Individuals who engaged in the extraction of valuable minerals, such as gold, from the earth during the California Gold Rush. They were typically seeking to strike it rich and often faced harsh living conditions.
Related terms
Boomtowns: Settlements that sprang up around mining areas where miners lived and conducted business.
Claim Jumping: The illegal act of seizing someone else's mining claim or territory, leading to disputes among miners.
Hydraulic Mining: A method of extracting minerals using pressurized water, which caused significant environmental damage during the Gold Rush.