
which would represent handsome
| profit for company that chose 80
mill the rock. The Geological Survey
was asked to investigate, however.
and they found that the rock in actual
| practice would run about GO cents To
the ton. Tho samples had evidently
been picked with an eye 10 richness
I al So.