D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 1
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WE LIVE AMIDST A DIN OF NOISE. Many
feel a loud message effects action. During
the Montana Gold Rush in the 19th centu-
ry, prospectors tuned in to subtler sounds.
A loud shout of "GOLD!" would gather
the passive, but it was the whispers that
caused the stampedes.
GOLD FACTS
Gold has been valued since record-
ed history. According to The National
Mining Association, gold was used to
make objects as early as 4000 BC. Gold
is dense, yet soft and is the most
ductile of all metals;
thus, one ounce of
gold can be drawn
into a 1 micron thick
wire that would be 1,250
miles long! It doesn't
tarnish, rust or decay, even in
the saltiness of the ocean. It's malle-
ability allows it to be beaten so thin that it
becomes see-through. It is the fine layer of gold on
the astronaut's visor that reflects solar radiation, yet
still allows a clear view.
Broadly speaking, gold is found in two ways:
HARD ROCK MINING - Miners tunnel into the
hillside without removing the layers of earth
above. Gold originates in veins or ribbons of
ore that run through rock (The Motherlode).
The ore must be crushed and processed to
remove the gold. As this method is under-
ground, it can be operated 24 hours a
day and year-round.
PLACER PROSPECTING - Prospectors use
pans or sluices to separate small
pieces of gold from ground ma-
terial. Over time gold erodes out
of the host rock. Weather moves
gold down hillsides into gullies
and streams, thus forming
placer deposits. Placer gold is
found as dust, flakes or nuggets.
The smoother and more rounded
the gold, the farther it has come from
M O N TA N A ' S
S TA M PE D E
By PATTI ALBRECHT
G
O
L
D
!
G
O
L
D
!
PATTI
ALBRECHT
