10 



Gold Mines of Georgia. 



Fig. 1 3j is another vertical section crossing the strata and exhibiting 

 the vein J <Z c? of Fig. 11; a a a are the strata and b h the veins. 



If it is admitted that volcanic agency, has produced the fissures and 

 filled them with the substances constituting veins. It would then ap- 

 pear probable that the quartz and elements of the metals, have been 

 projected from below into the fissures, and that while the caloric was 

 radiating, these elements were set free to combine and form the met- 

 als and their gangues. This idea appears well supported by various 

 phenomena, concurring to produce such an effect. The interposition 

 of gold in thin leaves between the plates and crystals of quartz, and 

 its filling up irregular cavities, show that it was once in such a state 

 as to be capable of insinuating itself into such places. It appears 

 possible that it was disseminated in the quartz by heat, as it is well 

 known that when gold is subjected to.intense heat, it flies off in minute 

 particles, and such heat as was sufficient to fuse quartz, may have 

 evolved the gold, or if contrary to present opinions, it be a compound, 

 may have formed it from its elements. " If we could detect nature 

 in the act" of making gold, " it would be easy to imitate her," but as 

 we do not find it in any other state than pure, or alloyed with some 

 other metal and never half formed, we despair of ever discovering 

 the " philosopher's stone." There may be something in the discov- 

 ery, that quartz is an ore of silicium, and that quartz is, in this coun- 

 try, invariably the gangue or matrix of gold, but in- the present state 

 of chemical knowledge, we cannot satisfactorily account for the fact 

 of their being found in such close alliance. 



J^sia 



Fig. 14, is intended to represent the earth a a a a, the strata h, a 

 subterranean cavity in which (according to the original suggestion of 



