Ch. VI.] QUARTZ LODES. 89 



tion of gold), the quartz lodes contain sulphate of silver, 

 peroxide of manganese, peroxide of iron, sulphides of iron 

 and copper, and occasionally ores of lead. 



The quartz is generally very friable, full of drossy 

 cavities, and broken up into innumerable small pieces 

 that are often coloured black by the peroxide of man- 

 ganese. The gold is in minute grains, and generally 

 distributed loose amongst the quartz. Pieces as large as 

 a pin's head are rare, and specimens of quartz showing 

 the gold in it are seldom met with, even in the richest 

 portion of the lode. The fine gold-dust can, however, 

 easily be detected by washing portions of the lode-stuff 

 in a horn. The quartz and clay is washed away, and 

 the gold-dust sinks to the bottom, and is retained in the 

 spoon. This is the usual way in which the lode is 

 tested by the mining agents, and long practice has 

 made them very expert in valuing the ore by the 

 wash in the " spoon. " Although most of the gold 

 occurs loose, amongst the soft portions of the lode, 

 the hard quartz also contains it disseminated in minute 

 grains throughout. These can be obtained in the 

 horn by pounding the quartz to powder and then 

 washing it. 



One feature in the distribution of gold in the quartz 

 lodes of Santo Domingo led to a most exaggerated 

 opinion of their value when they were first mined by 

 English companies. On the hills, near the outcrops of 

 the lodes, the ore was in some places exceedingly rich. 

 One thousand ounces of gold were obtained from a small 

 patch of ore near the surface of the Consuelo lode, and 

 at Santo Domingo, San Benito, San Antonio, and 

 Javali lodes, very rich ore was also discovered within a 



