Mining a Landscape
Gold was discovered in Colorado in 1859 and the rush of miners soon followed. In the beginning, methods of panning or ground sluicing were used but
Hydraulic mining was quickly introduced to areas such as Breckenridge. Hydraulic mining or hydraulicking, uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. Though successful in extracting gold-rich minerals, the widespread use
of the process resulted in extensive environmental damage, such as
increased flooding and erosion, and sediment blocking waterways and covering over farm fields. The mining landscape still remains.
