24 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 



many statements of proprietors and prospectors, to the effect that our 

 sulphurets are auriferous and argentiferous. If they are assuredly cor- 

 rect in their estimates of value, a wide field is opened for profitable 

 investment. Several circumstances must qualify the value of the esti- 

 mates made : — First, all chemists do not agree in obtaining the compara- 

 tively large results asserted by some. We have to consider whether this 

 is the result of greater skill, on the one hand, or, on the other, to a read- 

 iness to stimulate their business. Second, the specimens assayed are 

 usually the best of their kind. Third, if several trials have been made, 

 the proprietor usually mentions only the best, neglecting to state how 

 many have proved unfavorable. We should, however, remember that 

 the precious metals may occur in chimneys throughout the sulphuret 

 veins as well as in the quartz, so that it is easy to explain a varying rich- 

 ness in them. 



First of all, is the statement of Prof. Wurtz, previously quoted, that 

 galena at the east base of Gardner's mountain contains $18.63 of gold to 

 the ton of sulphuret. This ore is not very abundant, — not sufficiently so 

 to be worth working, in the estimate of the present proprietor. Several 

 of the copper properties along the Gardner Mountain range have been 

 found to contain gold, up to $15 to the ton, by Prof. F. L. Bartlett, of 

 Portland, Me. Such are the Stevens mine in Bath, and the Gardner 

 Mountain mine in Littleton. I have had a similar statement as to the 

 value of the Paddock copper ore, from C. H. Crosby. 



A friend of mine interested in this question has investigated it quite 

 thoroughly for his own satisfaction. It had been stated that the Ver- 

 shire copper ore frequently carried $60 of gold to the ton. Others 

 claimed a higher figure. He selected for the test a beautiful piece of 

 iron and copper pyrites from Corinth, as rich as any that could be found, 

 and apparently perfectly free from silica. It was placed in the hands of 

 a skilful analyst, with a full statement of the question at issue. In order 

 to ensure accuracy, the best method of analysis, at double price, was 

 employed. The report states that the amount of gold contained in the 

 Corinth ore is 27-100 of an ounce to the ton of 2,000 pounds. This 

 would be, in round numbers, about $$ to the ton. The result is valua- 

 ble, both disposing of the wild statements afloat as to the great richness 

 of many of our sulphurets, and indicating that the Vermont copper ores 



