The Parker post., 1916-07-08
DRY PLACER
GOLD FIELDS
OPERATIONS ARE UNI
{ DER WAY IN PLACER DISTRICT
OF NORTHERN YUMA COUNTY,.
GRAVEL is RICH.

GRAVEL is RICH.
]; Since 1865 the dry placer gold
fields adjacent to Quartzsite Yuma
county, Arizona have been worked
with more or less profit ON smaA
scale. through the medium of native
dry washer. pick, driM and muck
stick. The highest values in this
district are found in a natural cement
which lies in blanket form. from -FOUR
bedrock. From the grass roots to
this cement the formation consists
of semi-cemented gravel rich in
sold when treated on large scale,
bt not of sufficient value to tempt
the dry washer, who sinks direct to
bedrock, and works only about four
feet of the richest cement. Half
ward OF gravel a day mined, hoisted
from the shaft, hammered by hand
to liberate gold from cement, and run
through the dry washer, is a high
average for one man; and as earnings
OF from SO to $40 a day were COM
mon occurrence in former years, it
is not difficult to realize the richness
OF these placers. Furthermore the
early workers could not mine with
any degree of profit to a depth of
more than 20 feet; for this reason
there are vast areas that have not
given up any of their virgin value.
Chief among the fields of the
Quartzsite district are the Plomosa,
La Paz, Middle Camp. Orc Fino and
La Cholla
1T is said that between 1866 and
early in the seventies over $7O00,OOO
in gold passed through La Paz alone,
then the Yuma county seat, support
ing a population of 1000 placer min
ers. The old inhabitants say that
the Plomosa field sent out $2,000,000.
Fabulous sums We're CLEANED from
the gravel by band, and it was COM
monlv known that great sums still
remained in the ground. In spite of
this fact no practical means of liber
ating the gold from gravel ON a com
mercial scale had 0een discovered
until within the last two years
The two essentials to an efficient
plan are-First: A mill to save the
gold-bearing cement and gravel and
reject the non-bearing country rock.
Second: A system of dry concentra
ton OF great capacity,
A mill embodying the necessary
principles was invented by Mitts
Quenner blacksmith, and used with
battery of native dry-washers in
rlacers at Ell Boluda, Mexico lis
essentials are a cylindrical drum
made up of series of iron bars and
gratings, inside of which revolves a
shaft, the same being hung with a
number of chain hammers in spiral
form The shafting revolves about
400 rpm in one direction, while the
drum travels at a much lower speed
in the opposite direction. Cement
and gravel, fed in at one end OF the
mill is quickly disintegrated, the fines
dropping through a grating to a bin
beneath, while the rock and boulders
are thrown out of the opposite eni of
the mill after having been thoroughly
secured by the action of the ham
mers.
Stebbins Dry Concenrator.
The Stebbins dry concentration has
solved the problem of dry concentra-
tion. It's makers guarantee saving
Of 95 per cent of all free gold, These
tables work ON practically the same
principle as the wet table; however,
instead of using water to Lift the
gravel, and allow the gold to settle
in the RIFLES, air is used, it being
introduced through small slits in the
table deck. The gold and middlings
travel along the top rifle to recep-
tacle, the tailings dropping off the
lower side of the table.
Stebbins machines are made in
sizes ranging from l IL feet long,
with a capacity of 40 toms am hour,
down to machines operated by hand,
with 4-foot deck
In the Plomosa district a smalll ex-