c

APPEARANCE OF GOLD

IN

STREAM

PLA.CERS

various points on the Pacitic coast and have'be;n a prolific

stlurce of gold at Nome. They are really a re.-sorted river de-

gold in
by hand"

ads into strata that can be worked profitably

than large -.caie methods.
':.

,,of gold

in stream placers

_
^_*the most important type for the smail
By fai
operator
_

'

is

-the stream placer, which is also the most widespreacl. It may

be coriff.(lently:looked for in those areas where gold-bearing
l,-cins afb present; though it does not necessarily foilow that
rich piacers are found in close proximity to rich lode minee
any more. tlian tlie occurlence of workable placer deposits
indicates that the original source of the gold is near by. Incleecl, bhe conditions favorabie for concentration of the gold
niay be found man_v miles from rvhere the precious metal was
first torn orlt from the vein x,ails, and ii is known that many
placers that contain pay-gravel are the concentration of many
.:ma1l golci veins, none of which would pay to work by itself.
Some indication of the proximity of the placer to the
rnother lode can be gained by a close examination, under a
,nicroscope, of the gold grains. If the particles are rounded
nnd n-aterworn, they have obviously been carried a long way
:rv the stream arrd in their travels have had the adhering rock
inateriai worn cff, leaving ttre soft gold to be rounded into
spherica) shape. If the particles are raggcd and angular, with
slivers of quartz stil1 sticking to the metal, the original vcin
usi be reasonably close by. l'lat,, paper-thin colors (flake
ki) may have been transported hundreds of miles by a
if+, strearn or muddv $-ater.