A NEW GOLD RUSH FOR NOME, ALASKA

摘要

Old goldfields never die. There is always a new technology that is ready to bring the "exhausted" gold mine back on line. And, there is no better example than the Rock Creek Mine, which will begin producing gold in January 2008. Just a few years ago, newspapers were writing the epilogue to Nome's mining history. Today 135 people are working to bring Nome's newest mine into production. All that was needed was new technology and a small company willing to think outside the box. Nome is an excellent example of how new technology can produce more gold. When the gold fields were discovered in the 19~(th) century, one and two man placer operations were the standard in that part of Alaska. As the easy gold placer deposits were exhausted, gold mines needed expensive heavy equipment. That's when Alaska Gold bought up most of the claims and proceeded to mine them with massive dredges. When that technology had exhausted the gold fields, the company brought in open pit mining to work areas that dredges couldn't mine.