GOLD 693 



generally diffused throughout the lode, and visible from the top of the level to the 

 bottom. 



This discovery was the signal for the resuscitation of several dormant gold mines, 

 and the creation of a host of new schemes, all of which have suspended operations, 

 with the exception of Clogau, which has recently been resumed (1874), not so much on 

 account of the paucity of gold, as of the difficulty of extracting it by the means at 

 command. 



The neighbourhoods of Dolgelly and Bala at present appear to comprise all the 

 known Merioneth gold mines, and the following particulars thereof are chiefly 

 compiled from papers on this subject in the British Association Reports, by Mr. 

 Readwin, who treats of them as being in the Dolgelley and Bala districts. 1 According 

 to this writer, the Dolgelley district is bounded by the river Mawddach, the Great 

 Llawllech or Merioneth anticlinal range, and the river Camlan, to which may be added 

 a continuation of three or four miles further NE., following the junction of the Cam- 

 brian sandstones, and the Lower Silurian Lingula-flags of the Geological Survey, and 

 included in the Survey-maps, 75 S.E., and the upper part of 59 N.E. 



The geological features of the district are now too well known to require more than 

 a repetition of the general statement, that the rocks are of the Cambrian and Lower 

 Silurian series, forming a junction in a very sinuous course, and frequently cut through 

 by narrow bands of porphyritic greenstone. The district is full of faults, and 

 the metalliferous veins have a general bearing N.E. and S.W., with an underlie to 

 theN. 



There is a continuation of rocks of precisely the same character for a distance of six 

 or seven miles, running in a N.E. direction to Castell Cam Dochan in the Bala 

 district. 2 



It may be here noted, that during the various explorations, gold has been found 

 associated with iron-pyrites, blende, galena, heavy spar, copper-pyrites, clay-slate, 

 Silurian shale, quartz, telluric bismuth or tetradymite, carbonate of lime, talcose-schist, 

 iron oxide, grey copper-ore, phosphate and arsenate of lead, and orpiment. It has 

 also been found in pepitas, and nearly pure in quartz, or alloyed with from 10 to 20 

 per cent of silver, 3 and a little copper and platinum. 



A number of specimens were exhibited at the International Exhibition 1862, by the 

 Vigra and Clogau Company, and by Mr. T. A. Keadwin. 



For convenience, the Dolgelley district is divided into the following sections : 

 viz., Cwmheisian, Maesgwm, Berthllwydd, Cambrian, Clogau and Vigra, situate 

 severally in the parishes of Llanfachreth, Trawsfynydd, Llanddwye, Llaneltyd, and 

 Llanaber. 



Cwmheisian Section. At the Cwmheisian mine, there is a junction of fourteen lodes 

 nearly forty feet wide, and the whole mass of lode itself is said to contain gold in 

 small quantities. Blende is occasionally found very rich in gold. Mr. Dean extracted 

 148 ounces from 157 tons, and Mr. Clement 170 ounces from 300 tons. Some 

 specimens have been found by Mr. Keadwin, containing as much as 87 ounces to the 

 ton. Almost all the known methods of gold-extraction have been tried at this mine ; 

 but owing to the great preponderance of sulphides in the mineral, none of them 

 succeeded. This is a fact to be regretted, since immense quantities of the lode itself 

 could be actually quarried, and there is plenty of water-power to dress it in- 

 expensively. 



Gwynfynydd mine is opposite Cwmheisian. Galena from this mine, though poor in 

 silver, assayed 8 ounces of gold to the ton. But some blende in quartz associated 

 with arsenate and phosphate of lead and orpiment, produced gold at the rate of 156 

 ounces to the ton. Half-a-ton of mineral from the ' Doubt-me-not-lode,' gave by 

 amalgamation 9 oz. 13 dwts. of gold. There were a large number of lodes opened 

 on, varying in width from 1 to 66 feet, and gold could be seen in the lodes at the 

 surface in different places. This mine is at an elevation of 300 to 400 feet, and 

 has belonging to it the beautiful waterfalls Pistil-y-Cain and the Rhiadwr Mawd- 

 dach, one with a fall of 123 feet, the other 87; so that, commanding the water 

 of the two rivers, the Cain and the Mawddach, with an unlimited quantity of 

 mineral procurable by means of adits, large operations, at comparatively little cost, 

 might be carried on here, with the prospect of making a small quantity of gold pay 

 a profit. 



From about five tons of lode stuff, 15f ounces of gold were extracted in 1862. 



Gold has also been found in small quantities at the Hafod-y-Bach, Penmaur, 

 Buarthrae, Doledd, and Penbryn. Tyddynglwadis mine is situate exactly at the junc- 



1 See 'British Association Reports,' 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, and 1865. Papers by T. A. Readwin, 

 F.G.S. 



See Maps, Geological Survey,' 74 S.W. and 75 S.E. 

 3 List of gold ores from Merionethshire, exhibited by Mr. Readwin, International Exhibition, 1862. 



