New York - Philadelphia Paper - Silver-Mining and Smelting in Mongolia (Discussion p. 1038)

I will endeavor to describe the methods of silver-mining and smelting employed by the natives in Mongolia. Modern methods have been applied there, but with little success; and, since they are familiar to most members of the Institute, I will simply mention that the failure was due to the high price of coke used in smelting the ore in modern furnaces, and to the unsuitable mill-machinery employed for concentrating the galena, which is finely distributed in the ore. The Jehol silver-mines are situated about 45 miles NE. of Jehol, the capital of Mongolia. They embrace two mines, 5 miles apart,—the Ku Shan Tze mine and the Yen Tung Shan mine. They were first worked by natives 50 years ago, about the time when mining was so flourishing in other parts of the world,—for instance, in California and Australia. The upper part of the vein is galena mixed with iron-stone, and is 2 to 4 ft. thick. At lower levels the vein is composed of silver-lead ore running between quartz-porphyry walls. Limestone, talc and black shale, colored by graphite, are found in other parts of the mine. Crystalline limestone is found 1 mile NE. of Ku Shan Tze. Granite is encountered in the Yen Tung Shan mine. Mining.—The native method of working the mines is most primitive. The same method may have been employed a thousand years ago. A small inclined shaft, 4 ft. by 4 ft., is sunk in the vein-stuff where the appearances are most favorable. Another shaft is sunk 20 or 30 yds. away, for ventilation. The shaft follows the vein in a zigzag fashion in whatever direction the vein appears to be richest. Timber is used only in soft ground. Where the ground is hard, the roof is cut into an arch-form. In some places, instead of using ladders, steps are cut in the rock, just wide enough to hold one foot. The deepest native workings are 400 ft. below the