On the morning of January 24, 1848, as Marshall began digging a pit for water access for the future building, an incredible discovery changed their destiny. At the bottom of the pit, Marshall made an astonishing find: glittering gold nuggets! He immediately rushed to inform Johann Sutter.

Together, they conducted tests on these nuggets and discovered that they were composed of 96% pure gold. By a stroke of luck, this extraordinary find sparked the legendary "California Dream" and the famous gold rush in North America.

Initially, Sutter wanted to keep the discovery secret, fearing that a horde of gold seekers would invade his land and put an end to his project. Despite his request for discretion, the news spread like wildfire throughout the country.

A few weeks later, businessman Samuel Brannan strolled through the streets of San Francisco brandishing gold nuggets, shouting to the world: "Gold! There's gold in the American River!"

In August 1848, the New York Herald seized upon the story and claimed credit for being the first to report on the gold rush in the press. Californians were the first to answer the call, embarking on the search for gold as if it were a real treasure. Prospectors also flocked from all over the world.

In June, the California government was alerted by Colonel Mason, who emphasized in his writings that this discovery had shaken the state, prompting all its inhabitants, regardless of their social status or profession, to abandon their jobs and go to the mines. He even slipped a few gold nuggets into his letter.

In December 1848, US President James Polk first mentioned gold before Congress, marking the beginning of an extraordinary political dimension to the gold rush.

Gold is used today in several fields, including:

- Jewellery and crafts: Gold is used to create jewellery and handcrafted items because of its beauty, brilliance and strength.

- The electronics industry: gold is used in the manufacture of electronic components because of its high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as its corrosion resistance.

- Medicine: Gold is used in dentistry and sometimes as a medical treatment for certain conditions, although its use is limited.

- Food: edible gold is used in luxury gastronomy, but its use is regulated and limited due to safety and health concerns.

📜 Mineralogical Fact Sheet: Gold (Au)