Bedrock Gold Deposits

In ulterior support of the hypothesis of the solution, Professor Joseph I. Conte (1871) offered the following: will the iron sulphate dissolve gold? We must remember the difference between the operations of the chemical and that of nature to this respect. The chemical calls a substance insoluble if it doesn’t dissolve in a considerable measure in the space of limited time. But, nature has infinite ages in geological time to work. From here, for a dissolved substance only in part by the chemical, might be entirely dissolved by nature.

Describing the deposits board lining type of the east of the Trinity County and of the west of that of Shasta, California, O.M. Hershey (1910) observed: gold lies in a thin and flat layer, is formed in thick, fine nuggets which have a peculiar smooth and rounded surface, very different to that of fine gold or the quartz veins. I believe that some of the finely divided gold (detritus which proceed of veins of metals-base with very low values of gold) comes into solution in the oxidation area and is dixiviated by the meteoric waters descending and some might be deposited in the cracks of the rock forming the so called “Board Linings”.

This, as a matter of fact is secondary concentrate by meteoric waters, which circulate close to the surface, even though it is not secondary enriching in the current sense. Hershey was uncertain concerning the case about if the depositing occurs in the area of oxidation or just below it, but he concluded “gold” is transported in solution in ordinary meteoric cold waters which circulate between many hundreds of feet below the surface.

F.W. Clarke (1908) mentioned that the natural dissolvers of gold appear to be numerous. Gold is maintained in solution by the potassium silicate and is perceptively soluble in a solution of sodium carbonate to 10% or a mix of silicate and sodium bicarbonate. It has been noted that the solutions of sulphurous alkaline are effective solvents. The sulphur of hydrogen attacks gold perceptively. All these solvents occur in natural waters.

Clarke referred to an experiment of T.A. Richard, in which a gold sample of Cripple Creek, containing manganese oxides, was treated with a solution of ferric sulphate, chloride of sodium and a little sulphur acid. All the gold was dissolved. A fragment of carbonous schist was submerged into the solution, and the gold was precipitated.

The experiment illustrated the case in which gold is deposited starting from its solutions. Organic matter of almost any kind will precipitate gold, and such matter is rarely found on the ground. Gold is consequently, even though it can enter into solution, it is not probable for it to be taken very far before precipitating. Gold is expelled from the solution by the ferrous salts, other metals and many sulphur, thus as in the common grounds.