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22 THE RECORDS OF GOLD-WASHING.
Ekaterinburg,
is auriferous. The principal mine of this district is the Beriozofka,
which has produced largely. The first washings were commenced here in
1814, but up to 1861 there was little or no improvement made in the
method of working.
In the southern Ural lies the celebrated region of Zlataust, lat. 550 11' N., long, 77o 26'
E. The gold alluvion is found along the lateral streams which feed the
Miask. This river was remarkable for its minerals and precious stones.
The Miask placers were the richest in the Ural, but of late )'ears
their product has been very small.
The Altai.—Mining
in the Altai is said to date from a very early period. The discovery of
the alluvial deposits along the Fomiha River in 1830 gave a new
impetus to gold-mining in Siberia, but richer fields have in later
years attracted the miners, and the production of this district appears
to have fallen to one-tenth of what it was twenty years ago.
Turkistan.—
The auriferous deposits in western Turkistan, along the course of the
river Tentek, are said to have been worked by the Chinese. Kuznetsof, a
postal contractor, in 1868 tested some old Chinese diggings at
Kizil-togoi, but from a summer's work at considerable expense obtained
only one pound of gold. This has discouraged further mining. It is the
opinion of many that the detritus of Turkistan is not at present worth
working.
The Northern Yeniseisk.—The
northern Yeniseisk fields were discovered in 1832. All the rivers
partake of the character of mountain torrents. The most remunerative
district was discovered in 1839, between the rivers Yenisei and
Podkamenny Tungusska.
The
Teya River is about one hundred or one hundred and fifty feet wide. The
gold deposits along its banks have been explored and found too poor to
work. On the river Noiba placers were worked in 1842. The country
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