What is Placer Gold Mining?
Allan C. 2014. What is Placer Gold Mining?
During the Klondike-Alaska Gold Rush, southern miners brought placer mining to the north. Placer mining refers to the separation of heavy minerals from gravel or sand. Placer miners often collected gold by agitating a load of sediment in a prospector's pan or by passing it through sluice boxes. With both techniques, the heavier gold sinks to the bottom and the lighter sediment spills out of the pan or box. Later, large mining operations brought in dredges and other machines to increase the productivity of their claims. Placer mining equipment is still present in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve.
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Allan, Chris
- Date of Issue
- 2014
- Units
- YUCH
- Keywords
- dredges, gold panning, Klondike-Alaska Gold Rush, placer mining, sluice boxes, Yukon River, Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve