192 
The Gold and Placer Mines of Wicklow. [April, 
to have been mostly carried on in the Gold Mine Valley, 
while at the same time adventurers were working in the 
neighbouring streams of Ballintemple, Clonwilliam, Knock- 
miller, Coolballintaggart, a stream on the other side of the 
hills running north from Croghan Kinshella, and, farther 
northward, at Mucklagh, Ballinagappoge, and Sheanmore, 
the last four being on tributaries of the Aughrim River. 
The Government Works continued till May, 1798, when 
they were interrupted by the Rebellion, and were not resumed 
till 1801, after which time, for reasons fully stated by Weaver 
in the “ Transactions of the London Geological Society,” a 
level was driven into the east side of Croghan, while miles 
of trenches or “ open cast ” were made round its summit, in 
search of the “ mother rock ” of the gold : all these works 
resulted in failure, for, although numerous veins of quartz 
were discovered, not a particle of gold was found in situ. 
After the failure of the trials the Government were advised 
to abandon the works. Since then placer mining has been 
carried on by companies and private individuals, but not 
successfully ; Prof. W. W. Smyth, in his Report states 
“partly it may be presumed from the rarity of the precious 
metal, and partly from the difficulty experienced in all gold- 
streaming or gold-digging regions of obtaining from the 
workmen the full produce of their labours.” 
The Government placer mining, both before and after the 
Rebellion, is said to have been remunerative, and the quan- 
tity of gold returned was 944 ounces, of a total value at the 
time of £3675 ; the assay of 24 grains, by Weaver, gave 
pure gold 22*58, and silver 1*43 ; while a second, by the 
Assay Master of the London Mint, Mr. Alchorn, gave, for 
the same weight, 21*375 fine gold, 1*875 of silver, and. 0*375 
of an alloy of copper and iron. The streamings carried on 
prior to those conducted by the Government are said to have 
been even more remunerative, and Sir R. Kane states that 
it has been calculated that over £10,000 were paid for the 
o-old sold by private individuals. 
& The minerals found with the gold, as recorded by Weaver, 
are magnetic iron ore (sometimes in masses over half a 
hundredweight), titaniferous iron, specular red and brown 
iron-ores, pyrites, tin-ore and wolfram, manganese ore, garnet 
quartz, and lepidolite ; to which Mr. Mallet has added pla- 
tinum, galenite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, sapphire, topaz, 
zircon, and spinella (“ Journ. Geol. Soc. Dublin,” vol. iv., 
p. 271). This observer seems to have come on an extraordinary 
prolific “run,” as he records 3*5 lbs. of tin ore from 150 lbs. of 
sand ; while all other observers have found this valuable ore 
