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THE RECORDS OF GOLD-WASHING. 27
Guasco,
La Ligua, Petorca, Coquimbo, Tiltil, Caren, and Talca. The washings of
Aconcagua and La Ligua have been the most productive and extensive.
Gold-bearing drift has been reported as existing throughout the south
of Chili, fifty miles back from the sea-coast, about the latitude of
Coquimbo. Crosiner (Blake's " Report on the Precious Metals," 1867)
mentions that gold deposits, which do not appear to have been formed by
the decomposition of regular veins, are found in decomposed granite
and red clay near Valparaiso. Similar deposits occur along the flanks
of the Andes, the most extensive being east of Chilian.
During
three hundred and thirty-one years, ending in 1875, the gold product of
Chili approximated an annual average of $600,000, principally from the
washings of river-beds. Recent attempts by American companies to work
the deposits by the hydraulic process have not been attended with
success, the vield of gold being much smaller than anticipated and the
supply of water being too limited.
Bolivia.—The
statistics of Dr. Soetbeer show that from 1545 to 1875 Bolivia produced
gold to the amount of 646,800 pounds, or ,£41,013,300, derived
principally from the washings of river-beds and shallow placers, the
works on the river Tipuani being the most celebrated. The deposits seem
to be widely distributed throughout the country, but detailed
information concerning them is unobtainable.
Peru.—In
Peru gold was gathered by the Incas in large amounts. Under the Spanish
rule more than $33,000,000 are said to have been extracted from the
mines and washings of Caravaya. The discovery of these placers was made
in 1542, and the production of gold from this vicinity continued until
1767, when the town of San Gavan, containing four thousand families and
a large treasure, was surprised and entirely destroyed by the Indians.
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