ON GOLD FEOM PEGU. 95 



any portions of gold which might be too minute for mechanical separa- 

 tion. From the amalgam thus obtained, the mercury was then volati- 

 lized, and the gold carefully separated. Its weight was 0-20 of a grain. 



From the specimen of the soil forwarded to me, there was therefore 

 extracted in all 095 of a grain of gold. 



The specimen labelled No. 2 was a yellowish ferruginous sandy clay, 

 having much the appearance of being the result of the decomposition 

 of the upper portion of the rock in situ. This was reduced to a fine 

 state of division, carefully washed, and the sandy portion, consisting 

 chiefly of ferruginous quartz grains, separated. The rest was carefully 

 examined, but no traces of gold were discovered. 



The fine, slightly sandy clay, which remained after washing, would 

 answer well for the coarser kinds of pottery ; it stands the fire well, and 

 is sufficiently tenacious to admit of being readily moulded. 



The specimens of gold forwarded consist of varieties ranging from 

 dust of the finest kind that could be mechanically separated to small 

 nuggets. Of the latter kind were two specimens " purchased at Shu^- 

 gween." These very well illustrate the mode of occurrence of the gold 

 in its native state, imbedded in quartz, while the other specimens show 

 that the general form in which it is found in these washings is in small 

 rounded fiakes, or flattened plates of various sizes. 



This gold is of considerable purity. One specimen was examined with 

 some care, and yielded, in 100 parts, 92 00 of gold, and 8 00 of silver. 

 This result however, although tolerably accurate, must only be taken 

 as approximative, as I had not apparatus of sufficient delicacy to admit 

 of an accurate analysis or assay being made. It is, however, sufficient to 

 show that the Shue-gween gold is fuUy equal in value to the average 

 qviahty of Australian gold. 



The occurrence of gold of fair purity being undoubted, the question 

 remains as to the amount in which it may occur, and the probability of 

 its yielding a profitable return. 



