Atmospheric Rivers precipitate a new Gold Rush. 1 1

[Henri Charriere]

All this talk of atmospheric rivers over Caifornia has sparked a new interest in flooding and earth which has lain undisturbed since the last gold rush dislodged in rivers of mud.  Nothing truly memorable has been discovered yet but it reminds me of how little people who know nothing about gold extraction intend to recover it.

As an analogy, at some point the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in upper Manhattan decided a few years back to finish the still uncompleted structure, said to be the largest [cathedral] in the world.  And what they quickly discovered is stone-cutting was a lost art.  They had to import talent to teach the young how to cut stone and lay it.

Me?  If I had the time and inclination I would grab a pan--and go.  I believe your average person would have no idea what to do and how to do it.  Would you?  They've always said only a comparatively small amount was ever recovered.

[GoldFinger1969]

The LIBERTY HEAD DOUBLE EAGLES book goes into the 49'er Gold Rush of the 1850's with lots of nice stories.

After the initial rush, most people barely eaked out a living, though.

Edited April 30, 2023 by GoldFinger1969

[Rod D.]

Gold prospecting is a fun hobby. I have spent more money on gas, equipment, etc. than I have found or will ever find. 

[USAuPzlBxBob]

[Henri Charriere]

It's been said it's the people who sold provisions to the prospectors were the ones who really made out fine whether it be by providing food, clothing or shelter. Guess we'll just have to wait to hear what the various mining concerns have to say about it. Their surveyors are pros now what with all the advances having been made in mining techniques since the Gold Rush days.

[RWB]

The California state archives, and especially those of San Francisco, contain large numbers of mining reports, descriptions and personal documents. NARA also has many similar, but more official, materials. These include details of all the mining districts and much about individual claims. They are simultaneously fascinating and boring - there is little excitement. Instead there is the daily drudgery of placer, hydraulic, vein mining, and amalgamation. A few minutes respite for an anonymous slow death from mercury poisoning, quicker death from cyanide, and instant crushing death from cave-in, flood, or sluice collapse. The romance is fiction and nostalgia merely addled memories of survivors.

As for the current flooding (pun intended), it is very minor in the scale of Nature and might do more to spread tailings than bare fresh treasure.

[GoldFinger1969]

But without the California discovery of gold, who knows if we ever create the Double Eagle coin !

[RWB]

On 4/30/2023 at 11:44 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

But without the California discovery of gold, who knows if we ever create the Double Eagle coin !

Unlikely. The US was the only place to routinely make anything larger than about $10....large pieces were simply not practical except as bullion substitutes. Linderman's $100, $73, and $50 were in the same basket.

Edited April 30, 2023 by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

I don't know about Double Eagles, but depending on further developments we may have a Gold Rush. Whether it rivals that of the old 49's or fizzles out as it did at Dahlonega or Charlotte remains to be seen.  I am not too concerned because either way it may prompt our on-site Speed Graphic-bearing to investigate the matter personally.  😀