alaskagold The gold mining industry in Alaska, which is situated in the western part of the United States, has been booming over the years, but it is still in the initial stages of development. Gold has been discovered in many parts of the state and the government has been working with the industry to ensure that the regulation is in place to ensure a sustainable and profitable mining industry.
Western Alaska mining history is filled with gold rushes, mining camps and hardy prospectors. The Alaskan boomtowns of the 1890s were filled with miners and opportunists seeking their fortunes. Today, gold mining continues for a few lucky prospectors who find workable gold claims. The towns that were established by gold rushes and booms are still standing with a few modern amenities added. The gold rush era was short in Western Alaska but it has left an indelible mark on the history of the region.
The First Gold Mine In Alaska
In 1866, a prospector named E.T. Woodhouse discovered gold on the Nabesna River, near what is now the city of McCarthy in western Alaska. But it was several more years before gold was found along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, in the southwest part of the state. Alaska was formally purchased from Russia in 1867 and a federal judge was sent to Alaska to establish a court system in 1884. Still, permanent settlements were few until the Klondike Gold Rush, which began in 1897. __% of all gold mined in the U.S. came from Alaska between 1900 and the late 1920s.
Different Types Of Mining Techniques.
Underground Mining
Mining techniques always depend on the type of underground mining. The locations and conditions of the deposits determine the mining methods used. The mining techniques used in western Alaska are principally drift mining and shaft mining. Drift mining usually takes place in the soft rock formations. An opening is dug to expose the ore body. Mining can then take place. Drift mining is usually used for low-grade deposits. The ore body is exposed and the ore is removed without the need for major construction work. In shaft mining, a mine shaft is sunk in to the deposit. This shaft is then developed with a series of underground chambers, as the ore is removed. Shaft mining is used for high-grade deposits. These deposits are more valuable and are more difficult to mine.
Open Surface (Pit) Mining Techniques.
Western Alaska has huge deposits of gold, silver, and other minerals. Over time, glaciers have scraped away the land and left huge pits of earth sitting on bedrock. Mining companies have been hollowing out the land for years, but now this easy pickings are nearly gone. The mining companies need to dig deeper into the earth and are using a new technique called open-pit mining. Open-pit mining is a method of mining larger amounts of material that cannot be extracted using traditional mining methods. In the past, open-pit mining has mostly been used with coal. However, today open-pit mining is being used for numerous other materials including gold, silver, copper, and many other metals and minerals.
Placer Mining Techniques
Placer mining techniques include panning and sluicing. Panning is a technique used to extract gold from sediments in a river bed. Sluice boxes are the most common used in the Gold Rush. The sluice box is a water-powered machine that uses a rotating drum to wash the sediments. This technique is more efficient because of the increased water flow. Find a location near a stream, with fast-moving water, and dig a trench. Make sure it’s near shallow water so that the water can easily pass through the sluice box. After the trench is dug, place the sluice box in the trench. The water will create the force to do the rest of the work for you. You can also use a high-pressure hose to speed up the process. The stream bed should be gravel, sand or rocks.
