694 GOLD 



tion of the Cambrian and Lower Silurian rocks, which is distinctly observable at tho 

 top of Pistil-y-Cain. This mining sett is full of faults. The galena averages 50 to 60 

 ounces of silver to the ton, and from 6 to 1 1 dwts. of gold. A small string of silver- 

 ore was found in the deep level in 1865, containing 2,200 ounces of silver to the ton. 

 Some moss pulled from tho river side had specks of gold attached to its roots. It was 

 at this mine that Mr. Eeadwin first discovered a fragment of tho trilobito Paradoxides, 

 many more fragments of which wore found afterwards by Mr. E. Williamson and Mr. 

 Plant. At Cefndwddwr, adjoining Tyddynglwadis, visible gold is found apparently 

 dispersed throughout a fine quartz lode, and has yielded eight ounces of gold from five 

 tons of lode-stuff. 



At the old Dolfrwynog mine, specimens of decomposed quartz contained over 400 

 ounces of gold to the ton. One stone weighing fifteen ounces gave twelve ounces of 

 gold. 



The North Dolfrwynog lode-stuff has assayed 30 dwts. to the ton. About 100 tons 

 of alluvium from the east bank of the Mawddach, on this mine, was washed with tho 

 object of ascertaining whether the particles of gold found therein increased in size 

 from the surface to the bed-rock. This was found to be the case. Several ounces of 

 gold were obtained, and it is probable that the whole side of this mountain contains 

 gold, which might be profitably worked on the erection of machinery to economise 

 labour. 



West Dolfrwynog adjoins, and is marked on the Ordnance Map 'Turf Copper 

 mine,' from tho fact that a few years ago, about 10,000^. worth of copper was sold from 

 the ashes of peat, there burnt for the purpose. Quartz and yellow and grey copper-ore 

 from this place have assayed six ounces of gold to the ton, and along the east bank of 

 the Mawddach the alluvium resembles that of North Dolfrwynog. 



Tho Maesgwm Section is on the western side of tho Trawsfynydd road, nearly oppo- 

 site Tyddynglwadis, and includes Maesgwm, Ganllwydd, and Coed-cy-fair. At 

 Ganllwydd in 1863, several masses of quartz were found to contain visible gold. 



The Berthllwydd Section includes Berthllwydd (Cefn coch), Goitref, Caegwornog, 

 Caemawr, Benrhos, Tynybenrhos, and G-lasdir. Berthllwydd mine is on the summit 

 of the lofty ridge behind Tynygroes, on the Trawsfynydd road from Dolgelley. Hero 

 is the ' grand champion lode ' of the district, which runs N.N.E. and S.S.W. for about 

 a mile. Auriferous blende and galena are the chief products, and some very rich 

 specimens have been found, as well as pepitas and fine gold-dust in the alluvium. 

 The Welsh Gold Company, to whom this and Goitref and Caegwernog mines be- 

 long, obtained, in 1866, 666 ounces of gold from 1,982 tons of lode-stuff. At 

 Caemawr adjoining, the first visible gold of the district is said to have boon 

 discovered. The lode-stuff assays 9 to 1 1 dwts. of gold to the ton, and tho al- 

 luvium also contains gold. At Benrhos and Tynybenrhos, the alluvium contains 

 specks of gold. At Glasdir, above 15,000. worth of copper-ora has been quarried, 

 and extraordinarily rich specimens of auriferous copper- and iron-pyrites have 

 been found. At the Garn mine rich gold-quartz has been found by Captain John 

 Parry. 



Tho Cambrian Section includes the Cambrian mine, the Princess Alice, Moel Ispri, 

 and Cwmabseifian mines, which extend along the road from Dolgelley to Barmouth. 

 The Cambrian mine produced some very rich blende ; containing at the rate of 

 350 ounces to the ton. Specimens of Silurian shale have been found with tho 

 appearance of having been electro-gilt. This mine has been thoroughly explored, 

 but without producing gold sufficient to pay for working. At Cwmabsoifian, Mool 

 Ispri, and the Princess Alice mines, gold has been found in tho quartzoso lode- 

 stuff, associated with blende and iron-pyrites. At the Prince of Wales mine, 

 a few large blocks of blonde have been broken, containing at tho rato of 456 

 ounces of gold to tho ton. From 5 cwts. of lode-stuff, 17 oz. of gold wore obtained. 

 Tho preponderance of sulphides here renders amalgamation at present wholly 

 inoperative. 



The Mawddach river has been examined from Cwmhoisian to Llanoltyd I'.ruliro 

 by Mr. Keadwin, who found grain-gold with platin-iridium in small quantities. 

 Gold was also previously found by tho lion. F. Walpolo and Sir Augustus Webster. 

 Professor Ramsay suggests, with much reason, tho possibility of gold being found in 

 the ' marine drift.' 



The Clogau Section includes Clogau, Garthgell, Hondreforian, West Clogau, 

 Maesclawdd, and Tynycornel. 



'The Clogau, St. David, No. 1 mine is certainly tho richest gold mine over 

 worked in the British Islands, and may compare favourably with tho quartx-n < -fs 

 of Australia. Taking this lode as a type of tho neighbourhood, .it will be well to 

 describe it. 



'The lode has an average bearing 15 N.E., and is intersected by a very powerful 



