E

HOW PLACER, DEPOSITS'H'{VE BEEN FOR}'{ED

',it,.'

pounrietl:L:' lnd pulBoulders not yet freed from'ttegold are

is ireti':i'" rounded
verized, but the goId, being sott'and ductile'
b'.'iii;lil'
and flattened into flakes and sca''les'and left'
in placer
sclvice
imporiant
Running water performs a third
into
laden
is
if
formation. It sorts ihe material with which
gucn
magravity of
different strata, according to the specific
the velocity oi the stream diminishes ri:hen the

ierial. As

the
grade lessens or a bend is encountered, some of
natural clasmaterial drops to the stream bottom' Through
way downits
wolk
siflcation, the heavier material tends to
resting place
warcl through the gravel becl, until it finds a flnal
holds ii'
on bedrock, or on an impervious clay stratum that'
enriched
The bottom layers of stream gravel are consequently
with heavy metallic particles, ihe coarse gold -eeeking the
on the bedbedrock while the fines are higher up' Bui evcn
pemanently'
rock, if it is smooth, the gold will not remain
against a
lodges
it
unt'il
but rvill v'ork slowly downstream,
cololedge or some other natural riffie. At the Breckenriflge,
found
rado, placers' concentration of the gold was frequentiy
in
edge
on
behind the shales and slates that were standing
the stream bed.s. \Virere these ledges were tilted over in the

frt

heavier

direction of the sater flow, the gold rvould occur on the

under side, where there \'-as an eddf ing action'
placel
Reviewing then the steps in the formation of a true
on
rock
country
deposit', there is first erosion of gold-bearing

hill or mountain side; second, separation and transpcri'tation

of the materiai by rains to a running stream; third' sorting'
a

antl'
classification, and concentration of the material in waterl
to
sonre
bed
owing
stream
gold
t'he
in
fourlh, cleposition of the

slackening or interfererrce with the water flow'