174 Observations on Lead Ores. 



is a well known fact that most galenas contain silver; of 

 course, most of the metallic lead of commerce contains it. 

 Among a considerable number of American ores of lead, 

 which we have examined by chemical means, we have 

 found only one, entirely without silver; this was the lead 

 ore which is found near Shawnee Town, in the Illinois, 

 along with fluor spar. 



We have extracted silver from the thin sheet lead, which 

 comes as a hning for the tea cbests from China. 



In most instances, whether in the case of ores, or of me- 

 tallic lead, the proportion of silver obtained by us has been 

 too small to admit of profitable extraction, but we have now 

 the pleasure of stating an instance of a contrary character. 



We have had occasion, more than once, to call the atten- 

 tion of our readers to the mine of Mr. Ephraim Lane, sit- 

 uated in the town* of Huntington, eighteen miles west of 

 New-Haven. 



The great diversity, especially of metallic substances, 

 in this place, indicates a mining region, although it is diffi- 

 cult to say which of the numerous metals found there, will 

 ultimately be the prevailing one, either in quantity or in 

 value. 



It will be recollected, that the excavation is very slight, 

 having as yet, scarcely exceeded ten or twelve feet. 



Galena has been constantly found, but in quantities tot* 

 small for profit, if the lead alone were regarded. This ga- 

 lena is not the steel grained kind ; it is the foliated- — in 

 plates of moderate size, usually not exceeding one-quarter 

 or one-half of an inch in diameter. It is interspersed in a 

 quartz gangue, and is obtained, as yet, v/ith difficulty. 



The occurrence of native silver some time since in the 

 same mine, and indeed alm.ost in contact with the lead, 

 might well have raised an enquiry, whether this galena 

 were not peculiarly argentiferous. On examination, this 

 proves to' be the fact. 



■* For the sake of foreign readers wc will o'jservc, thai the word town is 

 often used, in the northern and middle states, as a Icrrilorial term, nieanins^ 

 a certain geogrnphicat area, (usually sis miles square,) often expressed also 

 by tiie word township, and although it usually contains, witlnn the territo- 

 ry, a town in the Eiu-opean senF.e of the word, it does not, naesinriljj 

 imply such a nucleus of houses and population, both being ;,':/!)sc1iine:. 

 scattered over the whole surface. 



