Bonanza in the Hills

Bonanza in the Hills. . The placer gold in the creeks had been eroded from the surrounding hills. By late 1876, miners began shifting their attentions to the source of the gold by tunneling into the hills. Such hard rock mining used explosives instead of pans and sluices. , As mining moved from the creek bottoms to tunnels, the economic structure changed. While placer miners worked alone or in small groups, hard rock mining demanded a great initial investment and a larger work force. Corporations dominated the mining industry. Instead of working on their own, miners became wage laborers., Captions: , Workers at an entrance to an area mine. Note the candle lantern on the mule’s neck. , The Homestake gold mine in Lead. Tailings (rock refuse) from the mine can be seen on the horizon, up Deadwood Gulch. , Miners balancing on wood cribbing in a mine.