The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-07-21
.[HE OWNING ROD IS
A SUPERSTITION
INSTRUMENT DOES NOT TRACE
UNDERGROUND TREASURES
Government Geological Survey De-
partment Says No Instrument
Other Than Drill Has Been Devised
That viii Indicate Presence of Oil,
Water or Mineral DepOsits-GeOl-
ogists Guided By knowledge.

Water or Mineral DepOsits-GeOl-
ogists Guided By knowledge.
The idea of a "divining rod" or
some other instrument that may be
used as means of finding buried
treasure, mineral deposits and UNDER
ground oil or water is superstition
that continues with marvellous per-
sistence in spite Of the lack of tang
ible results from its employment.
1t may be said without qualifica-
ton or exception that no rod or in
strument has yet been devised to find
buried Treasures, nor any instrument
that will indicate the presence of
gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, or
other non-magnetic metals or their
ores, that are hidden from view under
ground.
Iron, nickel and some other min
erals that contain these metals are
magnetic, and the dip-needle or
miners compass has been adapted to
use in prospecting for these metals.
Such an instrument can be purchased,
but special training is required to
enable anyone to use it successfully.
A volume published by the United
States Geological Survey, Department
Of the Interior, entitled Mineral Re-
sources of the United States, Calen-
dar Year 1911" Part /, Pages 144 to
l54, contains discussion of methods
of prospecting for iron ore by
magnetic surveys and by drills. AL
though the use of the dip-needle is
theoretically simple, much practice is
required to make accurate observa-
tions with it, and after these are
made they must be interpreted by
the consideration of manv factors, so
that the unskilled user is likely to be
disappointed in his results. The
edition of the volume above men
toned available for free distribution
is now out Of stock at the geological
survey, but copy may be purchased
from the superintendent of docu-
ments, Washington, D. c., for 80
cents.
Gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc
are not magnetic, and no instrument
now in use will indicate the presence
of these metals or their ores if they
are hidden from view within the
ground. Devices that are supposed
to indicate the presence of concealed
non-magnetic ore are usually offered
for sale either through ignorance or
with intent to defraud Some honest
attempts have been made to prospect
for non-magnetie ores by measuring
in different directions the capacity Of |
the ground to conduct an electric cur
rent, the idea being that ground con-
tanning metallic material will conduct
the current better than that which /
none. These attempts. as
well as trials with other electrical de-
vices. however, have not been sue
cessful, and the various forms Of such
could not be used bv one
unfamiliar with electrical work.
lSome measurements of the electric
potential of metallic materials were
made several years ago in the labor
ltory OF the United States Geological
Survey by R. C. Wells, and the results
were published in Surveys Bulletin
148, entitled Electric ACTIVITY in
Ore Deposits" which may be had for
~ cents from the superintendent of
documents. The results obtained by
Mr.. Wells, however, do not afford
IN adequate basis for any method of
electrical prospecting, and it is still
doubtful whether electrical methods
II prospecting for non-magnetic ores
VIII ever be useful, although thew
nay have limited application in
for certain kinds of ores.
Most DEPOSITS of the precious ana
metals and their ores
re discovered by those who, by ex-
,erience. have become familiar with
ne kinds of rock in which the ores
re found and who use the ordinary
Methods of prospecting.
No instrument other than the drill
as been devised that will indicate
ne presence of water or oil under
round. In determining the probable
xistence of underground supplies of
hese liquids, biologists are guided
y their knowledge Of the relation Of
eds OF rocks visible at the surface to
eds that contain oil or water at other
laces in the same general region. =
hey also make use Of the recognized
citation of occurrences of oil or water
certain structure (folds, faults,
tc:) In the rocks, and Of surface indi-
atoms, such as oil seeps, springs,
ltflows of gas, etc. The United
tates Geological SURVEY has pub-
shed as Water-Supply Paper 416
.port by A. J. Ellis, entitled HTbe
~ iy!lning. Rod, a History Of Water
'ltching," which shows the useful
ess of the instrument. This renort
ay be obtained from the director Of
e United States Geological SURVEY
'ashington, D. C. -"
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