REPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS. REPORT UPON THE PRECIOUS METALS: BEING STATISTICAL NOTICES OF THE PRINCIPAL GOLD AND SILVER PRODUCING REGIONS OF THE WORLD BY WILLIAM P. BLAKE, COMMISSIONER FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WASHINGTON: REPORT ON THE PRECIOUS METALS. INTRODUCTION. This report was prepared at the request of Committee No. 6 of the United States Commission, and was submitted in December, 1867. The short time allowed for the work (from September to December) did not permit of an attempt to describe and discuss the various methods of extracting these metals from their ores, and as most of the principal gold and silver producing regions of the globe were represented at the Exposition by specimens, maps, and statistics, with the object of presenting a view of the nature and the extent of the resources of each country in the precious metals, it appeared proper that the report should compass, as far as possible, the object of the various exhibits. Accordingly, brief descriptive and statistical notices of most of the known gold and silver producing regions of the world have been given, with the addition, in some cases, of notices of regions not represented at the Exposition, in order to make the report more complete, and to give as nearly as possible the statistics of the annual production of gold and silver. Statistics of the production in Europe and other countries were obtained as far as possible up to the year 1867; but the delay in printing the report of the United States commissioners has enabled the author to present some later returns, especially from the United States, and to make some additions to the report, including a chapter upon international coinage. If this delay in the publication of the report had been foreseen, the plan of the work would have been somewhat different, and arrangements would have been made to obtain publications and statistics, especially from South America, Russia, and Europe, so as to state the amount of production down to the year 1868, or later. The returns so far received from the Pacific coast indicate that there has been a very considerable falling off in the production for the year 1868, not only in gold but in the silver of Nevada. It also appears probable that the statement of the total gold and silver production of the country for 1867, given on page 212, although considerably less than other published estimates, is yet too high by from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000, or about the amount which is credited, by estimate, to Utah and unenumerated sources. The total value of the yield for 1867 was probably from $69,000,000 to $70,000,000, and for 1868 from $65,000,000 to $66,000,000. It is impossible, in a work of this kind-the greater part of which was printed in 1868-to present statistics as late and fresh as those given from time to time by the enterprising journalists of California, who make the collection of accurate statistics and late information from the mining districts a specialty. The progress of discovery in our unexplored mineral regions is so rapid that new and important information is almost daily received. The author is specially indebted to "Carmany's Commercial Herald and Market Review," and to the quarterly reports in the "Alta Califor nia," for statistics of the production in the Pacific States and Territories, and he also acknowledges his obligations to several of the foreign commissioners and others at the Exposition for valuable statistical information. Respectfully submitted: JANUARY, 1869. WILLIAM P. BLAKE. CONTENTS. GOLD. CHAPTER I. THE GOLD REGIONS OF NORTH AMERICA, WITH STATISTICS OF THE PRODUCTION OF GOLD. *ections of gold specimens from California at the Paris Exhibition-Extent of the California gold field-The gold-bearing veins-Contrast of California specimens with those of Colorado-Average fineness of California gold-Principal mines and districts represented by specimens Soft ochrey slates containing gold-Placers-Cement deposits-Blue lead and its estimated yield-Statistics of the production and movement of gold produced in California and other Pacific States and Territories-Quartz mills in California-Gold region of Oregon-Idaho and Washington Territories-Montana-British ColumbiaNevada-Arizona-Vulture Mine-New Mexico-Colorado-Ores at the ExhibitionMethods of reduction-Value in copper and gold-Appalachian gold region-CanadaNova Scotia-Mexico-Résumé of the gold and silver production of the United States.PP, 1-62. CHAPTER II. THE GOLD REGIONS OF SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND. Brazil-Morro Velho and other mines-Chili-Argentine Republic--Bolivia-Peru-Venezuela-New Granada-Central America-Australia-Gold veins of Victoria-Australian placers-Age of the deposits-Production of gold in Victoria-Quartz mills and machinery-Clunes and other mines-Port Philip and Colonial Company-New South WalesExports of gold-South Australia and Tasmania-Queensland-New Zealand-Statistics of production.-pp. 63–90. CHAPTER III. THE GOLD PRODUCTION OF EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. Russian gold field-Production of different districts-Total production-Mines represented at the Paris Exhibition-Austrian gold production-Spain-Italy-France-United Kingdom-Gold localities in China-Japanese gold mines and exports-Method of washingProduction of gold in Africa-Résumé of the total production of gold in the year 1867.— pp. 90-108. SILVER. CHAPTER IV. SILVER REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. State of Nevada-Extent of the silver region and total bullion product-Principal districts— Comstock lode-List of claims-Machinery-Cost of materials-Expenses and products of the Gould and Curry mine-Average yield of ores- -Production of bullion-Reese River |