Gold Mining in New Mexico

In the past two centuries, New Mexico has yielded a large amount of gold from lode and placer deposits. Spanish explorers and Mexican settlers were the first to discover the metal in the area, but gold mining wasn’t actively pursued for an extended period, as the presence of the Apache tribe made mining difficult and…

Effects of the Gold Rush

Recovering the Gold Panning – There were different methods used during the Gold Rush to remove the metal. Early miners were able to pan for gold, because it was abundant and easily found, using either a pan or their hands to extract the pieces from riverbeds or streams. Placer Mining – Miners were able to…

The American Gold Rush – California’s 19th Century Success

On January 24, 1848 James W. Marshall stumbled upon a yellow metal while building a lumber mill for pioneer John Sutter, in Coloma, California. Together they tested the metal and discovered that it was gold. Even though Sutter wanted to keep the news a secret it quickly spread and prospectors began flocking in. By spring,…