20K 
XITI. On the Relative Value of Specimens of Native Gold 
Jrom the different Countries whence it is brought to 
Market in these Colonies. By His Excellency Sir W. T. 
Denison, F.R.S. [Read 22nd March, 1852. | 
THE circumstances in which these Colonies are now placed 
give a special interest to communications which may in any 
way tend to elucidate the structure and combinations of the 
metals generally, more especially of that precious metal, the 
discovery of which on the Main-land of Australia has been 
productive of such serious effects upon the inhabitants of 
Van Diemen’s Land. 
The extent to which Gold is daily bought and sold ren- 
ders it very desirable to establish, within as narrow limits as 
possible, the value of a commodity whose intrinsic worth, 
great in itself, is very liable to deterioration by admixture 
with foreign bodies. _ 
I propose in this communication to bring before the 
Society the results of a series of experiments which I have 
lately made, the object of which has, been to establish, as 
far as possible, some simple mode of determining the rela- 
tive value of the native Gold from the different countries 
whence it is brought to market; and, secondly, after having 
established this point in a satisfactory manner, to point out 
also a simple mode of determining the value of mixed speci- 
mens or samples of Gold, such as are brought to market, 
containing generally some portions of quartz, or other ex- 
traneous material, mixed with the Gold, but not chemically 
combined with it. 
I do not bring these experiments before the Society as in 
any respect perfect, but merely as indicating a course of 
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