Gold Veins of the United States^ Mine, Va. 325 



Arsenical compounds heated alone on charcoal, or in the open 

 tube with hlach flux give the odor of garlic. 



Antimonial compounds may be recognized when heated in the 

 open tube, by giving white fumes which are easily driven by heat 

 from one part of the tube to the other, and have not the odor of 

 garlic. 



The compounds of mercury heated in the matrass with lime or 

 iron filings, yield metallic mercury which sublimes. 



The principal ores of lead and silver are easily reduced on char- 

 coal alone, and with still more ease, with a little soda. 



This list might be much extended, and other characters might be 

 mentioned for many of the substances ; but it is believed best to 

 give only those which are most important, and easily remembered. 



By applying the principles of chemistry, many other processes 

 will suggest themselves to the intelligent student and as Bergman re- 

 marks "celui qui apporte dans ce gem;e d'experiences une main 

 habile, se fraye tous les jours, de nouvelles routes qui conduisent 

 toutes a la verite." 



Art. XIV. — Notice of the Gold Veins of the United States^ Mine 

 near FredericJcsburg, Va. ; by Lt. M. F. Maury, U. S. Navy. 



TO THE EDITOR. 



Dear Sir — A mutual friend informs me that you have mislaid, or 

 lost, your notes on some of the gold mines in this vicinity ; he has 

 requested that I would supply the deficiency ; this I cannot pretend 

 to ; but as I was with you when you visited the United States' gold 

 mine last summer, I may be able to embody some facts and circum- 

 stances, which will bring to your memory the striking features of the 

 lost notes. 



If you recollect there are several veins at this mine, wliich strike 

 and dip, each in a different direction ; the former (the strike,) is 

 tortuous, and the angle of the latter is not constant. 



The general course of vein No. 1. is about N. E. and S. W., it 

 passes through a micaceous slate, which, near the surface, is soft and 

 fissile, being easily removed with the pick; but at the depth of one 

 hundred and twenty feet, it loses its fissility, and passes into a horn- 

 blende (?) slate, which is very compact and is with much difliculty 

 removed by blasting. 



