El Dorado
The supposed legend of the Lost City of Gold has captured the minds of many. The thought of an entire city made of gold is just too tempting of an opportunity to pass up. The legend brings out the adventurer in all of us. We want to be the ones to discover something that no one has been able to find for hundreds of years. It is not impossible, people discover things all the time. But why has it eluded people for so long? And where can you go to find somewhere like this?
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Weight: 196.966569
Melting Point: 1337.33 K (1064.18°C or 1947.52°F)
Boiling Point: 3129 K (2856°C or 5173°F)
Density: 19.282 grams per cubic centimeter
Phase at Room Temperature: Solid
Element Classification: Metal
Worth your weight in gold?
Gold has always been the most sought-after precious metal on our planet. The ancient Egyptians treasured this substance as much as we do today. It is estimated that based on a world spot gold price of $961.40 an ounce, the total amount of gold in the world is worth $4,611,266,106,750. Based on that same spot price, if a 200-pound man were to get his weight in gold, he would receive $2,804,019.24.
The story of El Dorado has become quite the legend over the years. However, the story of El Dorado is simply that: a story. A city made of gold is the result of what can be equated to an ancient game of “telephone.” What is interesting is the story that created the story of the Lost City of Gold. The story goes that a tribe would hold festivals at Lake Guatavita. The priest of the tribe would undress and cover himself in gold dust. He would dive into the lake along with many other gold and emeralds as offering to their god. The other chiefs of the tribe would do the same thing. They would throw the gold into the middle of the lake, and the gold dust on the priest would also wash off due to his diving into the lake. This story is believed to be the basis for the El Dorado legend. “El Dorado” itself, is a reference to the priest himself, Spanish for “the golden one.” The story then grew into being a kingdom ruled by a golden king and so on until it was believed that an actual kingdom built out of pure gold existed. Many searches were conducted to find this lost city.
Gold is recovered by two methods, hardrock mining and placer mining. Hardrock miners tunnel below the ground to follow the twisting veins of lode gold. Placer miners mine gold which has been exposed by natural erosion processes into rivers and streams.
The El Dorado legend took a turn north, way up north. Hastings County, Ontario, which is close to Belleville, Ontario, became a boomtown in 1866 when the discovery of gold was made on the farm of the Richardson’s. This discovery of gold was the first gold rush in the history of Canada, though Canada was not an official country until 1867. The boomtown was named Eldorado, with Madoc being the closest town to the mining sites. With this discovery, over 4,000 prospectors came to Eldorado at its peak. Mining companies had investors in Hamilton, Toronto, Peterborough, Belleville, Kingston and Montreal. As with most boomtowns, they were quick to spring up and quick to fold. When the mines were taken over by the larger companies, less and less people came to the town to find gold. The town has become a ghost town; some residents still reside within the town amongst some of the dilapidated structures. It is eerily beautiful; Hastings County still has a golden treasure.
To learn more about Ontario's El Dorado, contact Ron Brown tours.
