GOLD

    Pure gold is a soft lustrous yellow chemical element adorned with the symbol Au, (Aurum).It's tough stuff even though it's soft, malleable, and the most ductile of all elements. The only liquid that can dissolve this precious metal is aqua regia or various solutions of cyanide used in the extraction of gold from the ore. Gold compounds of gold, silver, copper, and nickle will produce three different colors of gold. The alloy with an excess of silver is called green gold—an excess of copper will produce red gold, and where the alloy contains nickle the alloy is called white gold.

    All indications are that gold became very important when found in its natural state. During the early 2nd century, China and Egypt led the way to the ancient pseudoscience of alchemy. Many craftsmen dreamed of the transmutation of base metals into gold. Greed for this knowledge was rampant. It was associated with a philosophy that any gold produced had the ability to cure diseases and prolong life. Astrological speculations from Mesopotamia supported the idea that base metals could be changed into gold.

    For two centuries the alchemical writings had accumulated and became allegorical and confusing. Consequently, the academies of alchemy during the 4th century were disbanded and alchemists were limited to writing commentaries on the subject.
    From the 5th century through the 9th century nothing much occurred in the so-called field of alchemy to manufacture gold, but alchemists did discover new alkalies and probably were responsible for the process of distillation. During their experiments with the various elements they found it was a farce to even consider manufacturing gold. When the 11th and 12th century alchemists failed to produce gold for the reigning Kings and Queens, they lost their lives as imposters and liars. The 14th through the 18th century opened the gold fever around the world during the first voyage of Columbus to South America and Mexico.

Gold Rush

    The greatest gold rush in the USA happened in northern California on the American river at Sutter's Mill. The gold rush to California brought miners from China, Australia, Latin American nations, and parts of Europe. The greatest number of immigrants labeled the "49ers" came from the USA.

There were two methods of finding gold.

    1. Panning (placer) mining was by scooping the mud and gravel from the bottom of rivers and streams and then swirling the contents in water, this forced the water and impurities to slip off the edge of the pan leaving the heaver gold in the pan. At that point it was picked out in dust, flakes, or nuggets.
    2. The second method at that time was to find gold in the sand and gravel banks, dig it out and place it in a U shaped trough, called a sluice box with a slight slope. A water supply was introduced at the top that drained downward carrying the sand and gravel with the water. The gold was stopped by transverse bars and picked out when found.

NEWS FLASH!
    There is still gold to be found in Georgia, California, Arizona, North carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska. The quantity is not great but these states have parks with stretches of rivers set aside for families on vacation to "Pan a little gold" and if you are lucky a small nugget or two or dust may be found. If you have real die in the bush prospector blood you can be outfitted and ready to try it on your own, providing you find a donkey.