278 



MINES 



is a cavernous hydrate of iron, presenting here and there some small striated cubes 

 of hepatic iron, and occasionally somo pyrites. It contains five parts of gold in 

 100,000. This deposit appears to have a great analogy with the deposits of iron ore 

 of the 'same region. It constitutes a large vein, running from N. to S., encased in a 

 formation of gneiss, hornblende schists, and serpentine. It becomes poor in pro- 

 portion to its distance from the surface. The exploitation, which is in the open air, 

 lias attained but a small depth, although carried on since the year 1726. The gold is 

 extracted from the ore by stamping and washing. In 1786, 500 marcs -were collected ; 

 but the preceding years had furnished only 200, because they then worked further 

 from the surface. German miners were called in to direct the operations. Since that 

 period, however, great attention has been bestowed on the education of the mining 

 engineer officers, who now form a corps pre-eminent in attainments. 



The auriferous sands, or 'stream' deposits of the Ural were discovered in 1814, 

 and since 1823 have become very important. They extend over a district of somo 

 hundreds of miles in length, although with interruptions ; the continuous portions of 

 gold-bearing detritus, being generally from 50 to 600 yards in length and 10 to 60 in 

 breadth. In some few places platinum has been similarly found. The form in which 

 these precious metals occur, is generally in minute scales or grains, more rarely as 

 lumps or pepitcs, which have, in the case of gold, attained in one instance the weight 

 of 100 Ibs., in that of platinum 23 Ibs. 



The Russian miners have observed thnt these deposits rarely overlie the granite or 

 syenite ; but generally the slaty rocks of the chain, near the outburst of serpentine or 

 hornblendic rocks. 



The beautiful plates of mica, well known in mineral cabinets, and even in com- 

 merce, under the name of Muscovy talc, or [Russian mica, come from the Urals. 

 There are explorations for them near the lake Tschebarkoul, on the eastern flank of 

 this chain. From the same canton there is exported a very white clay, apparently a 

 kaolin. 



Twenty-five leagues north of Ekaterinbourg, near the town of Mourzinsk, there 

 occur in a graphic granite, numerous veins, containing amethysts, several varieties 

 of beryl, emeralds, topazes, &c. 



It is difficult to obtain any reliable return of the production of minerals in Russia. 

 The following Table of the production of the Russian mines during the years 1830, 

 1831, 1832, 1833, and 1834, by M. Teploff, one of their officers, exhibits very fairly 

 the annual average production of the Russian mines even at the present time. 



MINES OF THE ALTAI MOUNTAIN'S. 



At the western extremity of the chain of the Altai mountains, which separate 

 Siberia from Chinese Tartary, there exists a number of metalliferous veins, in which 

 several important workings have been established since the year 1742. They con- 

 stitute the locality of the mines of Kolywan ; the richest in the precious metals of 

 the. three districts of this kind existing in Siberia. 



These mines are opened lip in the schistose formations which surround to the N. and 

 W. and to the S.W. the western declivity of the high granitic chain, from which 

 they are separated by formations consisting of other primary rocks. These schists 

 alternate in somo points with quartzose rocks, called by M. Renovantz hornstono, 

 and with limestone. They are covered by a limestone, containing ammonites. The 

 metalliferous region forms a semicircle, cf which the first lofty mountains occupy the 

 centre. 





