All that Glitters Might be Gold
In 1857 an expiditioner, James Hector, noted sparkling bits amongst the gravel bank of the North Saskatchewan River near Fort Edmonton. Gold had been discovered! This attracted a rush of prospectors and so the Edmonton Gold Rush began. These gravels have been worked on and off throughout the years with amateur gold panners still making finds to this day. Between 1895 and 1897 7500 troy ounces of gold was mined, the peak of the rush. This would be about $3 million dollars in current prices. The sun began setting on the gold rush era in 1898 and miners began moving north to earn their fortunes in the Yukon (Mussieux & Nelson, 1998).
The gold found in Edmonton was not in nugget form, rather it was called flour gold; tiny flakes that are pure, with no silver content. They can range from 0.1-0.5 millimeters in diameter and only a few hundredths of a millimeter thick (Mussieux & Nelson, 1998). You need about 40,000 of those flakes to make one ounce of gold (Holinaty, 2014). Although the flakes are miniscule, the gold is pure (CTV News, 2013) often hovering around the 22-karat mark (Holinaty, 2014).
A gold dredge works the North Saskatchewan River inthe late 1800's
Most gold is concentrated after floods and spring flaws because it is left stranded on the surface of sand and gravel bars when there are high water levels. Therefore, it is best to pan and search for gold during low water periods (Mussieux & Nelson, 1998).
In addition, gold is also found locally in ancient buried river channels. Therefore gravel pit operations around Edmonton often find and recover gold.
There is still speculation on the source of the gold, but it is believed to have eroded from local bedrock and re-deposited by the river in it's sand and gravel bars.
How Gold Is Found
Gold is an elemental metal and is soft but very dense. Gold is about 10-20 times [denser] than any other material found in the North Saskatchewan (CTV News, 2013) so when a shallow pan is filled with water and agitated, the gold will settle to the bottom while sand and gravels are "floated" off. It is a fine art but can also be very easy to learn and pick up. A true gold pan can be purchased for $15-20 (CTV News, 2013).
The coordinates will take you to Emily Murphy Park, which remains a popular gold panning spot! There are many stores in Edmonton that sell gold panning equipment so feel free to try your luck in the area!
CTV News Story
Questions
1.) What is the purpose of a dredge?
2.) Which natural feature of any river would be ideal for gold flakes to congregate?
3.) After the end of the Edmonton gold rush, miners and prospectors were still seeking to earn their fortunes in gold, where might they have headed next? Hint: What was the next big gold rush site?
4.) Estimate the height of the opposide bank from GZ. Do you notice differences in the vegetation on each side. Can you comment on a potential micro climate at this location?
5.) It would be great to see geocachers try their hand at gold panning here. Although not possible all year round due to the river freezing, pictures of at least making the attempt would be much appreciated! Tell me if you find any gold and how much! (OPTIONAL).
6.) Take a picture of you or your party at the site, the North Saskatchewan River is beautiful, year round! (OPTIONAL).
Sources
CTVNews.ca Staff. (2013, August 29). Gold prospectors try their luck in... Edmonton?. CTV News Online.. Retrieved from http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/gold-prospectors-try-their-luck-in-edmonton-1.1433136
Holinaty, Josh. (2014, June). Golden Eyes. Retrieved from www.avenueedmonton.com/articles/golden-eyes. Avenue Edmonton. (2014 June). Retrieved from http://www.avenueedmonton.com/
Mussieux, R. & Nelson, M. (1998). A Traveller's Guide to Geological Wonders in Alberta. Mishawaka, IN: Better World Books.
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