RemarJcs on the Gold Mines of Virginia. 123 



that had been thrown out of the mine. From fourteen or fifteen 

 locahties, including a great number of specimens and ore of all va- 

 rieties, portions were knocked from each piece, crushed, ground and 

 sifted ; they were then washed in pans in the usual way : gold, in 

 every instance, became visible to the naked eye in consequence of 

 the washing, although little or none could be discerned in the frag- 

 ments, even with the aid of a good magnifier. The gold, of all the 

 washings, was then brought together and amalgamated with mercury 

 that had been previously distilled ; the amalgam was freed from re- 

 dundant mercury, by straining it in leather ; and being then decom- 

 posed by heat, so as to expel all the quicksilver, the remaining gold 

 was carefully weighed. 



Eleven pounds of the mixed ores, thus treated, gave a little over 

 four grains of gold, which is in the proportion of thirty-seven grains 

 to one hundred pounds, or one bushel of the ore — equalling in value, 

 at the mint price of 4j^-^ cents for one grain — one dollar and fifty 

 cents. 



Another trial, upon a small number of pieces, gave one grain of 

 gold from five pounds of the mixed ores : this is in the proportion of 

 82 cents for one hundred pounds of ore. 



In still another experiment, ore was taken from a vein considered 

 as decidedly rich, but shewing no visible gold. Two pounds of this 

 ore gave two grains of gold, being the proportion of one grain to one 

 pound — or one hundred grains to one hundred pounds of ore, and in 

 value equal to ^4 08. 



The average of the two first and lov^^est trials, gives ^1 16 to the 

 one hundred pounds of ore: the average of the three trials is ^'2 13 

 to the one hundred pounds of ore. 



The average of the two most favorable trials is ^2 79 to the hun- 

 dred pounds. I ought not to omit to state, that from a small quan- 

 tity, perhaps two ounces of very unpromising fragments, a very rich 

 washing of gold was obtained in my presence, far surpassing the re- 

 sults which I have above reported. 



It has been already stated, that from information received from 

 many quarters, respecting the expense of working the mines, it would 

 appear that, in general, it does not exceed 30 to 35 cents on one 

 hundred pounds of ore, and consequently the average trial on the 

 large number of pieces presents a favorable result as regards the 

 prospects of this mine. This is probably the trial which is most to 

 be relied upon, and it was certainly a severe experiment for the 



