METALS AND THEIR ORES. 



33 



chiefly galena and zinc blende. The quartz is " comby," carrying much gossan ; and 

 the walls, which near the surface are very rotten, become hard and quartzose several 

 feet down, and well charged with iron pyrites. Several assays of the different galenas 

 have been made by Dr. Torrey, and the results tabulated as follows. He supposes the 

 galena to contain only 80 per cent, of pure lead, allowing for impurities: and the ton is 

 taken at its full value of 2,240 pounds. 



An adit has been driven 300 feet into the hill to drain the west lodes. 



Argentiferous galena has recently been discovered by Capt. F. Ben- 

 nett, superintendent of the Paddock mines, at both the 60- and 120-feet 

 levels, and from the shaft to the end of the drift, a distance of some 60 

 feet. It occurs continuously along the foot-wall of the copper beds in 

 considerable amount. The best assays show the presence of 89 ounces 

 of silver to the ton, worth ^89.73 at present prices. The value of this 

 discovery consists in the fact that all the silver and lead found will be 

 put to the account of profit, as the copper will meet the expenses of 

 mining. 



The Stevens copper mine in Bath has a vein of argentiferous galena 

 upon it, separate from the copper, about 18 inches wide. It is said to 

 carry fifty dollars' worth of silver to the ton. I do not know of any 

 other instances of silver in the Gardner Mountain range; but its impor- 

 tance will lead the proprietors of the other mines to search for it. The 

 facts stated about its occurrence are sufficient to justify further explora- 

 tion ; and it will not be strange if the farther developments would make 

 the silver business more prominent than the copper mining. 



Farther east in Lyman, mention has already been made of galena in 

 the gold mines. That from the Bedell mine is said to yield thirty-three 

 dollars' worth of silver to the ton. In the Dodge, Hartford, and Titus 

 VOL. v. 5 



