15 (i 



SIUKUIA 



The greater jiari of iln- peal and g(jld bearing sand is in a jujipetualiy frozen stale, 

 but soinetinios the gold bearing rock siulf is unfrozen, and lastly a combination of the one 

 and the other is sonielinies met with, but this phenomena has not been sufncieutly investi- 

 gated for it to serve as a guide in the exploitation of the ileposits in which it occurs. There 

 are frequent instances where the frozen state of the soil is taken advantage of for sinking shafts 

 In those deposits which lie at some depth and which are exploited by underground workings. 



The gold workings of the Vitimsk and Olekminsk systems have their stations or 

 chid depots on the banks of the Lena near the moullis uf the river Vitima. The workings 

 of tilt! Olekminsk system are situated at a distance uf about 350 versts from the dejiMis, 

 and vehicular communication can only be carried on in the winter over the ice; and in 

 summer the goods have to be transported on the backs of camels. For working, the 

 Yitimsk system is much more advantageously situated, as in summer there is a steamer 

 communication from the mouth of the Vitima to a distance of .300 versts up the river 

 I'.odaibo, where the gold workings of this system begin; moreover the mines are con- 

 nected by a carriage road. The miners of the Olekminsk diggings are chiefly hired from Irkutsk, 

 whence also all the provisions and articles necessary for the workings and miners are bought. 



Xotwithstaniling the comparative infancy of the gold industry in those regions, and 

 the diliiciilties which are encountered in the severity of the climate, dearness of labour 

 and liie distance from any inhabited place, still the production of gold has developed rapidly, 

 and in the Olekminsk region, reached a maximum of 939 pouds in 1880; indeed since 1868 

 this region has stood first among all the gold regions of Siberia in respect to its yield of 

 precious metal. 



The following table gives the production of the gold regions belonging to the Lena 

 system, during the last ten years. 



