273 



Mr. Dubois oifered the following paper, on behalf of Mr. 

 Eckfeldt and himself: 



ox THE 



NATURAL DISSEMINATIOX OP GOLD. 



To assert that Gold is at once a very rare and a very abundant 

 metal, would seem to be an abuse of language ; and yet, in a certain 

 sense, it would be true in both branches of the proposition. Iron, 

 in its many mineralized forms, has been profusely scattered by the 

 Creative Hand all over the world ; and gold is found in so many na- 

 tural situations and alliances where it would not be looked for, as to 

 hold out the expectation that a diligent search would find it almost 

 as widely, though by no means so plentifully, diffused. Such is not 

 the fact in regard to many other metals, but it is remarkably true of 

 the two which stand, in the market, at the head and foot of the list. 



These remarks are preliminary to the detail of several interesting 

 examinations lately made by Mr. Eckfeldt, the principal Assaycr of 

 the Mint, from time to time, as opportunities of leisure would allow. 



The first experiments were made upon galena, or native sulphide 

 of lead. It was well known that this was occasionally found to con- 

 tain gold in larger or smaller proportions, according to the various 

 localities. But inasmuch as there is reason to believe that every 

 variety of galena is argentiferous, it seemed an interesting inquiry 

 whether gold, as well as silver, is sure to be found in the same as- 

 sociation. Our examinations have gone far enough to warrant the 

 belief that such is the case ; though this fact could not so well have 

 been ascertained until the manufacture of assay balances had arrived 

 at its present state of perfection. The statement of a few results 

 will be interesting. 



The galena ores from the lodes of Kansas, in the famous region of 

 Pike's Peak, concerning which so many extravagant statements have 

 been made, really show but little silver so far. The best, according 

 to our notes, was found to contain seven parts in ten thousand of silver, 

 and one part in eighty thousand of gold; amounting to 2.1^ dollars 

 of silver, and 7 5 dollars of gold to the ton of ore. 



Coming nearer home (and omitting further mention of the silver, 



VOL. VIII. — 2l 



