IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^^- ,^..-i^ ^^1. «5> ^a 1.0 1.1 US £f 134 12.2 us u llli^B — 6" 3 ^;. »* ^.^* ^ y PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 33 WBT MAIN STRE:en found in the conglomerates of the Car- I period. most always, if not always, occurs in the native ic state ; generally in the form of small flakes or but occasionally in masses of considerable It is never pve, being invaiiably alloyed with I frequently contains small proportions of iron r. also often associated with various metallic sul- ch as copper pyrites, galena, blende, and parti* ith iron pyiites and mispickel. It appears doubtful whether, in every instance, all the gold c sulphides exists in the foitn of minute metallic or if, in some cases at least, it may not be I combination with sulphur. I may however lat from the results of numerous experiments on it, I am inclined to the belief that gold does 1095 sometimes occur in small quantities in the form of sul- phide, but that oxide of gold, for the extraction and utilization of which sundry much vaunted processes have been devised, does not exist in any of the known auriferous ores. The extraction of gold from the sulphides would, by the ordinary process of amalgamation, present consideitible difficulty, and consequently it will often be fonod advan-. tageous to separate and collect the pyrites, dec, contained in the tailings, and subsequently to subject them to metal- lurgic treatment by fusion either with galona, litharge, or some other lead product. The roost important gold discoveries made daring the last ten years are those of British Columbia, New Zea- land, and Nova Scotia ; but it may also be observed, tltat gold in paying quantities has been recently discovered in the neighbourhood of Dolgelly, in Noiih Wales. British Columbia. — As early as June, 1866, Mr. Douglas, the Governor of Vancouver's Island, reputed to' the Secretary of State the discovery of gold in the British territory, north of the 49° of latitude, and stated that the earnings of the diggers ranged from £2 to £8 a day. I» consequence, however, of the hostile attitude assumed hy: the natives, the number of diggers was very limited. Altogether this discovery attracted at first less attentioA- than might have been anticipated, but in December, 1857^ Governor Douglas reported that the Indians themselv were extensively engaged in the search for gold, and thftl the accoimts which had reached the neighbooriag ttaMb of America had caused considerable excitement. It wtt not, however, until May, 1868, that a stream of immigra- tion sufficient to overpower the opposition of the abori- gines had fairly set in, and the British public learnt, for the first time, that the mainland of new Caledonia, as the district extending from the Bed-river to the Pacific was somewhat vaguely designated, was a rich and beautiful land, which gave every promise of becoming a flourishing and highly important colony. 2 ^ • .2nB>i&u/^ The Times correspondent, writing from Victoria, Van- oouver'a Idand, under date of January 20th of the present yew, says: — "Beginning with Fraser Biver, the main artery of the auriferous region, I may state that gold is known to exist, and has been worked at a great many places in the river and on its banks, from a point about 45 miles from its mouth up to near its source in the Rocky Mountains ; in other words, from the 49th up to the 53rd parallel of north latitude, a distance (taking in the wind- ings) of some 800 mile*. The south branch of the Fraser has its sources near Mount Brown, in the Rocky Mountains, in about 68^ north latitude, US'* 40 m. west longi- tude. Thence this branch flows for 290 miles to Foii George, a post of the Hudson's Bay Company. The north branch rises in an opposite direction. It receives its supply from a series of lakes lying between 64° and 65^ of north latitude; longitude about 124" 50 m. west, and tons a course of 260 miles to its junction with the aouth branch, some miles below the 54th parallel of north latitude. Here the union of the two branches forms the Fraser River proper. Adding the north branch, which is also a gold-bearing stream, and which was worked last season, to the other arm, the two will give us a continuous itretch of auriferous riverain territory upwards of 1,000 miles in length, extending for many miles back into the country, but not including the tributary rivers which fall into the Fraser. In short, the river itself is now known to be auriferous, and to pass through a gold-bearing country throughout its whole course. Gold is also found in most of the tributaries of the Fraser, of which no less than 69 are known. The great lengtli of the main river, and the number of its tributaries, will give some idea of the auriferous resources of the country'. " But these facts do not by any means convey a com- ]>rehensive or accurate view of the vast extent of the area of the goldfield, because they are limited to the central ; portions of the countrj', while the whole of the upper portion of British Columbia, from its southern to its northern boundary, is auriferous. " Besides the gold found in the beds and on the shores ^of these streams, the Fraser itself and many of its tribu- Itariesare skirted and bordered by terraces, all of which yield Igdld also. These terraces, or lienches, as the miners call ||Mt«m, run at intervals along both sides of the rivers miles in length, and they recede where the mountains Intire for distances back into the valleys varying n a few acres to a few miles in breadth. They objects of curiosity and speculation, and add much |to the beauty of the rude scenes in which they occur, from regularity and evenness of their structure. They Igeneimlly occur on both sides of the river (oppobite to each at the same place, sometimes at the same elevation I both aides, sometimes at different elevations, high on rand low on the other side of the river, and in some thcjr W multiplied iiAo several suouesuve level parallel plateaux, rising one above the other as they recede from the bank. These terraces are composed of tho ordinary alluvial deposits, loam, gravel, stones, sand, and boulders, and they are thick masses rising generally to a height of 160 to 200 feet." From the statements of the same writer, there would also appear to be abundance of gold found in other localities besides the vicinity of the Fraser. Large yields have been obtained from the diggings between Fort Hope and Fort George, about 100 miles from its mouth. These mines are said to have yielded during the last season an average of 17 dols. to the hand, and a party of three men took from three days' diggings 240 dols. At Okanagan, sixty miles distant, the average produce is stated to have been 4 dols. to the hand. The Thompson River and its tributaries had also proved highly auriferous. North River gave from 8 dols. to 10 dols. to the liand, and on the Banibre a com- munity of French Canadians made each as high as 60 dols. per diem. Cariboo, however, appears to be the largest and richest of all the gold districts hitherto discovered. In confirm- ation of this, it may be stated that at Steele's claim, Wil* liams's Creek (Cariboo), a company of five partners com- menced their operations during the summer months. They began their preparations by sawing timber for then: sluices, and at first their claim did not promise as much as many others. During the firat three days they obtained little or nothing, but on the fourth day their labours were rewarded by the collection of 4 ozs. of gold. On the fifth day they made lOozs., and on the sixth 41 ozs. From that time the yield went on increasmg until it reached 387 ozs. a day, whilst the last day's work gave a return amounting to 469 oz. The five partners employed four hands to assist them in clearing away the tailings. The labourers were paid 8 dob. per day each, in addition to their board, and the total value of the gold raised during not more than two months' actual work was equal to a money value of £21,876. The total area of the claim so worked was 80 feet by 26 feet, thus showing the extreme richness of some of the deposits of British Columbia. I cannot, however, refrain from remarking on one of the inferences that might be drawn from the statements of the Timet coirespondent. He would appear to impl}' that the gold fields of British Columbia afford all prizes and no blanks. This is, I confess, a somewhat different conclusion from that at which I should myself arrive, after consider- able experience in some of the most important gold dis- tricts. We generally hear a great deal about the prizes, while little or nothing is said of the blanks ; and I certainly entertain considerable doubt as to whether the glowing accounts whicli from time to time reach this country through the medium of the newspapers, are at all times to be relied on. Of one fact, however, I am quite certain, and that is— that I was some years since ac- quainted with the correspondent of one of our leading journal of the fortune degree I woi represei dently < circums deeply Ther gold-fie alluvia] in almo plentifu benefit i may be made o those w by the < arms, ai pendenc facility i New reached in New very dei yet beei remunei found it Telegrap " Th€ gold-fiel vemlier, conveyet The tota the 20th ounce, ii pendent New dij locality. It al8( New Zei for it is auriferoi north." Also, the folio ment, co immedia increase, ductive t Every i quantiti( gold mil a large p ticeable < veiy of J its juncti more or will prov fields." I am I tion rela to notice cently vi quainted. Nova the provi line, by bably of through some pl( undulatii although ber, and i4 S^ s<^ .. u they recede tpoaed of the nea, sand, and generally to a tere would also )thei' localities ields have been Elope and Fort These mineit ion an average men took from ftu, sixty miles ve been 4 dols. tributaries had ver gave from ian-ibre a com- liighasSOdols. ;est and richest i. In confirm- b's claim, Wil« paiiners com- months. They for their sluices, much as many btained little or I were rewarded I fifth day they u that time the 887 0Z8. aday, 1 amonntingto hands to assist labourers were heir board, and not more than money value of worked was 80 richness of some innot, however, inces that might r coiTespondent. fields of British rent conclusion , after consider- )rtant gold dis- tbout the prizes, tlanks ; and I to whether the ;ime reach this apers, are at all ver, I am quite years since ac- of our leading: journals, who, havinat taken up his residence in the part of the country in which I was then living, made a large fortune by land speculations, which were in no small degree fostered by means of the articles appearing in that paper. I would not of course impute anything like wilful mis- rapresentation to the resident coiTespondent, but it is evi. dently difficult to take a dispassionate view of facts and circumstances around us when our material interests are deeply involved in favour of a foregone conclusion. There can, however, no longer be any doubt but that gold-fields of extraordinary richness, and as far as the alluvial washings are concerned, easily worked, exist in almost all parts of the colony, and also that water is plentiful ; and I merely throw out these remarks for the benefit of those who, from reading the letters in the Times, may be induced to believe that a large fortune is to bo made out of mere existence in British Columbia. Let those who go out be determined to get their own living by the exercise of industry and the strength of their own arms, and they may rest assured that an honourable inde- pendence may he realised in the colonies with much greater facility and certainty than in any European country. New Zealand. — Early in the present year, accounts reached this country of gold discoveries having been made in New Zealand, and although, as far as 1 am aware, no very detailed reports of the method of its occuiTenca have yet been received, there is every reason to believe that remunerative deposits of the precious metal have been found in this colony. A letter, published in the Daily Telegraph in March last, states that : — " The great influx of gold into Dunedin, from the Otago gold-fields, still continues. On the 22nd and 28th of No- vember, and on the 15th of December last, the escorts conveyed respectively 21,000, 15,000, and 14,000 ozs. The total amount of gold brought down by escort, up to the 20th December, is 191,831 ozs., which, at £3 17s. per ounce, is of the value of about £738,550. This is inde- pendent of what has arrived here through private hands. New diggings are continually being discovered in the locality." It also goes on to say that, " It will not be long before New Zealand will he recognised as a gold-bearing country, for it is known that the whole of its mountain ranges are auriferous, from tke south to the extreme point of the north." Also, the Otago Daily Times, of the 17th February, has the following remarks on the rapid progress of that settle- ment, consequent upon the discovery of gold-fields in the immediate vicinity : — " The population of Otago is on the increase, and the gold-fields continue to prove very pro- ductive to the number of miners engaged in working them. Every day tends to prove that gold exists in payable quantities over a large portion of the province, and that gold mining will continue to form a profitable pursuit to a lai'ge population for many years to come. The most no- ticeable event during the last month has been the disco- veiy of a new gold-field on the Lammerlaw Creek, near its junction with the Waipori. Opinions respecting it are more or less conflicting, but the general belief is that it will prove a valuable addition to the already opened gold- fields." I am not in possession, however, of any special informa- tion relative to this colony, and shall consequently pass on to notice the gold-fields of Nova Scotia, which I have re- cently visited, and with which I am, therefore, better ac- quainted. Nova Scotia. — The whole of the Atlantic shore of the pi"ovince of Nova Scotia is bordered, in an unbroken line, by strata of a metamorphic character,, and pro- bably of great geological antiquity, fVequently broken through by emptive rocks. These form a coast in some places low and rugged, and in others boldly undulating; their soil is generally rocky and sterile, although there are large tracts well covered with tim- ber, and aflfoi-ding prosperous agricultural settlements. Along the Atlantic short thia district ii genendlj Urn.* gradually rising to a height of some three l^imdrad fiMM '^ as it advances northward. Its coast line has, aooordina to Dr. DawBOD, a general direction of south 68<* west, wmlsk its inland boundary, although presenting some consider- able undulations, lias a direction of south 80° west. The extreme breadth of this band at Cape Canseaa, its northern extremity, is about eight miles, whilst in its extension westward it gradually increases until, at the west branoh of St. Mary's River, eighty miles west of Cape Canseaa, il is known to be thirty miles wide. In the western countiei, its width has not yet been accurately ascertained, but here ' its entire breadth cannot be far short of fifty miles. Its total length corresponds with tliat of the peninsula of Nova Scotia. This band, in which almost the whole of the gold dis- covered has been found, chiefly consists of thick bands of slate and quartzite highly inclined, and having a general north-east and south-west strike. In different localities these rocks, wliich probably belong to the Silurian epoch, have been penetrated by masses of granite, and in their vicinity the qmvtzites and clay slates usually present a highly metamorphosed appearance. Since the gold discoveries in California and Australia have been generally known, and public attention has been directed to the conditions under which deposits of the pre- cious metal usually occur, leports of similar discoveries'! have from time to lime locally arisen in different parts of j Nova Scotia. In every instance, however, either mica or iron pyrites would appear to have been mistaken for gold. Some years since, also, a considerable amount of excite- ment was caused by an article in Blackwood's Magazine, in which it was affirmed that gold would be found in the , hills to the south of Annapolis, and comparisons were in- stituted between that locality and the Valley of the' Sacramento. Many persons were induced, by this article, to leave their ordinary occupations to seek for gold, bat ' their researches having in all cases proved unsuccessful, the fever gradually subsided, and the subject was ultimately! forgotten. It is also wonhy of remark that Dr. Dawson, ; so long ago as 1855, when describing the great metamor- phic band, observes: — " Quartz veins occur abundantly bk many parts of this district, and it would not be wonderftal ; if some of them should be found to be auriferous." Tliere is nevertheless no authentic evidence of the dis> j covery of the precious metal in the province previous to 1860, when some hundreds of persons, tempted by i-umoanr| of gold having been foimd, commenced exploring near the>| head waters of the Tangier River. The amount of goUti obtained in this locality was, however, so small, that'thef miners ultimately became discouraged, and the excitemenfl gradually subsided. In the month of March, last year, af man who was stooping to drink at a brook, observed si piece of gold among the pebbles at the bottom, and having! picked it up, searched and found more. This took plaoiij about a mile to the east of the Tangier River. ;| From this date attention became directed to the locali^,^J numerous claims were taken up, and considerable qosB^j tities of gold were obtained by breaking the quartz hammers, and washing the resulting dust in tin pans. In June, the discovery of gold was reported at Luneiiri^l berg, at a locality called the " Ovens." The veins attf"^ place, although generally small, are frequently higl auriferous, and appear to cross each other in almost all ( rections, in a metamorphic shale belonging to the g~ southern band. On these discoveries being made kno numerous claims were immediately taken up, and varic companies formed for working the veins presenting (hi selves numerously in the clifll Shortly after the discovery of the auriferous natniei the quartz veins, it was found that the sands on the beM beneath the headland also contained large quantitiel gold ; here claims were likewise rapidly staked offi worked by means of cradles, so that the aggregate yield, from the several shore operations, soon one hundred oimces. Odd dinoveriM wbaeqaently followed each other in m|)id MiooeMion, at Lawrence-town, Dartmouth, and Sheet, •nd Immo'i Hai'boura, Sherbrooke, and Laidlaw's farm. The moat remarkable depoait of aurifcroua qoaiiz hitherto found in Nova Scotia is undoubtedly that at Laidlaw'a farm. The principal workings are here situated near the summit of a hill composed of hard metamorphic sliales, where openings have oeen made to tiie depth of some four or five feet upon a nearly horizontal bed of cor- rugated quarts of from eight to ten inches in thickneu. This auriferous deposit is entirely different from anything I had before seen, and when laid open presents the appear- ance of trees or logs of wood laid together side by side after the manner of an American corduroy road. lYom this circumstance the miners have applied the name of "barrel quartz" to the formation, which, in many cases, presents an appearance not unlike a series of •mall casks laid together side by side and end to end. The diagram on the wall will serve to explain the mode of oocuiTence of this deposit. The rook covering this remarkable horizontal vein is exceedingly hard, but beneath it for some little distance lit is softer and somewhat more fissile. The quartz is itself i foliated parallel to the lines of curvature, and exhibits a [tendency to break in accordance with these strife. The headings, and particularly the upper surfaces of the »rrugations, are generally covered by a thin bark-like Mting of brown oxide of iron, which is seen frequently to iclose numerous particles of coarse gold, and the quartz ^tn the vicinity of this oxide of iron is itself often highly lauriferous. The other gold veins of the province present, generally aking, few distinctive peculiarities, and veiy closely emble those found in California and Australia. Their eneral course is noiih C0° west, and their dip towards lie soutli, but there are not unfrequent exceptions to this le. In addition to gold, the most auriferous veins of Nova cotia contain variable quantities of iron-pyrites, mispickel, tlena, blende, and less frequently a small proportion of ^t;gentifei'0us and auriferous sulphide of copper. Here, as dsewliere, the presence of the sulphides is regarded as a l&vourable indication of the richness of a vein, and leads leontaining much disseminated galena almost invaiiably fUAd a remunerative quantity of gold. The productive veins hitherto discovered have, as before [itated, been found in the older rocks on the Atlantic on, and commonly occur in parallel grou^, near the atre of which, and parallel to the productive veins, a reef of crystallized and comparatively unproductive |nart^ is in many instances found to i-un. These large nurses are locally called " bull veins," and usually con- lin small quantities only of the precious metal. The attention of the Nova Scotian goldminevs has, ntrary to the usual practice, l)een almost entirely di- eted to tlie exploration of the veins of gold quartz, and ivial digging has consequently been all but entirely glected. There is, however, every reason to l)elieve It a careful examination of the alluvial deposits would id to the discovery of large quantities of gold. It would be impossible to form any reliable estimate of total amount of gold which has hitherto resulted from ling operations in Nova Scotia, as the claims are for most part worked by private individuals who are aeraUy indisposed to furnish information either as to eir success or failure, and no official returns on the subject ave as yet appeared. It is manifest, however, from the bharacteristics of the loisalities in which the precious metal * IS ah-eady been discovered, and the great extent of the old-bearing portions of the province, ttiat there is every on to anticipate that fuiiher and more important re- Ita will be developed by the workings and explorations the present summer, and that, ere long. Nova Scotia take an important position among gold-producing ntries. The thicknefls of its auriferous veins is perhaps less than those of California and some other countries, but they are, generally speaking, richer in visible gold than the average of those I have seen in any other part of the world. It must also be taken mto consideration that Nova Scotia possesses many decided advantages over both California and Australia. Each of these countries is situated at a great distance from Europe, and can only be reached after a long and expensive passage, and, as a natural consequence, wages were for a long time exceedingly higli and provisions pibpoiiionately dear. Nova Scotiir on the contrary, is vtthin an easy distance both from Europe and the United States of America, and possesses a considerable settled population of intelligent, industrious, and sober people, eminently adapted, after a little experience, to become steady and efficient miners. The whole of the gold-bearing portion of the Province also lies within a convenient distance from the coast, which atwunds with magnificent harbours, affording ample secu- rity to shipping, whilst wood in large quantities is to be everywhere procured for all descriptions of mining uses, and an abundant supply of water is generally to be met with for the purposes of washing and amalgamation. From these circumstances, it is impossible that wages can ever reach the extravagant rates that mainly led to the failure of nearly all the gold-mining enterprises of 1852, since which period many of the mines have been advantageously worked which were then abandoned on account of the enormous expenditure necessary to carry on the operations. NoBTU Wales. — The gold district of North Wales would appear to be chiefly confined to an area of about 20 square miles lying on the north of the turnpike road leading from Dolgelly to Barmouth. In tliis region the Cambrian rocks are overlaid by the Silurian, and tho general geological features of the country strongly re- semble those of other auriferous localities. The most impoitant discoveries have been made in the Dol-y-frwgnog, Prince of Wales, and the Clogau mines,, of which the latter only is at the present time worked with remunerative results. So long ago as 1844 a paper was read before the British Association by Mr. Aiinur Dean, who stated that a complete system of auriferous veins exists throughout the whole of the Snowdonian or Lower Silurian formation of Noi-th Wales. In consequence of this statement operations were commenced at Cwm- hesian, but the results obtained not having been found satisfactoiy they were finally abandoned. Ten years sub- sequent to this the mine was again worked for gold, but still with unfavourable results. Machinery for crushing and amalgamation was aliout two years afterwards erected at Dol-y-ti-wgnog, but, after operating on several hundred tons of quartz, the result was in this instance also a failure Of all the auriferous veins in the neighbourhood of Dol- gelly that at present worked in the Clogau mountain is ceilainly the most important. This mine is situated at a height of about a thousand feet from the level of the sea, and the workings are extended on what is called the " St. David's" or " Gold lode." This lode, which is almost perpendicular, iTins neai'ly east and west, and is chiefly composed of auriferous quartz, more or less impregnated with sulphides of iron, lead, and copper. The vein stone also exhibits large quantities of disseminated gold, whioh> generally occurs in a state of minute division. This mine is being worked on a small scale, and by means of' very simple and far from perfect machinery ; the follow- ing returns were however made during the course of the year 186 L : — Ore crashed, 456 tons, 32 lbs ; fine gold ob- tained, 2,884 oz., 1 dwt., 7 grs., being at the rate of 6|^ ounces per ton of (j|uartz operated on. During the current year, up to April 26th, the results have been: — Ore crushed, 255 tons, 16 cwt., 16 Itw. ; fine gold obtained 1,962 oz. 2 dwts., or 7| ounces per ton of quailz. It is needless to add that such a degree of success has given rise to the commencement of numerous mining operations in various parts of the district, but if gold mining in Merionethsmre is approached in the speculative I spirit thi quires no neceaarilj Mbthc The moi method f sands anc small sea ^n, but had t nature, i traliathe appears t( , lina, and at its up I means of Theintei Shram o ivided u ing by th ^ requires a : ing it is n dipper, ai posited or retained washed ir pure state tion are v The ar among ( consists o consideral mity with which is I . as in the ( * Into the V to fall wi with whi stin-ed wi waslied tfa coarser fra being dul^ , The stuff i pan, and t I the advan t larger ami ! a much ri :u fine gold i Where I tluke hac ;! aT,'ir'i.':em( k troiig'tt J I holes nave mercury i troughs t from its g bottom, ai that purpo lasionall ^old by fi] t This pr< '^ill lost, i ^bove desc I It is all l^rater can fof metallic |dirt it is ii fagainst th( large qu inducted in this I if procee( 'ining an inomica! When, le gold but they are, n the average he world. It I Nova Scotia >th California is situated at [y be reached as a natural I exceedingly Nova Scotia^ listance both America, and of intelligent, apted, after a icient miners. ' the Province e coast, which g ample secu- tities is to be f mining uses, Ilyto be met amation. lie that wages mainly led to enterprises of les have been abandoned on xy to carry on North Wales ea of about 20 turnpike road ;hi8 region the rian, and the ' strongly re- 1 made in the Clogau mines,. time worked 1844 a paper - Mr. Aiihur of auriferous nowdonian or u consequence iced at Cwm- g been found 'en years sub- for gold, but - for crushing ■waids erected veral hundred also a failure., rhood of Dol- L mountain is i situated at a rel of the sea, lied the " St. Lich is almost ind is chiefly i impregnated 'he vein stone gold, which- mion. This by means of > the foUow- course of the fine gold ob- le rate of 6f g the current been: — Ore ;old obtained Liiz. if success has irons minin] but if gol( le Bpecalative ipirit that charaotericed the prooaedings of 16ff2, it re- quires no prophet to foretell that numerous failures must necesarily be the rasult. Mbthoos for ExTBAOTiHa Gold tbom its Matbix.— The most simple and at the same time moat ancient method for obtaining gold is undoubtedly by washing the sands and dirt with which it is found associated. On a small scale this may be performed either in a bowl or tin Cn, but when greater expedition is sought, recourse must had to appliances of a somewhat more complicated nature. Among the earlier miners in California and Aus- tralia the eradU was much employed. This instrument appears to have been introduced from Virginia and Caro- lina, and consists of an oblong inclined box, having a sieve at its upper extremity mounted on rockers, so that by means of a handle it may be swayed from side to side. The interior of this case is provided with a sloping dia- Shram of tightly-stretched canvass, and the bottom is ivided into partitions by means of wooden cleets. Wash- ing by the cradle is, however, a veiy slow operation, and requires a great deal of manual labour, since besides rock- ing it is necessary to supply it with water by means of a dipper, and to continuallv stir the fresh brought stuff de- posited on the sieve. The gold and other neavy bodies retained between the wooden divisions are finally re- washed in a tin pan, and the metal is thus obtained in a pure state. The losses of fine gold attending this opera- tion are very great. The arrangement which next came into general use among Californian miners was the long torn. This consists of a long, roughly-made, wooden case, having a considerable inclination, and provided at its lower extre- mity with a sieve made of perforated sheet iron, beneath which is placed a " rifBe box" divided into compartments, as in the case of the cradle, by means of slips of wood. \ Into the upper trough a stream of water is so directed as I to fall with considerable force upon the auriferous drift - with which it is charged, and this being continually * stiri'ed with a shovel, the finer particles are gradually 'I washed through the sieve over the liffle box, whilst the coarser fragments are from time to time removed after being duly examined for any nuggets they may contain. ; The stuft' retained by the riffles is afterwards washed in a I pan, and the clean gold thus separated. The torn has j the advantage over the cradle of getting through a much '''. larger amount of work within a given time, but it requires : a much more plentiful supply of water, and the loss of : fine gold is great. Where conveniences exist for its introduction, the }; sluics has now generally superseded the tom. This ' ar <^:'>i.;:ement is nothing more than along run of wooden : trou£'i>i provided with false bottoms in which augur "■ holes jiave been bored to a certain depth, and in these mercury is generally placed. Through these inclined troughs the " pay dirt " is washed, and the metal, fix>m its greater density settling in the depressions at the bottom, and combining with the mercury placed there for that purpose, is thus retained. These false bottoms are 'ocasionally removed, and the mercury separated from the ;old by filtration and subsequent distillation. This process, although a ceiiain portion of the gold is istill lost, is generally much prefeired to either of those ibove described. It is also now customary, whenever a sufiicient fall of ater can be obtained, to direct a stream, by means either f metallic tubes or canvass hose, against the bench of pay dirt it is intended to remove. A powerful stream playing jainst the side of a hill will in a short time disintegrate large quantity of dirt. The mbbish thus detached is inducted through a sluice in the usual way, and the gold in this manner separated and collected. This method if proceeding is known by the name of Hydraulic 'ining and is, generally speaking, considered the most snomical that can be adopted. When, instead of being found in deposits of pay dirt, e gold occurs in veins, associated wim other metals, it become* necessary to reduce the gangue to a state of flntH division before it can be extracted. Two distinct methodt are employed for the separation of this metal fi-om the matrix with which it is associated, viz., washing and amalgamation. In some countries, and particularly in Mexico, the arraitra is much employed for the treatment of auriferoua minerals. This constats of a vertical axis, provided wiUi cross arms, to which are attaclied, by nieaiiii either oi ropes or thong.-* of untanned leather, two or more heavy masses of porphyry. IMules are harnessed to one of the projecting arms, and a rotatoiy motion given to the shall. The stones thus set in motion aio dragged over a well- paved bed, and thus, by an action somewhat resembling that of the common muUer and slab, the ore is gradually reduced. Mercury and water are added to tlie ores operated on, and the resulting amalgam is from time to time passed to the retort. In some instances the ores are introduced into the airastra in fragments of about the size of peas, but in large establishments it is first coarsely gi'ound in a stamping mill. It is needless to say that grinding by means ot the arrastra is a slow and expensive operation. In Chili the trapiehe is much used. This is nolln ig more than a grinding mill, like the ordinary edge-ranner. The roller runs on a grooved bed-stone, in whicli a cei-tain : quantity of mereury is placed, and by tlie continual tritui-ft- i tion of the revolving runner the ore is gradually reduced j and amalgamation eflected. This is, however, like the t foregoing, a tedious and costly operation. In some cases a mill like that commonly employed for^ grinding com has been made use of, and found to answer : remarkably well. In one establishment where apparatus of both construe • tions is in operation, the ratio of the cost of grinding by the horizontal mill as compared to the edge runners, is aa 2s. 3d. to 6s. lOd. The ordinary roller crushing -mill has also been em' ployed for the reduction of gold quartz previous to amalgamation, but it cannot be considered to be ell ^ adapted for this purpose. In the first place the whole of the stuff coming from the mill has to be passed through sieves of fine wire-gauze, and these become so rapidly worn by tho rougher fi'ag- ments which are being returned to the raff- wheel, as to render repairs constantly necessary, and the operation very expensive. Then, again, unless the ore be remarkably dry, these sieves choke, and the stuff is carried round and round without passing through ; and, finally, if the ore be diy, such a dust is created as to nearly choke those attending to the crusher. Among the quartz miners of California and Australia the stamping mill is now the machine almost universally | employed. The ore is often first calcined in heaps or kiln«| ' and, after stamping, the reduced mineral is passed through apparatus of various forms for the separation of the gold. The calcination of the quaiiz, although not alwayfj adopted, is frequently productive of advantageous results. %ir Hard quartz is rendered much more friable by thip| treatment, and when a large proportion of sulphides Ife present, the expulsion of sulphur by the operation of roast- ing is likewise beneficial. It is also probable that when gold occurs in thin finely-divided lamina, the ignition of | the quartz produces such an agglutination of its particle* as to cause them to offer less surface to the action of the water, and that the loss of " float gold" is thereby diminished. The metal is separated from the stamped ore either by washing alone, or by washing and amalgamation. When the former process is resorted to. the stuff flowing from the stamping mill is either allowed to pass over riffle-boxes, CX is conducted over blankets, or skins on which the hair is retained. These are occasionally washed in proper vessels, and the metal retained by them thus collected. The gold so obtained is, in most instances, concentrated by washing in a baiea or otherwise, and finally amalgamated, ot I ft«qn«ttly foaed with litharge, or an ore of lead, and floallv cupelled. When amalgamation is employed, the rifflo-boxei may be charged with mercury, or the auriferous sands pro- duced can be passed through triturating apparatus con- taining mercury with which the gold is caused to combine. In some cases bairel amalgamation is resorted to. Tlie diagram on the wall exhibits a combination of three of the most eiHcient amalgamating appliances used by the miners of California and Australia, which is well calculated to separate the precious metal from ordinary gold quartz. The ore flowing, from the mill flrst passes over a lip through a triturator not unliice that employed at Zell in the 'fytol, and then falls into an apparatuH, the action of which is similar to ttiat of the amalgamating barrel. Finally, the whole of the stuff before passing over riffle- boxes or blanicets, is agitated in a cohunn of mercury through which it is made to descend. In some instances, where water is not plentiful, that from which the tailings have settled is again pumped round. In this caso a little wood ashes should from time to time be thrown into the mill. This is employed for tlie purpose of Baponifying any oil or other fatty matter which, if present in even the mott minute proportiom, when quiclisilver is used, would, by preventing the particles of gold from uniting with the mercury, materially interfere with the results obtained. It is, therefore, of gi'eat importance in all quartz-crushing and amalgamating establishments, that proper care be taken to prevent any dropping of oil from the bearings into the apparatus, since tlie result of such an accident would inevitably be a notable falling off in the produce of gold obtained. In order to prevent loss occurring through this cause it would, as before stated, be found advantageous to throw from time to time into the mill a little wood ashes or some other alkaline body, for the purpose of re- moving any greasy matter whicli may have become acci- dentally introduced. WJien the quartz contains an ajiprcoiable quantity of auriferous sulphidcH, it would in many cases be found ad- vantageous to separate these from the tailings by means of a Hundt's huddle applied to the end of the riffles. The sulphides thus collected niiglit be treated either by fusion with oxide of lead, and the produce cupelled for gold, jOV after a preliminary roasting be again subjected to ; amalgamation. The former process will, however, in many instances prove the most advantageous. As an instance of the small yield of gold which, even ' in Australia, is at the present time found remunerative, . I would quote the following results of the Colonial and Port Philip Company. It must, however, be observed that, to obtain a satisfactoi-y profit from ores of this class, it is necessary not only that large quantities should be treated, but also that (he greatest economy should be ; obsei'ved in eveiy department of the manipulation. The quantitv of quartz crushed by this company between October Ist, I860, and September 30, 1861, was 32,258 ^^^ns, from which the produce was 24,336 ozs. 6 dwts., being an average of 15'2 dwts. per ton. The quantity l^ushed during the preceding year was 21,693 tons, and |jihe produce 17,466 ozs., being an average of 16 dwfs. per tJton, showing an increase in cru.shingof 10,563 tons, and on [4he yield of gold of 6,870 ozs. over the same period of tiie Previous year. It will be perceived that the yield of gold IsMr ton had experienced a variation of 22 grs., equal to l^i per cent. The total expenditure per ton was 12s. ; in the preceding year it was 16s. The profit on the quartz crushing for the year ending September 30th was ^422,968 168. 5d. Assay op Obes containing Gold. — Minerals contain- ing gold are in most instances assayed in precisely the aame way as those affording silver. To make an assay of auriferous quartz, the sample to be operated on is first finely pulverised, and a given weight aabsequently well mixed with litharge, carbonate of soda, borax, and an amount of charcoal dust sufficient for the :r|n)duction of a button of lead of a convenient size for oupellation. The metallic globule remaining on the oopel after tids operation will contain all the gold present in the ore, together with any silver that may be aasooiated with it, as well as a certain udnute porticn of that metal derived fruu, the lead of tlie reduced litharge. In the case of the poorer ores, containing less than lOdwti. of fine gold to tlie ton, the silver derived from the litharg* will frequently bo found amply sufhcieiit for tlte purpoaea of inquartation, whilst for the ric. r varieties the addition of a little pure silver at the time of placing the button oa the cupel is often necessary. When, in addition to gold, tlie ore contains suiall quantities of iron pyrites, or other Bulpliurised mineral, it not unfrequently happena tliat the admixture of charcoal or any otlier reducing agent l)ecume8 unnecessary, md tire fusion may be made with litharge alone. When, liowever, pyrites, blende, or other metallic sul- phides are present in large quantities, tlie sample muat either be treated by scoritication, or it must be first roasted until all the smell of sulphur lias disappeared, and then treated as in the case of substances not containing that body, but with the addition of a larger proportion of borax. It is, however, to be remembered that when any of these com<- pounds contain sulphur, it is of importance thit the whole of it should be removed either before or during the process of obtaining the leaden button, since otherwise, and par- ticularly in the presence of alkaline fluxes, a portion of the gold may enter into combination with the slags in such a way as not to be entirely separated from them by the action of metallic lead. It may bo proper to remark iiere that although nothing is more easy than to estimate with great accuiacy the amount of gold contained in any given specimen of gold quartz, it is considerably more difficult to obtain a fair average sample of the usual produce of a vein. When the metal is in a fine state of division, and equally disseminated throughout the gangue, this presents less difficulty ; but when, on tlie contrary, it occurs in pockets and irregular deposits, it frequently requires the exercise of great care in order to avoid falling into very serious errors. It is coiiEequeutly of the highest importance that when- ever ores are to be assayed tor gold, the greatest care should be oliserved in preparing the samples on which the operation is to be conducted. With this view, the heaps or piles should be fairly cut through, two or three tons being taken from eacli parcel of imjiortance, and reduced to fragments not exceeding the size of beans ; this may be effected, when crushing machinery is not available, by breaking the ore by the aid of properly- shaped hammers on iron plates. This operation is technically called " buck- ing." The ore thus prepared is now to be thoroughly mixed, again made into a pile and again cut through, taking out of it this time from three to four hundred weights, which are reduced to the state of fine powder, either in a large moiiar or by grinding on an iron plate. After well mixing, this powder is again cut through, and about 20 lbs. weight takeu, for the purpose of being still fuither reduced in size, and passed through a sieve of fine wire gauze. Should any flattened particles of gold re- main in the sieve, they are to be carefully collected, cupelled, aud parted, and due allowance made for them on the result obtained by direct assay. Of the finely-di- vided ore which has passed through the sieve, at least six difl'ereut assays of one thousand grains each should be made, and their mean result taken as representing the produce of the parcel of ore of which it is the object to determine the value. By operating in this way, almost absolute accuracy may be ensured ; but when a less degree of exactitude is ne- cessary, the quantity of crushed ore may be reduced and the number of assays fewer. If after thus accurately testing the produce of a parcel of ore, it be passed through the most efficient crushing and amalgamating machinery with which we are acquainted it will be found that the total amount of gold originally present in the stuff is never obtained, and if this deficit be ■ought foi will be di procioua n cieucy wc minute p on the «i nearly twi When ( to gold, a comes nee the additl is weighec for the we which mi more silvf added, an silver, is e : cupelled, nitric acid present in of the buti less the u ■ suiting frc ; In cone great im( quoting tl 1 delivered •peaking c ticular in matter of ] in many c this difficu QOLO JS ;; the discot ; Australia, f United Ki I in those c I eveiy insti }> capital so « I Various } these disai that, in tc been paid average pr ' to work. The sp€ ' picked sai the assay { realised v to be teste frequently have lieen were situa ;| of water I -attended \ I the excesf '': quisites wl ; cient barri proprif tai} It is suf sells for a amount of '; nerative r life can bt • also much staff of 0] ,■ scarce, tha i working c I per day ; ( I that, in th ' pensive, a % precarious p In all r %>have for tl the alluvi .^derable t f ig on the oapal ;old preMoi ia be awooiated oi that metal [(6. stlianlOdwta. ni the litharge >r the purpoM* 08 the adaition ; the button oo dition to gold, m pyritea, or lently happeni reducing agent be made with r metallic mV- i sample mutt be tii'Ht roasted lared, and then niiig that body, ot borax. It is, of these com- thit the whole ing the proceia •rwise, and par- a portion of the slags in such a m by the action iphough nothing it accuiacy the )ecinien of gold obtain a fair ein. When the ly disseminated difficulty ; but i and irregular D of great care rrors. ince that when- } greatest care es on which the view, the heaps > or three tons e, and reduced IB ; this may be t available, by laped hammers y called " buck- be thoroughly I cut through, four hundred of fine powder, 1 an iron plate, ut through, and ie of being still h a sieve of fine jles of gold re- fuUy collected, made for them f the finely-di- eve, at least six each should be epresenting the is the object to le accuracy may xactitude is ne- be reduced and luce of a parcel int crushing and are acquainted gold originally if this deficit b« tought for in the tailings remlting ttom the operation, it ] will be diecovered that a certain suall auantitv of the ) precious metal still remains unaccounted for. This defl- 1 cieiicy would appear to be due to the circumstance of ^ minute particles of flattened gold luving floated off I on the surface of the water, and frequently amounts to I nearly two dwtH. per ton of ore treated. I When the ore to bo examined contains silver in addition ' to gold, and it is desirable to ascertain its amount, it be- comcM necessary first to cupel the button of lead without the addition of silver ; the metallic globule thus obtained is weighed and its weight noted, deduction being made lor the weight of silver derived from the reduced litharge, ' which must l)e ascertained by a distinct cupellation. If more silver is required for the operation of parting, it is i added, and the button, together with the fragment of « silver, is enveloped in a piece of pure lead foil, and again ; cupelled. Lastlv, the resulting globule is dissolved in ' nitric acid, and the gold weighed. Tlie weight of silver prcMont in the ore will consequently be represented by that of the button of alloy obtained from the first cupellation, less tite united weiglits of the gold and the silver re- ; suiting from the reduced litharge. i' In concluding this subject I cannot better express the ;- great importance of obtaining fair samples than by : quoting the w dually but slowly become exhausted, lomethiDa more tnaa mere muscular strength becomes neoesaarv Ta order to keep up the returns, a more systematlo method of mining is adopted, a thorough combination of labour and th« investment of larger capital are required. It must, however, be remembered that these changei, although gradual even in a new colony, are infinitely more' rapid than those who have always resided in Eurooean countries generally imagine. Ton years in the life of a colony, and particularly a gold-bearing one, effect greater changes in its commercial and social relations than a century in an old established country, and we have, consequently, no reason to be astonished that veins at« at the ptesent moment being advantageously worked both in Aiutialia and California when, in 1852, such operations would have been attained by a certain and very considerable loss. It is a generally adiiiittod fact that veins of auriferoui quartz have little or no relation, with regard to the ex- pense of working them, with the more readily worked alluvial deposits in their vicinity. In the one case the rock lias to be broken, crushed, and washed, at a consi- derable expenditure of time and money, whilst in the other, nature has for centuries been carrying on these operations and so preparing the gold as to admit of its extraction by very simple means. It consequently follows tliat the period at which quartz veins can be advantage- ously worlced in any given locality will not entirely de- j pend on their yield, but will also be more or less influenca4| by the abundance and richness of the alluvial diggings inf their vicinity, and the general price of labour and materials' in the district. The supply and consequent price of labour must also be materially influenced by the distance at which the gold i producing countries may be situated from the great ' centres of civilization. From their remoteness and their consequent difficulty of access, Australia and Califomi« for a considerable period offered striking examples of the i demand for labour exceeding the supply, but the constantly increasing facilities afforded for travelling, and in some instances their nearer proximity to Europe, will probably^ prevent this occurring to the same extent in the mor recently discovered gold fields. There is, therefore, every reason to believe that tl amount of gold annually derived from the working gold quartz will go on gradually and rapidly increasing— ^1 and that, by the introduction of efficient and powerfip machinery, ores of a veiy low produce will ultimately ' treated with advantage. These observations particularly apply to the Provincej of Nova Scotia, whose geographical position renders it impossible that labour should ever attain an excessive value, whilst, if a large supply of auriferous quartz be obtained from the mines of North Wales, it is evident that a very small yield of gold, if continuous, might rendered remunerative. The operations of separating oxide of tin from it matrix, and gold from its ores, are, in many respects, ei ceedingly aiulogous, and consequently the expenses ' curred in the one case may (all other circumstances bein the same) serve approximately as a guide for estimati the cost which should be incident to the other. The most efficient apparatus employed in this count for the reduction of ores to the requisite degree of finene are undoubtedly to be found in the tin mines of Cornwall and as an example of the expense attending the process < stamping, it may be stated that at Polben'o Consols, in t*^ year 1854, a 36-inch condensing engine, working at horse power, stamped no less than 30,200 tons of tin sti at a total expenditure of Is. 3^. per ton. Each he stamped, therefore, 420 tons per annum, or 28 cwt. 24 hours, whilst the whole number reduced 100 tons j day at a cost of 2s. 4d. per horsepower. During! . same year the average produce of the stuff stamped! was 20| 9>8. per ton, and the net profit on tlie op *iOM £2,800 9t. 8d. If we now aMumo the vtlue of black tin to be 8d. per t>., and that ttie nxiwofM of ntamping an equal quantity olgold auartx would have been the nme, the total value of the produce obtained from each ton will be ISn. I0d.,or equal to a yield of ahoutSf Iwti. of flne gold. It must, however, be admitted that the cost of stamping a ton of ordinary gold quartz will be aomewliat greater than that of treating an equal quantity of Polborro tin Htuff, and that when the gold la in an exceedingly ntinute state of division, or where sulphides are present in large quan- tities, the separation of the gold may sometimes be at- tended with a certain i^mount of difficulty, but this differ- ence will, in many cases, not be material. It is thei-efore evident that when large quantities of auriferous quartz can be obtained in a oountiy where the price of labour is not high, it is not necessary that it should contain a large amount of the precious metal in order to render its treatment by the aid of well con- structed machinery remunerative. As an instance of the very small yield which, under peculiar circumstances, may be rendered available, I would adduce the fact that at Schemintz, in Hungary, in the year 1842, the total quantity of ores stamped was above 40,000 tons, and the average of the useful metals extracted from 50 tons was — gold 8 oz. ; silver derived from the se^iarating process 8}lbe. ; lead nimilarly obtained 8| cwts. ; the ratio of the gold to the other materials being here as one to half a million. It is also important to state that in this instance the ores had to be broken from solid lodes, at depths extending to 200 fathoms fiom the surface. DISCUSSION. Mr. MrroBELL gave an explanation of a model of a ma- chine exhibited by him, which he said was for the purpose of further crushing the gold ore after it passed from the stamping machine. It was found that the quartz was not crushed sufficiently fine when it passed from the ordinary machines, and it was necessary to subject it to a triturating action. Generally speaking, a machine like a common «orn mill had been employed for such purposes, but his machine, he said, effected the trituration far more per- fectly than the ordinary corn mill. It was nothing more than a modification of the mill employed forgiinding coke and charcoal for founders' purposes, or for the grinding of indigo for calico printers. It consisted of a circular pan, in which were four lialls of iron. In an ordinary mill the balls were so driven that they had a tendency to wear into an oval form, and the machine soon lost its efficacy. In the course of a short time the lower portion of the ball, which should rest upon the machine and the material to be gi'ound, ceased to do so. To prevent that, in this machine the balls were driven by a conical roller. The effect of this was that the balls revolved upon two axes, so that they remained perfectly spheiical, and fresh eurfaces of the balls were constantly brought into play. In that case, if the substance submitted to the action of the machine were gold quartz, each particle of gold be- came polished by the frictional action of the balls in the pan, and was then more ready to be taken up by the mercuty to which it was aftei-wards submitted. After it : had been sufficiently triturated by this machine, which was determined by the size of the wire gauze em- ployed, it was then passed into a gutter and ran into an amalgamating machine, which was composed of two troughs, divided in the centre by a partition. In each of these troughs a screw ran, both screws being turned by cog-wheels working one into the other, revolv- ing in opposite directions, the operation of which was, as soon as the ore and water passed into the machine, a current was established by the action of the screws from one end of the troughs to the other. Before starting the machine mercuiy was placed in each of the troughs. There were 12 troughs in a complete machine, and these were used in succession. The ore passed into one trough and there remained for a certain time. The excess pasMd into the next trough, and so on until it passed through the whole series. To give an illustration of the progress of the ore from the first portion, from the triturators to the amalgamators, they might suppose they were treating ore whiclt containeil 8 ox. of gold to the ton. No. 1 amalgamator would re- move something like 10 to 12 dwts. of gold trom it, leaving still comparatively rich gold-quartz to pass to the second trough. That would remove a certain num- ber of other dwts., leaving it still fVee to pass to the third trough, and so on until the final result was a gold quarts containing 8 or 4 dwts. only to the ton. Mr. Mitchell proceeded to give the results of this process in the various stages, ranging from 2ozs. Sdwts. 17gi's. to the ton in No. 1 trough, down to 2dwttt. 2gr8. in the last trough ; and in the case of richer ore, contaming 38oz8. 12dwts. of gold to the ton. No. 1 trough would yield lOozs. 12dwts. of fine fold; No. 2, lOozs. ; No. 8, 8ozs. ; No. 4, 5ozs. 19dwts. ; To. 6. 4ozs. fidwU. down to Idwts. 23gi-s. The construc- tion of the machine in Question liad been based upon the fact that both gold and silver ores, in the process of amal- gamation, required a very large surface of mercury to be exposed, in order to extract the whole of their precious contents ; and in this machine, with a series of twelve amalgamators, there were upwards of 250,000 square feet of mercury exposed to the ore passing tlirough it in one hour. The amount of mercurial surface was larger than in any other machine. At the St. John Del Rey and other Brazilian mines, the ore was kept in contact with the mercury for 86 hours, but in the machines emploved there the surface of mercury was comparatively small, whereas, if ore of that richness were placed in this machine, the contact with the mercury need not be continued more than 2 or 3 hours, because of tho large surface of mercury employed. If a large sur- face of mercury were employed, it required less time; if a small surface of mercuiy wore employed, it required a longer time. Consequentiy, in any machine for the ex- traction of gold from tlie ore, tlie object should be to have a large surface of mercury exposed. Mr. JosiAH Habbib said, in the year 1864 and for two or three years afterwards, he devoted considerable time to the gold question in North Wales, and he would offer a few remarks with reference to the discovery of gold in that country, believing the subject to be of great import- ance. He believed Mr. Phillips had curtailed the extent of the area in Wales over which gold had been discovered. It extended over 60 square miles instead of 20, and (Xin- tained numerous auriferous quartz lodes ; in fact, he was of opinion the quantity was almost inexhaustible. The St. David's lode, instead of being nearly perpendicular, am stated by Mr. Phillips, dipped north about 18 inches per fathom, and was found to be rich in visible gold from near tlie surface to a depth of 23 fathoms. That discoveiy had taken place withiu the last two or threa days, showing not merely surface deposits, but that they extended to a considerable depth, and were found to be equally as rich ;it the lowest part as at or near the surface. In 1853 Mr. Goodman, who had paid a great deal of attention to the subject of gold in Wales, found on the surface about 250 tons of auriferous quartz, which had been lying there for 18 years. 100 tons of that quartz were dressed for copper, when it was found to be so rich in gold, that the smelters wore anxious to obtain an additional supply, but from some circumstance or other that wish was not complied with. At that time Berdan'spans were in vogue, and two or three of them were erected on the Clogau property. From a circumstance not well under- stood, although the ore was rich in visible gold, yet thero was great difficulty in extracting it ; the consequence was, the operation was abandoned, but within the last two yeara the mine had been reopened, and the same pans had been used with a different method of operation. Instead of 6 or 8 tons of quartz being passed through the pans per day, only from 20 to 80 cwts. per day were passed through them, and only one ball was intil it puMd I illiMtration fint portion, , they might ntained 801. , would re- ) gold from j uartz to paM ( a certain num« M to the third a gold (luarta Mr. Mrtchell , in the varioui to the ton in l t trough ; and 2dwt0. of gold I 2dwts. of flno I 60ZS. 19dwt8. ; \ The constmo- yued upon the rocofls of amal- mercury to be their preoioiu ries of twelve XH) square feet tlirough it in surface was the St. John ore waa kept hours, but in f mercury wai that richneaa th the mercury lura, because of > If a lar^^e sur- ; d less time; if i, it required a : ne for the ex- :i should be to ^ 54 and for two ' derable time to i would offer a ery of ^old in f gi-eat import- iled the extent )een discovered, of 20, and oon- in fact, he was laustible. The M-pendicular, as b 18 inches per > gold from near ; It discovery had jj days, showing ' extended to a equally as rich . In 18S3 Mr. d of attention \ on the surface hich had been at quartz were so rich in gold, 1 an additional ther that wish dan's pans were I erected on the lot well under- ' gold, yet there nsequence was, 3 the last two the same pans I of operation, passed through I cwts. per day one ball was used in»ten'l uf two. The same machinoiy was used and the same ilewriptioii of quartz was o|)crated u()on, and it luid Iweii proved tliat thiit was not only a very rich mine, but oiiu uf tlio richest Icnown either in thin or in any otliur country. There were uuoii the tablu wme extroiuely riuh spiicinicnM, which hau l)euii obtained l>y Mr. (ioodinan from an otu which had been lying uii the surface for 18 years; and Huch Hpccimeiin as tlut iihuwn would yield ut the rate uf soinethtng liico 8,0()0 ounces of gold per ton. That, however, was not an isolated speci- men. At the Exhibition that day lie iiad seen large masses of ore equally ricli in gold, and he believed they were now \voil(iiig as much as CO tons pur week of that ore ; and when it was consitierod tliat the Hanio machinery was used now as tbrmorly, it would be seen that some prouress had been niaile in knowledge as to the mode of extracting gold from the ore. It was stated in the paper tliat the Cwniliesian mine was opened some years ago, but the results not having been found Hutisfactory the oi)eration8 were Anally abandoned. lie (Mr. Harris) would state that the Cwinlie.sian protiorty was worked in 1 804, and the same machinery was usea as at Dol-y-frwgnog for extracting the gold. The lode was extreinoly rich in comparison with many others. It contained 15 dwts. of gold to the ton of ore, and he believed there would be no difficulty in making that as paying a concern as the Clogau mine. The Imles wore from 20 to 30 feet in width, exhibiting an almost inexhaustible quantity of gold quartz. At Dol-y-frwgnog as much as 12 ozs. of fold per ton hatl been washed by liand, at a cost of £3. [c found by the returns from the Port Philip Company given in that day's Timet, the avernge produce of the last month had been lOdwts. 8grs. per ton, and the cost of col- lecting and crushing was 8.s. 4d. i)er ton, which left a large margin of profit, and if tliey could extract gold in Australia, where the expense of fuel, machinery, and la- bour was very great, and make a profit out of 10 or 12dwts. per ton, with the auriferous rocks of North Wales yielding ISdwts. ])er ton, he thought there was a fair chance of the profit being highly satisfactory. Professor Tennant called attention to a model on the table of the last large nugget called the "Welcome" which had been received from Australia. He held in his hand the first nugget which was brought to England in 1851, which created so much sensation in the Great Ex- hibition of that year. It was from New South Wales ; and the impression on the minds of some people appeared to be that gold would thereafter be so cheap that sove- reigns would not be woi-th more than 2s. 6d. each, but sovereigns were as valuable now as they were then, al- though b}' reference to the excellent catalogue of the Victorian part of the Exhibition, ho found that the amount of gold extracted from the mines of that country was worth something like £100,000,000 ster- ling, and the weight of gold exceeded 1,000 tons. What the probabilities of the future supply to the English market and the world were, he was not prepared to dis- cuss. He had brought a specimen of gold quartz rock from Nova Scotia, which belonged to a gentleman who read a paper a few evenings since at the Linnsean Society. That was the kind of stone they were mending their roads with in Nova Scotia, and was one of the most interesting specimens he had ever seen from any country, having at one comer a large mass of gold. There was about £10 worth of gold visible, but the quantity invisible he could not say. It reminded him of a specimen which was some years ago ofiered to him for £25, but which he did not purchase, upon which the owner broke it up and obtained from it gold exceeding £42 in value. In the first place, they hadtoconsiderwhowerethepersonswhocoUected the gold, and what was the amotmt of their knowledge oh the subject; and secondly, was gold the only substance which re- munerated the emigrant. The mineralogist was acquainted with 600 minerals ; gold wau only one, and they had 499 others, and many of them very valuable— silver, copper, tin, antimony. There were in the case on the table speci- mens of most valuable minerals from Australia, whieh were disregarded in the search for gold. They had biien in the habit of throwing away a black (wwder, which was supposed to be the oxide of iron, and considered to be worth not more than a few shillings yet ton ; but when a sample was sent over five years since, it was proved to be the oxide of tin, worth £75 per ton, which wastlien being all thrown away. He had placed in a case on the table specimens of various precious stones— the diamond, sap- pnire, rubv, topaz, dee., in their rough state, and he much Suestioned whether there were in tiie room twenty gentle>- emen who could tell the nature of those sjiecimens if they picked them up. If this were so, how could the navigac- tors and sailors, who were amongst the most successful miners in the gold regions, be expected to distinguish them ? They knew gold by its colour ; but there wore many other valuable substances with which they were not so familiar. Those who visited the Exhibition would do well to inspect the collection of diamonds in the Netherlands department, exiiibited by Mr. Coster. He looked upon that as showing a finer collection of gema in their natural state than any other case in the whole Exhibition. Thero were in that case stones of the ag- gregate vnlue of, he believed, £1,000,000 sterling. If those stones were thrown upon the pavement in a leading thoroughfare — except as regarded the polished specimens — he questioned whether one person in twenty would consider them worth picking up. He be- lieved they were throwing away in the gold districts the substances to which he referred. Mr. Phillips had not aliuded to one district in which he (Mr. Tennant) be- lieved gold had been profitably worked— that was Canada. In the Brazilian Department of the Exhibition they would find some specimens of gold from a district which ve- mained for future discoveries. In that case the gold occurred in (granulated quartz, so friable that it could be crushed between the fingers. It waa found in a district which was at present unhealthy, but as railways were being constructed to the interior of the country, he believed it was only a work of time for more gold fields to be developed. When they considered the large amount of gold that was annually used in the arts, it amomited in the aggregate to a con- siderable weight. The large quantity of gold used for picture-ftames, the decoration of china, the taciatj of shop fronts, &c., was almost all lost. He hiui been asked whut became of all the gold that was brought over to this country ? His reply was, it supplied our wants, it enabled us to increase our commerce and civilisation ; it extended our luxuries, and would go on doing so for many years to come. But he would draw attention to other substances belonging to the mineral kingdom— silver, copper, tin, antimony, bismuth, nickel. &c. If they could obtain the inferior kinds of diamonds they would be worth £50 per ounce, whilst gold was only worth £4 per ounce ; but if j these diamonds could be obtained at £5 or £10 per ounce, they would be the means of bringing many intractable materials into the useful arts which could not be used noir in consequence of the cost of the material for cutting 1 them. He begged personally to thank Mr. Phillips (aT\ his valuable paper. J Mr. EvAM Hopkins had listened with great pleasure to] Mr. Phillips's paper, which left very little to be remarked| upon, but speaking generally on the subject of gold forma* ' tiona, and the systems of extracting it from the ore, accord . ing to his own experience, they had very little difficulty, ' in commencing in a gold field, to find the gold, beginning with the outcrop, and washing out tlic gold from the debris. Again, with regard to the quartz veins, vhen the surface had been washed away, they found no difficulty whatever in extracting the gold from the quartz. The Port Philip Company commenced their operations on a quartz vein which yielded on the surface ten ounces to the ton. It ai.erwards diminished to six ounces, and as the quantity operated upon and the depth of the workings incresised, the average yield diminished ; but in consequence of the intro*^ 10 ductionof atamping and the blanket system, aa applied in South America, they were now able to make a protit with stuff producing only 10 dwts. per ton, and they^ in South America continued to make a proAt with a yield M low as 6 dwts. per ton, provided thoy got 2,000 or 3,000 tons of stuff per month of that average quality. They found no difficulty in getting the remaining gold from the remains of the <|uartz by re-treatment and the use of finer stamps. At first when they used the Chilian mills with mercury they could not make three-quarters of an ounce per ton pay a profit. He was happy to say they could now work material yielding only 6 dwts. at a profit without quicksilver. The Columbian Mining Association had tried all kinds of machines and g' inders, such aa those representod, and many more, but they had all proved wci thless. By grinding the raw material into an impalpable state in the firet instance, they destroyed a large amount of the rough grain gold ; aiid notwithstanding the grinding with the quicksilver for days together, there was a large amount of pure gold which did not become incorporated with the quicksilver, and that was a cause of great loss. That system was abandoned, and from that time they li.id been working even the refuse of the mines at a profit. All they wanted was plenty of material which yielded gold even as little as 6 dwts. to the ton. With regard to North Wales there was no difficulty in getting the gold. He had been lately at the Clogau mines. In one week he saw 9^ lbs. of gold obtained from 600 cwt. of quartz by the pestle and mortar machinery, and when they put up stamps he had no doubt they would get a greater yield, and would be able to reduce comparatively pooi' stuff with profit. The cost per ton at the Clogau, with their present mode of extrac- tion, must be excessive. The cost of extraction at Mar- mato did not exceed 8s. per ton. With reference to the St. John del Bey, the material they were working upon only yielded 37s. worth of gold per ton, and yet they were making a profit of £8,000 or £9,000 per month, as the cost of production was only 17s. per ton, leaving a profit of £1 per ton ; but they could not do that unless they had a great abundance of material to operate upon. The Chaibman inquired whether a model of the stamps employed in the Port Phillip works was in the Exhibition. Mr. Chas. FiELDEB{Secretary tothe Port Phillip Com- pany) replied that the model was not yet complete, but would be at work in the course of the week. Mr. Hopkins added, tliat the auriferous pyiites required much more careful treatment than quartz. The gold in pyrites was in the most impalpable state, and would not bear the least agitation in water. Mr. Habbis inquired whether the company did not amalgamate, as well as wash and stamp. Mr. FiELDEB replied that the mixed process was em ployed. They amalgamated as well as stamped and washed. Mr. R. A. Maofie said the question had occurred to his mind, that whereas 400 years ago gold was found in the Pentland-hills and other parts of Scotland, they did not hear of its being sought for or found in that country in the present day. Mr. HoPKWs was satisfied, if some of the Australian diggers were to go to Scotland, they would not be there a month without finding gold. He did not say it would be worth their while to do so, but if people took the trouble to look for gold they would find it in all countries where the primary slates are exposed, and he saw no reason why gold veins should not be found m Scotland as else- where. Professor Temnant mentioned that whilst on a visit at Black Mount, in Scotland, he found some specimens of quartz which contained gold and pyrites. His state- ment having been doubted by the company assembled there, he extracted globules of gold from three specimens with a tobacco-pipe. This was proof that gold was to be found in Scotland, but it might cost 30s. to obtain 20b. worth of gold. Mr. Fbilufs, in reply to Mr. Harris, reoiarked that it was possible that he had underrated the extent of the gold-bearing district of North Wales, but he believed he was quite correct in stating that the .hole of the veins hitherto worked were comprised within the area men- tioned. With regard to the roasting of gold quartz re- fened to by Mr. Hopkins, he (Mr. Phillips) was only aware of one instance in which it appeared to be attended with prejudicial etiects. In this case the ores contained large quantities of sulphides, and the gold existed in a state of minute division, and on roasting them in heap» with a large excess of wood, a portion of the gold appeared to have been carried off in washing in the form of alkaline double sulphides. In reference to the observation of Mr. Tennant respecting the Canadian gold fields, he might say that he had visited them nearly ten years since, but that their produce was so small as scarcely to render it necessary to include Canada among commercially gold producing countries. When speaking of Nova Scotia, however, he (Mr. Phillips) had omitted to mention that he had the day previous received a letter from his friend Mr. Ann.ind, tlie Financial Secretary of the Province, whO' stated that at Sherbrooke, which at tlie time of his (Mr. Phillips) visit in November last, wasentirely without houses, a small town, with hotels and other requisites, had sprung up, and that three crushing mills were already in progress of erection, the largest and most efficient of them having been forwarded from England by the London and Nova Scotia Gold Mining and Crushing Company (represented in England by Mr. Weir), who had obtained from the Government leases of some very valuable quaitz veins situated at Sherbrooke and other places in the colony. Mr. EvAM Hopkins said, when he spoke of roasting the ore it was witli reference to the cost of the process to the Port Philip Company. He did not think in that case the gain would be equal to the cost. With regard to the sulphides, when they roasted the pyrites they lost the silver, and they were now doing much batter without roasting. The Cqaibman was quite sure they would all agree that they were greatly indebted to the author of this paper for the valuable communication he made. He had seldom listened to a paper of greater interest, or to one in which the various points which the author had under- taken to explain had been more clearly brought forward. The subject he thought he might truly say, was interesting to eveiy one. They had before them one of those models of enormous nuggets of gold found, and, resting their eyes upon that, they saw one of the greatest gems of gold-finding. But the real interest of this dis- cussion rested with the various explanations that had been given by the author of the paper and by the gentlemen who had followed him, as to the discovery and treatment of auriferous ores ; because it was evident it was not to chance discoveries like that before them that they were to look for any long-continued and permanently profitable source of gold-finding. The nuggets might be considered the prizes in tlie lottery, but the general yield of a distiht must be looked upon as the fair field offered to human industry, opened by Providence as a means of spreading property and civilization over the world, and of enriching countries which otherwise must have remained barren. Many of the remarks which had been made would be of the greatest possible use to many who were speculat- ing in gold, or proposing to go forth in search ot it. They would learn from them much practical wisdom, the result of sound observation and experience ; and he considered the Society was under great obligation to Mr. Phillips aud the other gentlemen for the candid and able manner in which they had communicated their views. The failures which had taken place in these enterprises, by reason of the enormous cost of labour, were a subject they could look upon as one pregnant with the greatest instrue- tion; but he would, with their permission, mention what had been done, in the way of progress, in one gold -pro- ducing colony alone, in the course of the ten yeara which had elapsed since the first small nugget attracted so much attention i would brir impression aapect, thi The color gold in tl a depende tion of 77 dependent j It appear ; export of ' equal to £ I — equal tc ; in ten yea: £95,00b.0( which di( [2,000,000 26,000,00( I now 46 th f public woi ' tutions for There wei a The Columbia, with wate ^ osmium, st < model of original g( yielded qi This was t The< physical c street Eas countries, gravity, the follow " Th( 1 180 feet, ;! contained i with SOUK ^ exhibited fetched £' four, quit) before, clay, and This where it ' « some time The 'Minerals ( Logan, F "Na '•It I lain to th i; 15,000 sq f Westbury flheir tribi drift in se (Beauce) ; inencel a n extent of the he believed le of the veins le area nien- ild quartz re- ips) was only to be attended ores contained existed in a hem in heaps gold appeared rm of alkaline rvation of Mr> elds, he might sars since, bat sly to render it uercially gold Nova Scotia, n^ention that rom his friend Province, whO' ne of his (Mr. nrithoiit houses, :e8, had sprung Eidy in progress f them liaving idon and Nova ly (represented ined from the quartz veins tlie colony, of roasting the ) process to the n that case the regard to the they lost the better without Id all agree that f this paper for [e had seldom or to one in lor had under- [early brought ight truly say, lefore them one old found, and, of the greatest est of this dis- s that had been the gentlemen r and treatment t it was not to lem that they d permanently ggets might be general yield of tield offered to as a means of e world, and of have remained sen made would 3 were speculat- pch ot it. They idom, the result d he considei-ed to Mr. Phillips nd able manner ir views. The enterprises, by B a subject they ^-eatest instrue* I, mention what n one gold-pro- ten yeara which btractedsomuch Attention in the Exhibiion of 1861, because he thought it would bring before them a more vivid and distinct ini- impression of the effects of gold-finding in a general aspect, than most persons would be prepntred to expect. The colony of Victoria excited great interest for its gold in thie Exhibition of 1851, being at that time only a dependency of New South Wales, and having a popula- tion of 77,000 inhabitants. It had since become an in- dependent colony, and had now a population of 540,000. It appeared from the Custom-house returns that the export of gold in 1851 amounted to 145,000 ounces- equal to £580,000 ; whilst in 1860 it was 2,156,000 ounces — equal to £8,626,000 r and the aggregate of the export in ten yeai-s was 24,000,000 ounces — equal to upwards of £95,00)6,000. In addition to this, there was an amount which did not appear in the returns, estimated at 2,000,000 ounces more, so that the whole export was 26,000,000 ounces— equal to £103,941,000. There were now 46 thriving towns. In 1851 there were 39 places of public worahip, against 874 at the present time ; 30 insti- tutions for charitable relief, and a flourishing university. There were 860 schools, with 52,000 scholars ; a public libraty of more than 30,000 volumes, with 117,000 r«ad«n in nine months. In the Exhibition of 1851 there wera 37 trades represented in that department, and now there were 236. More than £5,000.000 had been spent in roada and bridges, and £3,000,000 in public buildings. There were 100 miles of Oovernment railway open, and 182 more in course of construction, involving an expenditure of £8,nomio ii Minerals of Cana£i and of its Crystalline Rocks, sent to the London International Exhibition for 1862, by Sir W. £. ; Logan, F.R.S. :— " Native Gold.— 1. Fief of St. Charles, Seigniory of Aubert de I'Isle, exhibited by the Geological Survey. a. Stream gold in nuggets, 9 among them weighing from 10 dwts. to 126 dwts. b. Stream gold in dust. " It has long been ascertained that the drift of the south side of the St. Ijawrence, in Canada, from Lake Champ- lain to the Etchemin, and probably to the extremity oi the province in Gaspe, is auriferous ; the area being abou*. { 16,000 square miles. Gold has been washed from this gravel on the St. Francis in Melbourne, at Sherbrooke, in fWestbury, Weedon, and Dudswell, and on Lake St. Francis; as well as on the Chaudiere and the Etchemin, an I '51 heir tributaries, from the sources of these rivers nearly to their mouths. Various companies have made trials of this ilrift in several places, one of the most important having been on the Rivifere des Plantes, in the seigniory of Vaudreuil (Beauce) ; but of this it is not easy to procure autiientio details. In 1851, the Canada Goli Mining Compiny con- inencel atrial of the drift along the llivi&re du Loup, neir its junction with theChauiii^re, in the seigniory of Aubert I * Mr. Tennant, 149, Strand, London, W.O., can supply models of this nugget, at three guineas each. ■BWT! 1:1 de I'lsle, which continued three years. The specimen exhibited is what was obtained by the workings of this Com- pany in 1862, and the following are the results for the years 1851 and 1852 : — 1851 1862 Armwaahad. Sq. acres. Oold cOlleotad. dwta. gra. 2107-11 2880-19 Value. dob. 1826-46 2496-69 WaMB. d