California gold rush

Savage, K.S., Bird, D.K. and Ashley, R.P. (2000) Legacy of the California gold rush environmental geochemistry of arsenic in the southern Mother Lode Gold District. International Geology Review, 42(5), 385-415. 

Savage K. S., Bird D. K., and Ashley R. P. (2000) I-egacy of the California Gold Rush environmental geochemistry of arsenic in the southern Mother I-ode Gold District. Int. Geol. Rev. 42, 385-415. 

As already mentioned, hydraulicking of the placer gold deposits in the famous California Gold Rush of 1849 led to severe contamination of the rivers that drained the area of the gold deposit. The solids from the hydraulicking operations fllled rivers with solids, which were eventually deposited downstream, with serious consequences for agriculture in the downstream areas. 

All the gold ever mined would fit in a cube 21 m on a side and weighing about 1.6 X 10 kg. More than 90% of this amount has been produced since the 1848 California gold rush. Annual worldwide production of gold is about 2.4 X 10 kg. By contrast 16,000 times more aluminum, over 3.97 X 10 kg, are produced annually. 

The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) drew prospectors who panned for gold in the stream sediment of the American River and significantly raised the population of California. 

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