1. A Mining Boom

2. Where did important mining discoveries take place in the late 1800s? Gold near Pikes Peak – late 1858 Early 1859 – Colorado 1859 – Carson River Valley – Nevada –Comstock Lode – one of the world’s richest silver veins –$500 million worth of precious metals over 20 years

3. Mill used to separate gold from quartz Patio process – used mercury to extract silver from ore Moved into Canada –Russia feared a territorial dispute with U.S. –Russia offered to sell Alaska to the U.S. William H. Seward (Secretary of State) 1867 $7,200,000 (two cents an acre) Called Seward’s Folly

4. 1896 – discovered gold in Canada’s Yukon territory bordering Alaska –Klondike Gold Rush –1897 – more than $1,000,000 in gold found –1898 – 1902 – attracted settlers, who established fish canneries, lumber companies, coal and copper mining

5. How did early mining camps differ from more- developed mining towns? Early mining camps almost entirely men –Not family business Mining camps have settlers from all over –Mexicans, Californians, Chinese, Peruvians, Irish, Chileans –Few comforts at first –Intense competition –violence

6. More developed mining towns began to bring in stability Attracted businesses Children looked for gold dust and nuggets or sold food to miners More families moved to mining camps –Turned into permanent communities Law and order, schools, hospitals, churches and newspapers

7. Why did mining become big business? Within a few years of first strike, deposits worked out To get at ore, miners used one of two methods –Hydraulic mining: used water and pressure to wash away mountain or gravel and expose minerals –Hard Rock mining: sinking deep shafts to get at ore locked in veins of quartz Both methods require a lot of money

8. Mining became part of big companies Companies used science to extract minerals in demand –Zinc, lead, copper, iron Federal government helped develop mineral resources –1879 – organized U.S. Geological Survey which coordinated data about new mines Changed working conditions –Unions formed to protect miners Land suffered –Leveled mountains and eroded hills Hydraulic mining –Flooding destroyed farmland