Mining in the West. Mining Boom By the mid 1850s, the California Gold Rush had ended and miners...

Mining in the WestMining in the West

Mining BoomMining Boom

• By the mid 1850s, the California Gold Rush had ended and miners began looking elsewhere

• Pike’s Peak - Gold found in 1858 and by 1859, 50,000 miners were there

• Lodes - veins of rich minerals in the soil dug by machines and companies, not individuals

• Comstock Lode - Largest silver mine in US, $700,000,000 in silver brought out in 20 years from a depth of 3200 feet

• By the mid 1850s, the California Gold Rush had ended and miners began looking elsewhere

• Pike’s Peak - Gold found in 1858 and by 1859, 50,000 miners were there

• Lodes - veins of rich minerals in the soil dug by machines and companies, not individuals

• Comstock Lode - Largest silver mine in US, $700,000,000 in silver brought out in 20 years from a depth of 3200 feet

Pike’s Peak, Colorado 14, 110 feet in

elevation

Pike’s Peak, Colorado 14, 110 feet in

elevation

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.



Techniques of MiningTechniques of Mining• Panning - water from a river bed swished around a pan

• Sluice Box - water from river runs over a strainer and men shovel dirt into it

• Hydraulic mining - Water blasted onto sides of mountains to force erosion (big companies)

• Excavation Mining - Big companies dig caves into mountains thousands of feet deep - very dangerous (cave-ins, lack of oxygen, lots of heat)

• Panning - water from a river bed swished around a pan

• Sluice Box - water from river runs over a strainer and men shovel dirt into it

• Hydraulic mining - Water blasted onto sides of mountains to force erosion (big companies)

• Excavation Mining - Big companies dig caves into mountains thousands of feet deep - very dangerous (cave-ins, lack of oxygen, lots of heat)

Panning for Gold (not very successful)

Panning for Gold (not very successful)



Sluice Box

Mining

Sluice Box

MiningQuickTime™ and a

decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Hydraulic Mining (more effective, needs men and

machines)

Hydraulic Mining (more effective, needs men and

machines)



Boom and BustBoom and Bust

• Boom Towns - towns that spring up overnight because of miners– Lawlessness, lively, dangerous– Filled largely with young, single men

– Lots of guns, cash, and theft

• Vigilantes - volunteers who try to maintain law and order in Boom Towns

• Boom Towns - towns that spring up overnight because of miners– Lawlessness, lively, dangerous– Filled largely with young, single men

– Lots of guns, cash, and theft

• Vigilantes - volunteers who try to maintain law and order in Boom Towns



Saloon Saloon 10, 10,

by by Charles Charles HargenHargen

Vigilantes

Vigilantes QuickTime™ and a

decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Warning: Grim ImageWarning: Grim Image



Ghost TownsGhost Towns

• Towns abandoned by miners when the mine dries up

• Often, all that was left was old buildings

• Towns abandoned by miners when the mine dries up

• Often, all that was left was old buildings

New States CreatedNew States Created

• Because of mining populations, many new states were added to the U.S.

• Colorado (1876)• North and South Dakota, Washington, Montana (1889)

• Idaho and Wyoming (1890)

• Because of mining populations, many new states were added to the U.S.

• Colorado (1876)• North and South Dakota, Washington, Montana (1889)

• Idaho and Wyoming (1890)

Mining in the West. Mining Boom By the mid 1850s, the California Gold Rush had ended and miners...

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