THE LOSS OF GOLD.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 659, 17 May 1870, Page 2

THE LOSS OF GOLD.

Mr Thomas Carpenter, C.E., M.E., As say or and Metallurgist, writes to the A.rgus on this subject, as follows: The greatest portion of our gold is taken from the quartz, and the quartz is more or less charged with metallic sulphides—iron, arsenical, and copper pyrites, argentiferous galena, and blende. These ores contain more or less gold. They also tend to destroy the affinity of the mercury by sickening it, or flouring—in either case it become 3 powerless. ■ No amalgamation takes place : hence the loss of gold and a large percentage of the mercuryAt present we are passing through the stamping-mills well nigh 1,000,000 tons of quartz, more or less auriferous, annnually. The loss is estimated from 30 to 35 per cent. lam satisfied that the average would be at least 35 per cent. This is a great loss—more than a million sterling per annum. "We have no claasification;. all is treated much the same, on tho principle, I suppose, of what is sauce, for the goose is sauce for the gander. In stamping, the quartz is often reduced to too fine a state of division, as well as not fine enough. The first coarse gold is made fine ; second gold goes away not disintegrated from the quartz. Then there is no dressing. Large quantities of water are caused to rush down the inclined tables, carrying away a large per-centage of gold either in a free state, or in sulphides, &c, sometimes both. The question of subsidence by gravitation is not much understood. Blankets save the most, some say, others copper plates; again, the ripple table and troughs of mercury. (Jlunes is doing away with blankets, and going to pass everything through the buddies. Who is right? It is quite evident that they must think indifferently of the appliances I have described—so do I; and, more, I think indifferently of the huddle when employed to save and make clean all the minerals in one process, and that process going on continually ; by such an appliance the stuff flowing rapidly over an inclined plane, all converging from the periphery of the circle to its centre, and the water agitated by the action of tho buddle at the same time. People are now working the tailings of the Clunes mines with profit, where the value of the blanket strike and buddle combined. Theory is one thing ; practice is another. I regret to say that the doctrine of chance and the rule of thumb play too great a part; hence the loss of 35 per cent. This is correct, and can be readily and easily demonstrated. The art of the metallurgist is not obtained in a day, and how many are there who have the least knowledge of the treatment of metals in charge of mines ? But the dividends are paid ; but if 25' per cent more was added, how much greater would be the dividend.

To say this loss cannot be prevented is to say that which would not bear the impress of truth. I say, and say it unhesitatingly, and that at a less cost than the appliances in present use cost, even such as they nave at Chines, where, notwithstanding all the money spent, men possessing no skill in metallurgy are working their tailings. This cannot be denied—3s per cent, loss, and this after the cost of bringing it to the surface. A splendid return in itself. How rich must be the stone when a profit is left after 35 per cent of its value is washed away. In our tailings are millions worth of gold. Millions more have been washed away broadcast over the country, and fully another million is being lost by the present system of extraction every year. As yet tho means requisite have not all been introduced into the country. Some year or two ago I treated some feff tons of stuff with the best we had, but I found by assay that the tailings contained some lloz or 12oz of gold to the ton. I sent to London through Mr Bush, jeweller, &c, Collins street.

id I E P a id * n accordance* with its 3 ay value through the agency of that , D tleman. This is another undeniile statement. Aro we to go on like ia, still losing the country's wealth ? Jq need not. Let the Government lquire into this; they will find no fficulty, I can assure them. But mio will say it is not the duty of the overnment; lot private enterprise j it. Well, private persons have

jent a lot of money in backing people ho knew just as much about the subct as they themselves. They promised nay fabulous, returns, just what ] empirics and charlatans do, and iey are, in nine cases out of ten, sucissfal, i.e., for themselves ; hundreds f thousands have been squandered nay to no purpose. The une, if judiciously controlled, would avc caused a great extent of our ictallic wealth to be developed, and ie investtors large returns for beir outlay. Instead of our yield of old being on the decrease year by ear, as it is, it would be on the inrease. This year will show the rcatest falling off we have experienced or some time.