NATIVE BRITISH SILVER AND GOLD.

Kumara Times, Issue 1074, 10 March 1880, Page 4

NATIVE BRITISH SILVER AND GOLD.

The quantity of silver obtained in 1878 from British mines was 367,471 ounces, and most of the precious metal was found in combination with lead. The total value of the silver thus obtained in the year in question was estimated at L 88,296 19a. 6d. In the same year the gold found in British mines weiged 702 ounces 16 dwts. &grs., and was estimated to be of thevalue of L 2,848155. 2d. Nearly the whole of this British gold—namely a fraction over 697 ounces—was procured in Wales, in the Ologan mine in Merionetshire. The balance of five ounces and a fraction was found near Wicklow, in Ireland, in 86£lb. of ore. Of silver ore, about 94£tons were found in Cornwell in the Huel, Prince of Wales,and Redmoor Mines, which yielded silver to the value of L 5,994 11s. lOd. The richest argentiferous lead ores are found in the Isle of Man. where the 3,920 tons of lead ore procured from the nine Manx mines yielded in 1878 as much as 110,496 oz of pure silver. In Wales, which possessed 97 lead mines in 11 counties, the silver won in 1878 weighed 148,376 oz England, with 266 lead mines in 10 counties, produced 118, 629 oz. of pure silver in the same year, while 14,320 oz. were got from the lead ores produced in Scotland and 5,650 oz. from those of Ireland. The total quantity of British silver produced in the year was rather more than 11 tons, and the value was nearly LB.OOO a ton.