MINES 279 



The most important exploration of this country is the silver mine of Zmeof, or 

 Zmeinogorsk, in German Schlangcnberg, situated to the N.W. of the high mountains 

 in 51 9' 25" N. L. and 79 49' 50" long, east of Paris. It is opened on a great vein, 

 which contains argentiferous native gold, auriferous native silver, sulphuret of silver, 

 hornsilver, grey copper, sulphuret of copper, green and blue carbonated copper, red 

 oxide of copper, copper pyrites, sulphuret of lead, and great masses of arsenic 

 slightly argentiferous. There occur likewise sulphuret of zinc, or blende, iron pyrites, 

 and sometimes arsenical pyrites. The gangues (vein-stones) of these different ores are 

 sulphate of baryta, carbonate of lime, quartz, but rarely fluor-spar. The principal 

 vein, which is of great power, has been traced through a length of several hundred 

 fathoms, and to a depth of no less than 96 fathoms. In its upper portion, it has an 

 inclination of about 50 degrees ; but lower clown it becomes nearly vertical. Its roof 

 is always formed of clay-slate. On the foot-wall of the vein the slate alternates with 

 hornstone. This vein pushes out branches in several directions ; it is intersected by 

 barren veins, and presents successive stages of different richness. The first years 

 were the most productive. 



The most important of the other silver mines of this department are those of 

 Tcherepanofsk, 3 leagues S.E. of Zmeof; those of Semenofsk, 10 leagues S.E. ; 

 those of Nicolaiefsk, 20 leagues to the SS.W. ; and of Philipofsk, 90 leagues 

 S.E. of the same place. The last mine lies on the extreme frontier of Chinese 

 Tartary. 



The mine of Zyrianofsk is opened amid talco-chloristic schists ; and from workings 

 about 180 yards in length yields about 800 tons of lead, 500 tons of copper, and 700 

 kilograms of silver per annum. 



About 36,000 Ibs. weight of silver, at the most, are furnished by the whole of the 

 Altai mines. 



Since the year 1830 the gold workings of Siberia have attained a high degree of 

 value ; and, although the average proportion of gold is but 1 to 250,000 parts of 

 refuse, a total quantity of 75,000 Russian Ibs. of gold is given as the produce of the 

 Siberian works in the best years. Those on the Yenisei and the Lena are the most 

 productive. 



The precious metals are not the sole product of this mineral district. There is 

 an important copper mine 15 leagues W. of Zmeof, in a chain of hills formed of 

 granitic rocks, schists, porphyries, and shell-limestone, graduating into the plain. 

 The vein presents copper pyrites, sulphide of copper, and native copper, dissemi- 

 nated in argillaceous substances, more or less ferruginous, and of different degrees 

 of hardness. This mine, which bears the name of Loktiefsk, furnished annually, 

 at the date of 1782, 330,000 Ibs. avoirdupois of copper. At present, it and the 

 neighbouring mine of Solotoushinsk yield little more than 120,000 Ibs. per annum 

 each. At Tchakirskoy, on the banks of the Tscharisch, towards the northern extremity 

 of the metalliferous semicircle mentioned above, there is a mine of argentiferous 

 copper and lead, opened in a very largo but extremely short vein. Besides the lead 

 and copper ores, including a little silver, this mine affords a great quantity of cala- 

 mine (carbonate of zinc), which affords occasionally fine stalactites of a white or green 

 colour. 



The northern flank of the Altai mountains presents few mines. Some veins of 

 copper exist 200 leagues E. of Zmeof, near the spot where the river Yenisei issues 

 from the Saiansk mountains, which are a prolongation of the Altaian chain. 



The Altai produces but little lead ; but the Crown works, in this and the Ner- 

 tsehinsk district, together produce about 1,680,000 Ibs. annually. 



The first smelting-house erected in this district was in the middle of the metalli- 

 ferous region at Kolywan, the place from which it takes its name. It has been 

 suppressed on account of the dearth of wood in the neighbourhood of the mints. 

 The principal existing foundry is that of Barnaoxil on the Obi, 50 leagues N. of Zmeof. 

 Plumbago has been largely worked by 3L- Alibert at Irkutsk, near Lake Baikal. 



MINKS OF DAotniA. 



The name Daouria is given to a great region, wholly mountainous, which extends 

 from the Baikal Lake to the Eastern Ocean. Its chief mining district is beyond the 

 Jablonnoi chain, which divides the waters of the Saghalien or Amour from the streams 

 \vhich flow to the icy sea. The mines opened hero constitute the third arrondissement 

 of the Siberian mines, called that of Nertschinsk, from the name of its capital, which 

 lies more than 1,800 leagues E. of St. Petersburg. 



The country of the metalliferous portion of Daouria is formed of granite, horn- 

 schiefer, and schists, -on which reposes a grey limestone, sometimes siliceous and 

 argillaceous, rarely fossiliferous, and in which the repositories of lead occur. The 



