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The gold formed by fluid inclusion in a 130-mile-long belt in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and not in the Mountains themselves.
Gold was probably initially concentrated from ocean water by volcanic vents in metamorphic rocks at the leading edge of the Smartville Block, a chunk of eastward-moving crust called an "island terrane", as it collided with the North American Plate about 165mya. During the period of collision, partial melting of this rock and saturation with water caused the gold and silica to dissolve in the water and flash into steam which made its way up through cracks and fissures. When the pressure and heat reduced, the gold and silica dropped out as veins of gold-laden quartz filling cracks in the country rock of the Plate.
Many millions of years later, large chunks of dense rock broke off the bottom of the North American Plate and descended into the Mantle. This caused the Plate to be thinner and lighter, resulting in a large fracture and upwelling of Plate material, which is now the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Erosional processes in the last four million years washed some of the gold out of the quartz and into fossil river beds, which was the source of the 1849 Gold Rush gold. The gold-rich quartz veins were found when the placer golds were running out.
What else can I help you with?
What did the Sierra Nevada mountains signify to those who were moving west?
The Sierra Nevada mountains signified gold for many of the newcomers moving west.
Where did California's gold and silver deposits form?
Most of the places where the Gold Rush occurred in California were in Northern California. There are also gold deposits around the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
During the California gold rush in 1849 what was the final mountain range for the future seekers had to cross?
The Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Who discovered gold in the Sierra Nevada of California?
James Marshall :)
Who discovered gold in the sierra Nevada California?
James Marshall :)
Where was gold found?
Gold has been found in many different places over the years. Gold has been found in: Iraq,California,Sierra Nevada,Africa, It is a natural occurance. You can find gold in nature.
What were the famous California 49ER's hoping to find in 1849?
In 1849, thousands of people hurried to California when they heard that gold had been discovered in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Sadly, most of them were doomed to disappointment; however, there were many large fortunes made during the California Gold Rush.
Where was the first gold rush in the US?
The Gold Rush was mostly focused on two areas of California: the Northern California gold fields and the Sierra Nevada gold fields. It started when gold was discovered at Sutter's mill in Coloma - which lies on the edge of what became the Sierra Nevada gold fields. The Sierra Nevada gold fields stretched from several miles north of Feather River to several miles south of Mariposa, CA. A smaller portion of the gold seekers concentrated in the Northern Califonia gold fields which lay in the present-day Siskiyou, Shasta and Trinity Counties. Gold was also discovered in Southern California but on a much smaller scale. The first discovery of gold in the mountains north of present-day Los Angeles had been in 1842, six years before the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. However these deposits and later discoveries in Southern California mountains, attracted little notice and were not really part of the gold rush.
What is the setting of the short story All Gold Canyon by Jack London?
The setting of the short story "All Gold Canyon" by Jack London is in a remote valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the Gold Rush era. The story describes a lone prospector searching for gold in a lush canyon surrounded by dense forests and abundant wildlife.
In what mountain range in California is the mother lode?
The Mother Lode is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. It is a region known for its rich deposits of gold and played a significant role in the California Gold Rush.
What is james p beckwourth famous for?
After being released from slavery, James Pierson Beckwourth made his living as a fur trapper. He eventually discovered the Beckwourth Pass, which allowed people to travel through the Sierra Nevada mountains on their way to California for the Gold Rush.
What is the California mountain range where the mother load is located?
The Mother Lode is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. It is famous for its rich gold deposits that sparked the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s.
