GOLD AND SILVER MINING. 



BY ISAAC A. HOURWICH. 



[Isaac A. Hourwich, statistician and geologist; born Wilno, Russia, April 27, 1860; 

 graduated from the classical gymnasium ; studied at the University of St. Peters- 

 burg, Russia, 1877-9; and later at Columbia university; is at present statistical 

 expert in the census bureau of the United States and has made extensive investi- 

 gations into the condition of the mining industry, especially gold, silver, copper, lead 

 and zinc ; has written many articles on these subjects in which he is a recognized 

 authority and also is author of The Economics of the Russian Village.] 



The production of gold and silver antedates the dawn 

 of written history. The search for the precious metals 

 prompted the discovery of new continents and stimulated 

 the efforts of the alchemists, thus indirectly leading to the 

 development of scientific chemistry. Yet it is only since the 

 beginning of gold mining in English speaking countries, at 

 about the middle of the nineteenth century, that any prog- 

 ress in mining methods can be recorded. And even to-day, 

 notmthstanding the technical advance of the last half cen- 

 tury, mining methods of primitive man can be observed in 

 actual operation in some parts of the United States. 



The earliest form of gold mining is the working of alluvial 

 mines or placers, where the gold has been reduced by the oper- 

 ation of the forces of nature to fine dust mixed with gravel. 

 The work left for the miner is to separate by washing the 

 particles of gold from the surrounding mass of sand and 

 gravel. The final product of the mine is gold. 



The pioneers of gold mining in the United States had no 

 experience to guide them but that of the Latin- American 

 countries. The results accomplished by the Spaniards were 

 extremely meager. Mr. T. Wain-Morgan Draper, writing 

 in the Engineering and Mining Journal concerning the gold 

 deposits in Ecuador and Colombia, cites the example of one 

 property which was worked extensively with numerous slaves 

 for over one hundred years. A careful examination and 

 measurement of the work accomplished shows that half a 

 dozen 4-inch giants would do as much in one year's time. 

 No such results could be accomplished by the Spaniards 



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