The Top 8 Countries in Africa with the Largest Gold Reserves: In-Depth and Up-to-Date
In a secluded area of Canada called Yukon, there is a river known as Klondike. Travelers who visit this spot often find themselves lucky enough to transform their lives by striking gold in abundance.
It all began on August 16, 1896, when Skookum Jim Mason, Dawson Charlie, and George Washington Carmack stumbled upon gold in a tiny tributary of the Klondike River. Interestingly, it wasn’t entirely by chance that they received the tip to search for gold in this river from Robert Henderson, a Canadian gold prospector. Intrigued, they decided to personally investigate the potential for themselves.
Surprisingly, a group of prospectors stumbled upon authentic gold in a small stream that flowed into the river. As soon as they realized the potential, they got serious about their mining venture. George Washington Carmack took charge, mapping out the mining territory and fairly dividing it into four separate sections. Two parts were allocated for himself, while one each went to Jim Mason and Dawson Charlie. The mining claims were officially registered at the police station near the mouth of the Forty Mile River. Word of the discovery spread quickly, attracting other gold miners in the area.
In late August of that same year, numerous gold miners struck gold in the streams flowing into Bonanza. Additionally, they stumbled upon several other gold mines along the length of the river. It appears that at the bottom of the Klondike River lies vast reserves of gold, in various sizes. Interestingly, after each rainy season, the amount of gold becomes increasingly abundant.
Typically, post the rainy season, the water erodes some rocks and mud, uncovering the yellow layer beneath. Consequently, after each rainy season, this river draws numerous people eager to mine gold. Of course, there are also many tourists who visit the area merely for sightseeing.
Even though the terrain is challenging after the rainy season, it doesn’t deter the gold diggers from coming here to earn a living. As a result, many individuals have gathered substantial amounts of gold, consequently transforming their lives. Shortly after discovering gold at the river’s bottom, George Washington Carmack rapidly rose to wealth. It is believed that he has extracted over $1 million USD in gold.
Numerous miners have opted to invest in buying and selling occupied lands, spending significant amounts of money, and renting them out. On July 14, 1897, the steamship Excelsior arrived at the port of San Francisco. Those in possession of gold can easily sell it for immediate cash, with the minimum amount being $5,000 and the maximum reaching $130,000. Currently, individuals who earn at least this amount can have up to $100,000 in their pockets.
Drawing crowds of tourists and gold miners, towns began to emerge around the mining areas. Initially, the population at the intersection of The Klondike and Yukon rivers was just above 500, but within 3 years, it had exceeded 30,000 people. Various other services such as theaters, bars, etc., have also started to flourish in the area.
The peak of these “gold mining towns” saw a population of over 200,000 people, similar to that of a large Canadian city at that time. As a result, it is estimated that the value of the mined gold is nearly $7 billion USD. With gold reserves that seem endless, there are still over 200 active gold mines along the river today. Thanks to modern machinery, experts have found that besides gold, the riverbed also contains various rare minerals. However, to maintain ecological balance, the government permits only gold mining and not extraction of other minerals.
