ESPM 50AC Lecture 22: Chinese and Gold Mining in California

• School: Berkeley
• Department: Environmental Science, Policy, And Management
• Course: ESPM 50AC
• Professor: Worthy Ken

Document Summary

11/8 lec: chinese and gold mining in california. 1/24/1848: james marshall discovers gold in sutter"s mill. Gold mines already existed in california (discovered by natives, spanish, mexicans) Myth: the land was empty everyone can do it. California gold mining: technology, capital, labor, and nature. Decreases in productivity (of getting gold) --> greater investment in technology and changes in labor (to get more gold) Placer - heavy minerals at the bottom of the river (gold resides on the bottom b/c it is heavier than other sediments)