History

• The American Gold Rush began when gold was discovered in 1849 in Sutter's Mill, California. Thereafter, mining camps began to spring up all over the West.
  
  

Function

• A gold mine is a tunnel that is dug into rock underground or through a mountainous terrain. The gold pieces are often lodged within or attached to rock.
  
  

Open Pit

• Gold can also be mined from an open pit. It is an opening in the ground that can occur naturally or be formed through excavation.
  
  

Fun Fact

• Tom Irvin, a gold miner from the late 1800s, blew up the entrance of his mine in Idaho after three years and left all of his tools inside. He never returned. The mine is now a tourist attraction.
  
  

Alternative Definition

• The term gold mine refers to anything that is lucrative or successful. It is anything that can make a person money. Oftentimes, a business investment or opportunity with very good money-making potential will be referred to as a "gold mine."