466 GOLD IN THE PHILIPPINES 



gold obtiiined from different localities. In the island of Luzon there 

 are few provinces in which gold does not exist in greater or less 

 quantity, in veins and ledges in the rnountains or in the river sands 

 and alluvial deposits. 



One of the best known auriferous districts is that of Paracale, in 

 the province of Camarines Norte, on the eastern coast of Luzon, 

 where in tlie H\)\\r^ of the mountains many veins and outcroppings 

 of gold-l)earing rock have been uncovered, particularly at Pinaga- 

 latinan, Imbongim])ong, and Lugos, near Labo. In tiie former places 

 the gold is in comljination with iron pyrites, with a trace of copper, 

 blende, galena, and chromate of lead in orange-colored crystals. In 

 I^abo the streaks or veins are gray in color, containing gold, blende, 

 iron ])3M-ites, and sometimes, although seldom, native co|)per. The 

 general direction of these strata is from north to south, except in 

 Gumihan and Lugos mountains, in which the trend is to the north- 

 west. The width of the veins is from 1 to 5 inches up to 26 to 36 

 inches. Foreman mentions this district as follows : * 



" In the time of Pedro Manuel Arandia (1754-1759) acertain Francisco Estorgo 

 obtained license to work these Paracale inine.«, and five veins are said to have 

 been struck. The first was in the Lipa mountain, where the mine was called 

 'San Nicolas de Tolentino ; ' the second, in the Dobojan mountain, was called 

 ' Nuestia Senora de la Soledad de Puerta Vaga ; ' the third, in Lipara, was 

 named ' Mina de las Animas ; ' the fourth, in tlie territory of San Antonio, took 

 the name of ' San Francisco,' and the fifth, in the Minapa mountains, was named 

 ' Nuestra Senora de los Dolores,' all in the district of Paracale, near the village 

 of Mambulao." 



He also sa^^s : t 



" Estorgo's neighbors, instigated by native legal pettifoggers in Manila, raised 

 endless lawsuits against him ; his means were exhausted, and ajiparatus was 

 wanted to work the mines, so he abandoned them." 



These mines are at ])resent operated by the natives, but in such a 

 rudimentary and desultory manner that only a small portion of the 

 gold is saved. The workings are seldom carried to a greater depth 

 than 3 or 4 meters, but it is a fact which promises better results, when- 

 ever more scientific and practical methods may be brought to bear on 

 them, that the ore always becomes richer as the depth is increased ; 

 but in all the hundreds of years during which these deposits have 

 been known it is safe to sa}' that their true value has never been tested. 

 The natives carry the ore to the surface in baskets, and when water 



*The Philippine Islands, bj- .lolin Foreman, New York, 1890, p. 380. 

 tOp. cit., p. 381. 



