The Gold Rush In Alaska

869 Words2 Pages

Would you risk everything that you have for a chance to strike it rich mining for gold in the harsh climate of Alaska? In the late 1800’s, gold was found in Alaska, and despite the cold frozen terrain of Alaska ,it caused a rush to get the gold. Gold mining in Alaska has been going on since the late 1800’s, and people are still getting rich from it today. From the beginning to present day gold mining has changed; consequently, the equipment used and the collection procedures, have changed.

The first gold rush in Alaska took place in 1896-1899 in an area known as the Klondike. “100,000 set out. 30,000 arrived in the Klondike. Around 4,000 found gold” stated Gary l. Blackwood in his article in ‘Wild West’ magazine. The miners that arrived in the Klondike were searching for a big pay out of gold, and used old fashioned, homemade sluices. The sluices are used by the gold rich material is poured out on top and groves and metal screens catch the gold and heavier black sand. Today the Klondike region is still being mined and is still producing gold for the lucky few that find it.

With all of the chaos about gold, it made it so that boom towns began to spring up. “The new towns were crowded, often chaotic and many disappeared just as soon as they came.” as Pierre Berton states in his book about the Klondike gold rush. These towns were known for all of the robbers that would kill people just to get gold someway. One of the most famous boomtowns, still inhabited today, is Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, Canada. Dawson city had about 40,000 people living in it a year after it was formed and became the heart of the gold rush in the Klondike(Coates) .An interesting fact about the town at the time is, that to keep the murder and...

... middle of paper ...

... produced. “ Gold accounted for 15% of the mining wealth produced in Alaska. Zinc and lead, [...] accounted for 73%; silver [...] accounted for 8%; coal and aggregates accounted for nearly 2% each. Alaska produced a total of 40.3 million troy ounces of gold from 1880 through the end of 2007.” was reported by the Alaska DNR in 2007.
Would you risk everything just for a chance to strike it rich? Even with the advancements in the business, it is still a guarantee that you will spend a lot of money getting started, and the payback is not guaranteed. Gold mining, no matter where you are in the world, is a risk-reward job and could either make you one of the happiest people in the world, or it could make you live out the rest of you life in a mountain of debt. Like what is said at Bering Sea Gold “Gold Mining in general is dangerous and not a get rich quick occupation.”

Open Document