Amateur treasure hunters flock to California for Gold Rush 2.0 after heavy rain, wildfires

The recent spate of wildfires and rain may have caused widespread loss of human life and property across the US state of California but it may also have presented a unique opportunity to make a fortune to the public. If reports are to be believed, California might witness 'Gold Rush 2.0' in the coming months as locals have found pieces of gold that were unearthed by natural events.

Nearly 175 years after the first gold rush, amateur miners are trekking towards the western slope of the Sierra Nevada - an area also referred to as the 'Gold Country'. According to historians, up until now, only 10 to 15 per cent of California's gold has been discovered and the miners are hoping that they might get their hands on the remaining 85 per cent.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

After the wildfires of last year loosened the soil, the torrential winter rainfall blasted millions of gallons of water through the mountain streams and rivers. The loose soil helped push the water downstream, carrying gold deposits as people started calling it 'flood gold'.

“Anytime you can stand next to a river, and you hear the boulders tumbling, you know the gold is moving, too,” Jim Eakin, owner of a local firewood business was quoted as saying byThe New York Times.

ALSO READ | LOTTERY! 4.6 kg gold nugget, worth $250,000, discovered by amateur digger

The treasure seekers of the valley routinely gather at the Gold Country Treasure Seekers Club and display their finds. According to one of the regulars at the club, they have seen more gold in the last two meetings than in the last two years combined.

“There was $50,000 of gold up at that table. We’ve had more gold in the last two meetings than I’ve seen in the last two years," said the regular.

Albert Fausel, a third-generation owner of a Hardware store in Placerville (a 15-minute drive from the valley) is now selling metal detectors to amateur miners looking to make a fortune. Using a metal detector has been the go-to method of the majority of gold enthusiasts to find the precious metal.

WATCH | Digger unearths archaeological treasure from a burial cave in Israel

×

Biggest Gold Rush season incoming?

According to Mark Dayton, a metal detector expert, it is the biggest event of his life and he fully expects the season to get crazier.

"As the water comes down really quickly, especially in steep canyons. It hits the banks and washes fresh dirt right off the banks and liberates new fresh deposits of gold right into the water," said Dayton.

"This year's going to be unprecedented. Time to go get some gold. Best time to begin seeking gold deposits will be June and July, when the river levels begin to lower."

An ounce of gold is expected to fetch anyone around $2,000. However, not everyone is alright with the gold rush. Environmentalists are of the view that the original gold rush caused tremendous damage to nature as is suggested by 47,000 mines that remain abandoned across the state. Concerns are being raised that water quality may degrade as more miners make their way up the valley.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: