Gold Rush Research Paper

Gold, legends are made about it, especially the legend of El Dorado in which massive riches slathered the city. The Gold Rush of 1849 is also a notable for the vast migration to gain fortunes in a land of golden dreams. While these legendary stories did not garner vast fortunes for its explorers, gold will always create mystery and allure while the pragmatists—or realists—mining for gold maintain a respect for the land not simply a source for wealth. For instance, Witwatersrand Basin located in Johannesburg, South Africa is often referred to as the richest gold field ever mined. In 1970, it produced 79% of the worlds gold output, but as a mineral that takes hundreds of years to produce it was mined out by 2009, thus only producing less that …show more content…
Often the decision is based on market conditions and where the demand exists. Gold is one of the most influential minerals on earth, having been a symbol of wealth since the earliest of civilizations it is still looked upon as a symbol of status. This mineral is used in many different ways and has many different meanings, including the ones of spiritual nature. In religion gold is referenced as a mineral of divine properties and symbolic meaning. While in monetary value it is used as an easy way to store and grow a valuable substance and then later turn it into money. Gold is used in decorations by gilding rather than having it be pure gold which is more expensive. Other forms of decoration include metal works with gold laced into it or even just small accents of gold being placed within the structure. Jewelry a common place where people find gold objects can be any type of accessory. Necklaces usually has a chain made of gold, or has some metal work being made from it, but most commonly found is rings. Gold is easily formed into rings and works well with various types of jewels and other …show more content…
Similar to farming but with more extensive processes and expensive machinery, gold is mined from the earth by the hands of men who are payed to do so. Whether they are paid well or not the companies that own the land and processing plants decide every move, the workers simply must live with their decisions. The consumption of the commodity is not what it used to be, gold is not as prevalent in society as it once was and I believe that is due to the shift in symbolic nature of gold. Gold isn’t readily available to many people; some people have little pieces and most don’t have blocks of gold sitting at home. The modern times has turned gold into paper, having gold you either turn it into cash, a digital number of how much money you have. Or you keep it locked up in a safe and don’t have the key anywhere near it. Following the process of the origins of gold mining as a commodity exhibited the extensive labor and technical advancements that developed to enable the larger population to have access to gold in many forms, while also making the miners and the mining companies grow in wealth. Gold was the standard for our monetary system due to its inherent and long-standing value until President Richard Nixon’s administration eliminated its necessity. Gold remains a valuable commodity, and it appears that as the Pharaohs