BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING. 
515 
ounces of ^Id from two hundred and twelve tons of auriferous mineral, being 
at tlie rate of about six and a-half ounces to the ton ! 
The author believes this to be the first public record of a hundred weight of 
gold having been obtained from the Crown Lands of this country, the value of 
which is about five thousand three hundred pounds. 
This " Royal Mine" pays a royalty of one-twelfth to the Crown. The cost 
of gold-extraction has been very inconsiderable, and there is a probability of a 
continuance of a yield of gold at the present rate for some time to come. 
Seven years ago, the author determined, unwisely, perhaps, never to leave 
this vexed question until he had mastered it. He has done so. Experiments 
are ended. It is proved, what many then doubted, and many more derided, 
that gold does reaUy exist in the Dolgelly district, and that it can be extracted 
from the minerals in remunerative quantity. He was glad to have had the 
opportunity of making this statement before the Geological Section of the 
Eritish Association for the Advancement of Science. 
At the conclusion of the paper, Mr. J. Beete Jukes, r.R„S , E.G.S., Director 
of tlie Geological Survey of Ireland, said the existence of gold in North Wales 
had long been known, but it was not in sufficient quantities to render its pro- 
duction remunerative. 
A discussion ensued between Professor Smith, of Sydney, Australia, and 
Mr. Readwin, upon the modes of extracting gold from its matrix ; Mr. Read- 
win stating that, at the Clogau mine, particularly referred to in his paper, the 
gold was extracted, at present, chiefly by a process of amalgamation. 
Professor Smith inquired whether some of the mercury was not lost in the 
})rocess ? To which Mr. Readwin replied that some of the mercury was always 
ost ; it became so finely divided that some of it was sure to be carried away. 
Mr. Smith said he perceived that in old North Wales they were falling into 
the same difficulty as their friends in New South Wales. There were many 
things which would have a singular action upon mercury, and likely to injure 
its effect on the gold. The action they had was a chemical one, and therefore 
the gold producers of New South Wales had depended to a great extent upon 
mechanical action exclusively, and generally they had been very successful. 
If anyone could point out any means by which gold could be satisfactorily 
separated from the quartz it would be a great boon. The mechanical means 
they employed in New South Wales would leave only half an ounce per ton, 
which was considered very fair. The production of gold in Old North Wales, 
as detailed by Mr. Readwin, surprised him very much. The yield of gold in 
Victoria or New South Wales did not exceed one ounce per ton of quartz, and 
in many instances half an ounce was considered a fair yield. The digger of 
Australia would he extremely proud to get it in such quantities as six ounces 
per ton, as Mr. Readwin had stated the yield of the Dolgelly quartz to be. 
From three to four ounces per ton would be considered very good anywhere 
in the gold districts of Australia. In some small localities the yield had been 
as high as thirty ounces, forty ounces, or even more, per ton, but they were 
gold was obtained ; in the other, not. There was no difficulty about it. By 
the process of amalgamation care should, of course, be taken not to intrude 
any mineral that would have the effect of neutralizing the affinity of mercury 
for gold. In reply to the last observation of Professor Smith, Mr. Readwin 
said he believed that the same law of produce obtained with respect to gold as 
with other metals. In the case referred to it certainly appeared to be so. 
In answer to another question, Mr. Readwin stated that the actual cost of 
obtaining the one thousand three hundred ounces of gold was, he should think, 
not more than three hundred pounds. 
difference : in the one case the 
