374 pennyweights of gold. However, analysis of the ores by the United States Geological Survey gave no gold and slightly over one ounce of silver, copper and lead running about 6 per cent.1

The following list of states, owing to the extremely small amounts of the precious metals found as yet within their borders, is given without comment, except that the reader is referred to the chapters on History and Occurrence, for what is known regarding their occurrence, distribution and output: Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Panama, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It has not been thought advisable to give the production of the various mines and districts in which they occur in the previous discussion, owing to the incomplete and often unauthentic records available; however, much information can be obtained regarding the same from the references given in the Table of Yields.

NOTE. - Apparent discrepancies occurring in the above statistics result largely from the necessity of using, in their compilation, different authorities. A difference of several thousand dollars is often noted for the same year in two different reports by the same authority.

FINENESS OF GOLD AND SILVER.

In the consideration of the production of gold and silver it is necessary to know the fineness of the metals in order to ascertain their intrinsic value. The gold mined in certain localities of North America is remarkably pure in the early days the gold obtained in a number of mines in California was considered the highest in value, but later, according to Mint reports, it was excelled by that of Cripple Creek. Placer gold, as formerly pointed out, is usually of higher grade than that from quartz mines, due to the refining action of the streams. The highest average fineness of California gold was that from the placers around Folsom, Sacramento County, which was worth over $20 an ounce, running from 974 fine, or $20.13 to 978 fine, or $20.21 per ounce. The lowest grade gold from this state comes from Bodie and seldom exceeds 580 fine or $12 per ounce, often falling as low as 484 fine, or $10 per ounce.

The San Guiseppe mine, near Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, is a quartz mine which produces gold uniformly between 982 and 987 fine, or $20.29 and $20.40 per ounce. One lot of 90

tons of ore went 998 fine, or $20.6305.2

1 U. S. G. S., Bull. No. 225, 1904, pp. 85, 87.

T. A. I. M. E., Mines and Minerals of California, p. 177, 1899.

Records of the United States Mint at Denver show that on several dates (Mar. 14, 1893; May 11, 1893; Aug. 29 and March 5, 1894) gold was deposited from the Cripple Creek mines having a fineness of 999. The average value of the placer gold of Cripple Creek is $20 per ounce.1

The gold of Nova Scotia is remarkable for its purity, being on an average 22 carats fine. The assay value is between $19.97 and $20.25. A value of $19.50 was taken as a basis in the calculation of the gold production by the Gold Commissioner of Nova Scotia.2

The average fineness of gold or silver of a county, say nothing of a state, cannot be relied upon in determining value, owing to the wide variations noted between localities of no great distance apart. Averages are, however, usually assumed for convenience of calculation. See Appendix of Tables, Table VI.

1 Min. and Sci. Press, Vol. 70, p. 346.

2 Am. Jour. Min., Vol. 2, p. 388.

APPENDIX OF TABLES.

TABLE I. DISCOVERY OF GOLD AND SILVER MINES AND DISTRICTS.

TABLE II. OCCURRENCE AND MINERALOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLD AND SILVER.

TABLE III. GEOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD AND SILVER.

TABLE IV. YIELD OF ORES BY DISTRICTS AND MINES.

TABLE V. YIELD OF GRAVELS BY DISTRICTS AND MINES.

TABLE VI. FINENESS AND VALUE OF GOLD AND SILVER.