2019-2020 Nevada County Gold Digital Edition

PIONEERS
H I S T O R Y
An IdeA, A
FurnAce And
Gold
By Paula C. Collins
The Bunker Hill gold separation
mill was to be an alternative to
the early stamp mills.
SEARLS HISTORICAL LIBRARY
GOLD – IT WAS REVERED, sought
after; it made and it destroyed
men. Nevada County had its
share of elements than made up the Gold
Rush. There were those that worked long
and hard in creeks and rivers, earning their
gold by the sweat of their brow and
strength of their back. And, there were the
dreamers, the schemers and those looking
for the easy answer.
One plan set forth in 1852 was designed
to simplify the gold recovery process. It was
the beginning of “quartz fever,” and the
realization that quartz contained gold.
Extracting the gold involved crushing the
ore in stamp mills, but what if there was a
better way?
A group led by a gentleman known as
Dr. Rodgers thought they had the answer.
Rodgers, a self-proclaimed chemist, physicist,
mineralogist and metallurgist, came up
with the idea of roasting the quartz, which
created a lot of excitement in Nevada City.
They would build a furnace designed to
break down the quartz and dispersed it
into the air as a gas. The gold which had
been left would settle in a chamber at the
bottom and run into molds.
Funding for the Bunker Hill operation
occurred almost overnight as anxious
investors leapt at the chance to be part of
such a scientific undertaking that would
revolutionize gold recovery. All told, the
inventors raised $85,000. It took time, but
at last, the mill was in place on Deer Creek,
and the operation was underway. Layers of
quartz and firewood were loaded. The furnace
was fired up; the air filled with a
wondrous metallic smell.
Anticipation ran high as those assembled
waited for the furnace to cool and their
fortunes to be made. At last, the great
moment arrived. The molds were opened
to reveal – nothing! Taken aback, those in
charged reflected on the situation. Not to
worry – the channels leading to the molds
had been clogged, and the gold would be
found on the furnace floor. But, again
there was no gold, only slag and ash.
Modifications were made; there was a
second attempt. Failure, again! A statement
was released by the promoters pointing
to “inherent defects in the philosophy
of the process.” Then they left town. The
stockholders were disappointed, but did
not blame the “inventors” for virtually all
the capital invested had gone into making
the furnace.
Later on, or so one version of the story
goes, it occurred to a miner to test the rock
at Bunker Hill for gold. He used the accepted
stamp mill and wash method. There
was indeed an excellent grade of quartz
on the site, but no gold, leaving one to
wonder if the furnace might have worked
after all.
Stamp mills were successfully used for many
years and now are on display through the area.
ANDREW WRIGHT / LIGHTHAWKPHOTO
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