Gold was found in Alaska in a year. A real gold rush in Alaska. Current methods of gold mining

Adapted from "The Economic Impact of Placer Mining in Alaska" ("McDowell Group") and "Alaska Miners Association" (http://alaskaminers.org/)

For the first time, Russian colonists took up exploration of alluvial deposits in Alaska in the 1800s. Gold mining and the search for placers continued after the territory became part of the United States. By 1860-70, prospectors from California began to come to Alaska. In the 1880s, after the discovery of the AJ and Treadwell deposits, the Juneau gold rush began. In 1882, large deposits of gold were discovered in Rampart, in 1886 in the Fortimile area, and in 1893 in the Sökl area.

The Klondike gold rush of 1897-1899 brought even more miners to Alaska. In 1898, deposits were discovered in Nome, and in 1902 in the Fairbanks area, which would eventually become the largest area in Alaska in terms of gold mining.

In 1905, for the first time in Alaska (in Nome), dredges appeared. The first electrically powered types of this equipment appeared in Nome and Fairbanks in the 1920s. By the beginning of World War II, Alaska had become the largest gold-mining state in the United States (about 23 tons were mined in 1940, mainly in alluvial deposits).

During World War II, much of Alaska's alluvial mines were shut down by the federal government. After the war, due to the fixed price of gold ($35 per ounce) and inflation, which increased the cost of production, many gold mining enterprises closed.

In the early 1970s, the US authorities abandoned the policy of a fixed price of gold and restrictions on private ownership of gold, and work resumed at several hundred Alaskan mines. The price of gold continued to rise, and by 1982, the precious metal was being mined at about 500 alluvial deposits and had grown to 5.4 tons (total value of $70 million).

The alluvial gold mining industry in Alaska is still strong, and the resurgence of small-scale dredge mining in the Nome region (which was largely influenced by various television programs) is attracting more and more amateurs and professionals.

About permission to conduct placer works

Regardless of scope of work or category of land, Alaska law requires permits from various government agencies, such as the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of State and Public Land Management (Bureau of Land Management, BLM), Game Department and fishing (Department of Fish and Game), etc. In order to retain the right to develop a claim (plot), it is necessary to submit annual reports on the work done. Agencies conduct regular inspections of alluvial mines.

Placer mining in Alaska requires the filing of an Application for Permits to Mine in Alaska (APMA), except for recreational mining using dredges less than 6 inches in diameter. However, in the Nome area since 2012 (due to the increased interest in these places), APMA permission is also required for dredge operations, regardless of diameter.

The number of placer permits issued in Alaska increased from 235 to 694 from FY2005 to FY2012, although not every claim has any work in progress (Figure 1). According to official data, from 2011 to 2013, about half of the registered branches were developed.

Most permits for placer work

in 2014 issued for claims in the central and eastern parts of the state (Fig. 2)

Basic taxes and duties on alluvial mining

Under the Alaska Mining Royalty Act, each claim holder is required to pay a certain amount of all mineral mining revenues, which is 3%. In addition, there is a tax on net income - 7% (in the event that net income is less than $ 40 thousand, the tax is not charged). New enterprises are not subject to this type of tax for 3.5 years from the date of commencement of work.

All companies doing business in Alaska are required to file a tax return and pay income tax, which reflects the profitability of the enterprise. In the state, it ranges from 1 to 9.4% (the maximum is for enterprises with an income of $222,000 or more).

Alluvial dredge gold miners consume enough gasoline or kerosene that there is a special tax in Alaska ($ 0.08 per 1 gallon (3.8 l) on fuel sold, transported or used in the state.

Alaskan miners must pay cash rent annually; this applies to claims, mining leases, offshore mining, prospecting. For a regular claim (40 acres/16.2 hectares), you will have to pay $35 per year for the first five years, $70 for the second, and $170 for each subsequent year.

In addition, there are a number of other mandatory fees in Alaska, such as for obtaining a mining permit (see above, APMA). The fee is paid either for one year and amounts to $ 150, or for several years. In the latter case, the payment will be $150 for the first year, $50 for each subsequent year (maximum 5 years).

Placer gold mining volumes

Alluvial gold production in Alaska fluctuates from 0.8 tons in 2005 to 3.1 tons in 2012, and the number of operating alluvial enterprises has increased from 71 (2005) to 321 (2012), which was largely influenced by the increase in the price of gold, reached some time ago historical record levels. In 2013, 295 enterprises produced about 2.6 tons (Table 1).

One of the subspecies of alluvial gold mining is recreational (tourist, amateur). Recreational alluvial gold mining is defined as amateur, casual, short term alluvial gold mining using non-mechanized equipment, eg flume, portable sluice, small dredge, metal detector. Recreational activities are conducted on private and public lands.

Recreational placer gold mining can be done by people who have received a permit or paid some agreed amount to the owner of the claim. In addition, throughout Alaska there are special places for the occupation of this type of prey.

Sincerely, Vasily Vasilyevich Aksyonov, radiologist, associate professor

Adapted from "The Economic Impact of Placer Mining in Alaska" ("McDowell Group") and "Alaska Miners Association" (http://alaskaminers.org/)

For the first time, Russian colonists took up exploration of alluvial deposits in Alaska in the 1800s. Gold mining and the search for placers continued after the territory became part of the United States. By 1860-70, prospectors from California began to come to Alaska. In the 1880s, after the discovery of the AJ and Treadwell deposits, the Juneau gold rush began. In 1882, large deposits of gold were discovered in Rampart, in 1886 in the Fortimile area, and in 1893 in the Sökl area.

The Klondike gold rush of 1897-1899 brought even more miners to Alaska. In 1898, deposits were discovered in Nome, and in 1902 in the Fairbanks area, which would eventually become the largest area in Alaska in terms of gold mining.

In 1905, for the first time in Alaska (in Nome), dredges appeared. The first electrically powered types of this equipment appeared in Nome and Fairbanks in the 1920s. By the beginning of World War II, Alaska had become the largest gold-mining state in the United States (about 23 tons were mined in 1940, mainly in alluvial deposits).

During World War II, much of Alaska's alluvial mines were shut down by the federal government. After the war, due to the fixed price of gold ($35 per ounce) and inflation, which increased the cost of production, many gold mining enterprises closed.

In the early 1970s, the US authorities abandoned the policy of a fixed price of gold and restrictions on private ownership of gold, and work resumed at several hundred Alaskan mines. The price of gold continued to rise, and by 1982, the precious metal was being mined at about 500 alluvial deposits and had grown to 5.4 tons (total value of $70 million).

The alluvial gold mining industry in Alaska is still strong, and the resurgence of small-scale dredge mining in the Nome region (which was largely influenced by various television programs) is attracting more and more amateurs and professionals.

About permission to conduct placer works

Regardless of scope of work or category of land, Alaska law requires permits from various government agencies, such as the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of State and Public Land Management (Bureau of Land Management, BLM), Game Department and fishing (Department of Fish and Game), etc. In order to retain the right to develop a claim (plot), it is necessary to submit annual reports on the work done. Agencies conduct regular inspections of alluvial mines.

Placer mining in Alaska requires the filing of an Application for Permits to Mine in Alaska (APMA), except for recreational mining using dredges less than 6 inches in diameter. However, in the Nome area since 2012 (due to the increased interest in these places), APMA permission is also required for dredge operations, regardless of diameter.

The number of placer permits issued in Alaska increased from 235 to 694 from FY2005 to FY2012, although not every claim has any work in progress (Figure 1). According to official data, from 2011 to 2013, about half of the registered branches were developed.

Most permits for placer work

in 2014 issued for claims in the central and eastern parts of the state (Fig. 2)

Basic taxes and duties on alluvial mining

Under the Alaska Mining Royalty Act, each claim holder is required to pay a certain amount of all mineral mining revenues, which is 3%. In addition, there is a tax on net income - 7% (in the event that net income is less than $ 40 thousand, the tax is not charged). New enterprises are not subject to this type of tax for 3.5 years from the date of commencement of work.

All companies doing business in Alaska are required to file a tax return and pay income tax, which reflects the profitability of the enterprise. In the state, it ranges from 1 to 9.4% (the maximum is for enterprises with an income of $222,000 or more).

Alluvial dredge gold miners consume enough gasoline or kerosene that there is a special tax in Alaska ($ 0.08 per 1 gallon (3.8 l) on fuel sold, transported or used in the state.

Alaskan miners must pay cash rent annually; this applies to claims, mining leases, offshore mining, prospecting. For a regular claim (40 acres/16.2 hectares), you will have to pay $35 per year for the first five years, $70 for the second, and $170 for each subsequent year.

In addition, there are a number of other mandatory fees in Alaska, such as for obtaining a mining permit (see above, APMA). The fee is paid either for one year and amounts to $ 150, or for several years. In the latter case, the payment will be $150 for the first year, $50 for each subsequent year (maximum 5 years).

Placer gold mining volumes

Alluvial gold production in Alaska fluctuates from 0.8 tons in 2005 to 3.1 tons in 2012, and the number of operating alluvial enterprises has increased from 71 (2005) to 321 (2012), which was largely influenced by the increase in the price of gold, reached some time ago historical record levels. In 2013, 295 enterprises produced about 2.6 tons (Table 1).

One of the subspecies of alluvial gold mining is recreational (tourist, amateur). Recreational alluvial gold mining is defined as amateur, casual, short term alluvial gold mining using non-mechanized equipment, eg flume, portable sluice, small dredge, metal detector. Recreational activities are conducted on private and public lands.

Recreational placer gold mining can be done by people who have received a permit or paid some agreed amount to the owner of the claim. In addition, throughout Alaska there are special places for the occupation of this type of prey.

Sincerely, Vasily Vasilyevich Aksyonov, radiologist, associate professor

Since the gold rush, the number of gold miners has greatly decreased. In total, about 10% of the total gold production in the United States is produced in Alaska, but due to ever-increasing gold prices, this may change. If the two major projects Donlin Creek (hides 30 million ounces of gold) and Pebble Mine (holds 20 million ounces of gold) come to life, Alaska will become the world's largest gold producer (NovaGold is trying to make money by attracting investments in the development of mines on Donlin Creek and Galore Creek).

In the meantime, according to the database of the lands of the local mayor's office, many gold-bearing areas have been idle for many years. The largest gold mining companies in Alaska are Fort Knox near Fox (Fairbanks) and Pogo Mine near Delta Junction (currently producing 84% of Alaskan gold). A third Kensington Gold Mine is slated to open below Juneau. Two smaller mines are also being reopened - Rock Creek near Nome and Nixon Fork near McGrath. The Hope Mining Company near Anchorage also hopes to turn around someday.

Good news is coming from International Tower Hill Mines gold mines in Livengood located 70 miles from Fairbanks. According to an article in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, this mine is not only profitable at the current price of $1,600/oz, but will be profitable even if the price drops to $535/oz.

***

Only in Alaska did she first recognize, and then become the owner and, over time, a lover of jewelry with gold bars. I like their individuality and natural simplicity.

According to a brochure from the Fred Meyer jewelry department in Fairbanks, only 2% of gold is mined in bars/gold nuggets. Maybe that's why the selection of bullion jewelry in most stores is not very large, but still impressive. There are pendants for only 30 dollars, there are jewelry and watches for 1500 or more thousand dollars, i.e. You can choose according to the size of the wallet and taste.

But the eyes of lovers of unusual jewelry will flare up in some Fairbanks jewelry stores. Of my favorites are Gold Rush Jewelers on 2nd Avenue and Larson's Fine Jewelers on Noble Street (I like Larsons how much a jeweler who knows and loves his job knows a lot about stones, only at Larsons we were able to find a selection of rare alexandrite and order decorations with him in connection with the birth of his June daughter). Taylor's Gold-n-Stones in Teddy Bear Plaza on Airport Way (holds a wide advertising campaign, but somehow the heart or eyes did not fall on them), a few blocks away on the same Airport Way is Bishop's Jewelry Gallery of Gold & Diamonds, which also offers a selection of Alaska-mined nuggets in jewelry.

But at the annual Gunshow you can find jewelry from the gold miners themselves, in the summer they wash gold, and in the winter they make jewelry and sell it. I can't find anything about one of them - my favorite local gold miner and off-wash jeweler Steve Losonsky who mines his bars on Hunter Creek. Two sets of forget-me-not earrings in gold and silver with ingots in the middle are my favorites.

Gold has been mined as a precious metal for more than a century. In different countries of the world, this type of fossil is not in the same amount, so countries and continents are constantly fighting for leadership in this direction. Despite constantly growing capacities, competition and an unspoken struggle for leadership in this industry, less than 200 tons of this metal sparkling in the sun have been mined during the entire development period. Also noteworthy is the Alaskan gold, which has had one of the most intensive mining periods of all time.

About half of the metal goes into the production of jewelry and other products made by jewelers. For example, gold mining in China is not as intensive as in other countries, but thanks to a special production technique, exported jewelry brings huge profits to the country.

Some historical facts

A little over six thousand years ago, man first saw gold and since then it has taken possession of it, changing the course of life itself. If in ancient times gold mining was practically not controlled, today countries are divided into those who actively conduct exploration and production and those that practically do not participate in this process for various reasons. Gold, as the most sought-after metal, has affected the economy on a global scale. It was thanks to him that the following concepts saw the light:

Credit and credit - monetary relations;
Cultural values;
Gold Fund.

Today, without these phrases, the very existence of the economy is unthinkable.

Where can you try to mine gold yourself?

Many people aspire to become rich. Everyone goes to this in different ways: someone works hard, and for someone the source of inspiration is adventure novels about the times of the Gold Rush, when gold mining was especially popular, including in Alaska, where it was especially intensive.

Today, many countries allow ordinary people to engage in gold mining. Gold mining is presented in the USA not only for the development of its own economy, but also as a kind of entertainment, which, however, brings considerable income to the country's treasury. It is important to remember that the gold of Alaska requires investments from a person, that is, it will not work just to come and start excavations, you need to purchase equipment.

At least 230 artels, each of which has at least three people, try to extract Alaska gold every year. In Alaska, there is an opportunity not only to purchase everything you need on the spot, but also to rent equipment. Meanwhile, one should not try to mine gold, for example, in South Africa - gold mining there is very dangerous for a lone adventurer. As for the gold of Alaska, it will not be possible to get rich quickly in such work. According to inexorable statistics, 80% of miners can find no more than 20 kg of this precious metal by joint efforts. By dividing this number by the number of those who want to get rich quickly, you can understand how small the amount received from such an adventure.

The data for 2011 show that out of 227 artels working in the search for gold in Alaska, only two of them were able to get 80 kg of gold, which, of course, brought them a good profit. It should be remembered that gold mining in Kazakhstan, as well as in Russia, is prohibited by private individuals. However, you can find out exactly where gold is mined in Kazakhstan using a map on which all deposits are marked.

Gold mining in Russia and the world: features of the process

It is possible to mine gold in Russia, but only as an employee of a company engaged in such activities. To do this, you will have to move to live in Magadan or Yakutia, since it is there that enterprises engaged in gold mining are located. There are very few precious nuggets on the surface of the earth, but there are many such places on the territory of Russia, which allows the country to confidently take fourth place in the world - according to studies, 7% of the total world reserve of this priceless metal for many is located here.

Industrial production rates appeared in Russia from the end of the 18th century. Active development began after the discovery of a single nugget was reported. Today, despite all the technological research, the process of gold mining requires a lot of effort and time. Research helps to cut costs, many miners are also looking for mines that are also unprofitable to try to improve the process using modern technologies.

Despite the fact that gold mining in Ukraine is insignificant, it is still produced in several deposits. The process of gold mining in Ukraine does not differ from the Russian one and depends directly on technical progress not only in the country, but also in the world. So, the very first mines were explored completely by hand, just like gold is being mined today, for example, in Africa. Despite great physical efforts, it will not be possible to obtain gold in large volumes without equipment, which is why gold mining on this hot continent is dangerous. The manual method, with all its complex structure, is still an effective method of extraction today, which is why it is used by many companies.

At the same time, which is not surprising, other methods are also known to world practice that are distinguished by efficiency and effectiveness. A striking example of this is the extraction of gold directly from the rock, and not by manually sifting gold sand.

Modern methods of gold mining

Today, many problems, primarily with the speed of work, have been resolved thanks to the availability of technical devices - excavators and other special equipment. She helps a lot in this, undoubtedly complex and responsible process. That is why almost no one manually mines gold in the same way as it was done 100-150 years ago.

However, despite the availability of modern high technology, the process of mining and directly excavating gold remains very difficult and very long. To understand how the backfill is placed and how gold mining actually works, you can watch the video below.

Methods for extracting gold from ore

Gold mining in modern Australia is carried out exclusively with the use of high technology and scientifically developed tools. The most popular among specialists is amalgamation. It is based on mercury, which has a natural property to envelop gold.

Another method involving the use of chemical elements is based on sodium cyanide. This method, as if by magic, returns profitability to seemingly unprofitable enterprises.

Mercury is placed at the bottom of a wooden barrel, into which rock with a certain content of the noble metal is poured. Due to a chemical process, even the smallest particles of a precious substance stick to mercury. In order for this method to work, it is necessary to know its principle of operation - in order to separate gold from mercury, it is heated, for which an open fire or an electric stove is used. The only drawback of this method is that mercury is toxic. For this reason, this process is rarely used and gold miners prefer to extract the yellow metal using special equipment. Alaska gold is also mined and extracted with it.

Year of issue : 2011-2019
A country : USA
Genre : documentary, travel, nature
Duration : 9 seasons
Translation : Professional (Single Voice, Dubbed)

Director : Discovery Channel, Christopher Golding
Cast : Roger Evans, Wendy Albiston, Humberto Contini, Dominic Colenso, Christopher Mountfield, Sophie Morton, Lucy Drive, Jack Merivale, Ronan Summers, Adam Phillips

Series Description : Many different books have been written about this interesting period and there are many different references. Despite their diversity, they all have some characteristic features that were characteristic of the process of searching for precious metal, regardless of the location of the mines. The program "Gold Rush" makes it possible to obtain comprehensive information about all the features of this period, which has won the minds of a huge number of people. You can watch this project online on our virtual resource.

Although there are a fairly large number of people who have known failure in this difficult process, people did not really react to the failures of their partners and partners. They wanted to experience everything for themselves and, many of them, knew failure and completely went bankrupt, using all the means at their disposal for this activity. And now, after so many years, the excitement for the search for such a sought-after metal does not decrease at all.

People, as before, are looking for opportunities and options that will allow them to extract as much gold as possible. Now they use slightly different methods. For example, in Alaska, this issue is quite acute, so some brave guys are doing everything possible to use specialized equipment to get gold, which is located at the bottom of such an unusual and incredibly cold Bering Sea.

To what extent they succeed and what strength they spend on this activity, this particular project will let you know, which introduces viewers to quite interesting information that can intrigue people who are not alien to the concept of excitement and the desire to obtain significant benefits using available methods and means. How profitable such gold mining is, it will become clear during the viewing of each next episode, involving in the viewing process from the very first minute.

Watch online series: Gold Rush: Alaska - Gold Rush: Alaska (2011-2019) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 seasons

Golden fever. Alaska Season 1 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 2 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 3 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 4 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 5 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 6 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 7 Gold Rush. Alaska Season 8 Gold Rush. Alaska season 9