532 



KEPOET — 1887. 



87,5587. In 1834 and 84,3567. in 1858 ; the smallest 36,7727. in 1845 and 

 26,7087. in 1862. 



The estimates for Spam are very untrnstworthy, but it is believed 

 that of late years the annual prodnction of silver has been from 600,0007. 

 to 650,0007., a considerable proportion of which is from argentiferous 

 galena. 



A singular instance of the discovery of a rich silver lode in a country 

 long explored is that of Hiendelaencina, in Spain. In 1843 a native of 

 the district who had worked in the mines of Mexico noticed the resem- 

 blance of a block of stone to the ores with which he was familiar. The 

 result was the discovery and opening up of the richest modern mines in 

 Spain. From 1846 to 18C6 they yielded 631,544 lbs. troy of silver, but 

 their prodnction since 1858 has been small.' 



Reference has already been made (p. 522) to the growing importance 

 o£ Neiv South Wales as a silver-producing country. 



The relative amounts of silver produced directly from true silver ores 

 and those obtained by treating ores of other metals is a point of much 

 interest. It was carefully worked out by Professor W. C Roberts-Austen, 

 in his evidence before the Gold and Silver Commission, 1887 (First Report, 

 p. 325). He gives the following figures for the year 1883, with an esti- 

 mate of the cost per oz. of silver by each process : — 



Treatment of silver ores 



T^ -1 ■ , • i United States 

 Desilvensation t- 



of lead ^;^°P^ • 

 ( Elsewhere 



Desilverisation 



of copper and 



cupriferous 



products 



Refilling of native gold 



jilansfeld . 



J Great Britain 



Elsewhere 



21,890,000 



8,036,000 



800,000 



2,382,000 



328,000 



4,490,000 



Total 



Oz. 

 49,920,733 



30,726,000 



7,200,000 



508,000 

 88,354,733 



Cost per oz. 

 s. d. 



2 



1 11 



2i 



ilean 1 8 



Conclusion. — In taking a general review of the goldfields likely in the 

 near future to yield the most constant supply, it is evident from Table I. 

 that an important place must be given to Russia. With a very slight 

 fall in the produce of Australia and of the United States, Russia would 

 again take her old place at the head of gold-producing countries. With 

 its enormous areas of placer gold only partially worked, and its Siberian 

 veins untouched, a steady yield of gold may be anticipated for many years 

 to come. 



The United States and Australasia have of late years been running very 

 closely together, Australia being slightly in excess. In the former there 

 is now a slight tendency to rise in yield. ^ A permanent rise cannot 

 safely be anticipated ; a more steady yield than in past years is all that 

 can be hoped for ; and this it seems likely may be the case, largely due to 

 quartz-mining. The rapid fall in the gold produce of the United States 

 from 1877 to 1883 was chiefly due to the decrease of silver- mining in the 

 Comstock district, about 40 per cent, of the value here being gold. If we 



' PhUlips and Bauerman, Mefolh.trgy , p. 663. 



"^ Since this was written the United States statistics for 1886 have appeared. Tlie 

 yield of gold for the last four years is stated as follows :— 1883, ^30,000,000 ; 1884, 

 ^30,800,000 ; 1885, .^31,801,00() ; 1886, ^^35,000,000. 



