What was the first significant discovery of silver in the United States?

What was the first significant discovery of silver in the United States?

Silver was first mined around 3,000 BCE in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey. The precious metal helped early civilizations in the Near East, Ancient Greece to flourish. Later, mining spread to other countries, most notably the United States with the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada.

What was significant about the Comstock Lode?

One of the most important mining discoveries in American History, the Comstock Lode in Nevada was the first major silver discovery in the United States and virtually ended the California Gold Rush. Davidson, the mines would yield more than 500 million dollars of silver and gold ore during the first decades.

What was the largest silver discovery in history?

Other mines were found and worked with profit in Arizona farther west, near the Gila River. The greatest event in the history of silver-mining in America was the discovery of the richest deposit in the world — on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Range — in 1859.

Who discovered silver in America?

The richest silver deposit in American history was discovered in 1857 in Nevada. Two brothers, Evan and Hosea Grosh, found the deposit, but died before they were able to record their claims.

What was the Comstock Lode 1859?

Comstock Lode, rich deposit of silver in Nevada, U.S., named for Henry Comstock, part-owner of the property on which it was discovered in June 1859. In the peak years of 1876–78, silver ore worth about $36,000,000 was extracted annually.

How was silver first discovered?

The first evidence of silver mining dates back to 3000 B.C., in Turkey and Greece, according to the RSC. They heated the silver ore and blew air over it, a process called cupellation. The silver does not react to the air, but the base metals such as lead and copper oxidize and separate from the precious metal.

What was the significance of the Comstock Lode How was its discovery a surprise?

It was the first major silver discovery in United States history. It is estimated that out of all of the ore that was taken during this discovery about 57% was silver and the rest was gold. This was very surprising since it was a known gold camp.

How was Comstock Lode discovered?

Gold Hill Discovery Four miners discovered the Gold Hill outcropping, at the head of Gold Canyon, making placer claims after finding traces of gold on January 28, 1859.

Who found Comstock Lode?

Four Irishmen led by mining superintendents John Mackay and James Fair discovered by far the richest ore bodies in the Comstock in 1873.