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...

Documents

heat slide

successful slide

elevation slide

west slide

sluice box mining slide

old buildings slide

grim image slide

charles hargen slide