IMPORTANT EXPERIMENTS UPON QUARTZ.

Southland Times, Issue 1126, 8 September 1869, Page 2

IMPORTANT EXPERIMENTS UPON QUARTZ.

" Professor Abel has recently been engaged in some very important experiments in the art of extracting pold from different kinds of quartz, and other mattrices in which the precious metal is j found, and he appears to have had great | success in his treatment of the subject in | hand. One grand result has been the ! treatment of the pyrites obtained from the quartz crushed jy the Isis Company, at Stuartmili. The whole of the stone in the different reefs of that district has long been noticeable for- the great quantity of mundic or pyrites it contained, but although it was supposed,, if not actually known, to contain gold, few will be prepared to find it so rich as Mr Abel's

analysis shows. After the last crushing of the company named, upwards of twelve tons of pyrites and heavy sand were saved, and one bucketful of these tailings, alleged to represent about a twenty-sixth part of a ton, was treated so as to concentrate the pyrites as much as possible before subjecting it to analysis. This left about half a pound of pyrites, which was again freed from sand, and six ounces of the pyrites produced very nearly one ounce of gold. Mr Abel, however, had not concluded his analysis this afternoon, and there may be another quarter of an ounce obtained. This would give an average yield from the tailings of about 32a per ton, and from the pure pyrites of over 5000 ounces per i ton. These tailing were only estimated to yield five or six ounces per ton, so that if those who have the manipulation of them can only get half of the gold the analysis has proved them to contain, they will raise the average of the Isis yield to two and a half to two and three quarter ounces per ton of quartz. But the greatest achievement of Mr Abel has been tne discovery that \ from the yellow slate and sandstone that abounds here, fine gold can be extracted at the rate of 34wt. per ton. It will remain to be seen whether batteries, or any other crushing power, will be able to extract gold in the same proportion. If they can, there are millions on millions of stuff similar to what was shown me that may be operated upon." If the above extract is to be relied upon (of which there can be little doubt), there may yet be a chance for Canterbury, as I have been informed^ by several parties who have analysed iron pyrites or tnundic, that in many instances this class of mineral has undergone the usual tests applied to gold, without showing the slightest effect, thereby indicating, as shown in the above, the presence of that metal in more or less quantities. A. BARBER'S MISCHIEVOUS PABTtOT. At the Greenwich Police Court recently, Stephen White,Japparenth much afflicted and somewhat aged, residing at 3, Maria terrace, New Koad, Rothernithe appeared to a summons charging him with using abusive and threatening language towards Edwin Fox, carrying on a hair-dressing and shaving business in the same neighborhood. The complainant, who appeared somewhat excited, said that a few days ago the defendant came to his shop to be shaved, and he had just commenced shaving him when he suddenly moved from his seat. Remembering that some time ago, when_ shaving him, he cut him rather severely, in consequence of his not sitting still, he told the defendant he would be cut aerain, and shortly afterwards he jumped from his seat, made use of the most threatening language towards him, said he would do all he could to ruin him in his business, and then hurriedly left the shop. Hearing that defendant would carry out his threats, he had taken the present proceedings. The defendant, in answer to the magistrate, said he had recently been suffering from gout and bronchitis, and the present complaint arose out of two parrots kept by the complainant in his shop. (Laughter.) — The Magistrate ? W hat had the parrots to do with it ?— The defendant : One of them is particularly irritating and annoying. "While being shaved it called out, "Fox, I shall not be able to pay for this shave till Saturday night." (Roars of laughter, in which the magistrate joined.) That naturally irritated me, and caused me to move, and when I felt the razor passing across my flesh under the chin, and the parrot called out " Fox, cut his throat " — (renewed

laughter)— l naturally felt alarmed, recollecting the previous cut I had, and left the place. — The complainant denied that the parrot was in the shop at the time, and said the defendant's statement was likely to injure him in his businessMr Boustred (chief clerk) asked the complainant if he kept parrots, and whether one of them used such language, as in that cause it might be necessary to bind him (COmplainaat) over in sureties for the bird's future behaviour. (Loud laughter.) The complainant replied that he had two parrots, but gave no answer as to their linguistic — The magistrate said he did not think the complainant had anything to fear from the defendant, and left them to reconcile matters between themselves, the whole Court being convulsed with laughter.

As people usually sprinkle the floor before they sweep ie, says an old bachelor, so ladies sprinkle their husbands with tears in order that they may sweep the cash out of their pockets.