Title Mercury and the making of California : mining, landscape, and race, 1840-1890 / Andrew Scott Johnston

Published Boulder : University Press of Colorado, [2013] ©2013

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Description 1 online resource (x, 284 pages) Series Mining the American West Mining the American West. Contents Introduction : California, the quicksilver state -- Imperialism and California's quicksilver -- Money and power in the California mercury landscape -- A geography of mercury mining in California -- Ethnic and racial hierarchies at New Almaden -- Race, technology, and work -- Race, family, and camp life -- Conclusion : the legacy of the quicksilver landscapes of California Summary Exploring the development of California, and the relationship between the built environments of the mercury-mining industry and the emerging ethnic identities and communities in California, this book brings mercury to its rightful place alongside gold and silver in their defining roles in the development of the American West. In this pioneering study, the author examines the history of California's mercury-mining industry - and its defining role in the making of the American West. Mercury was crucial to refining gold and silver; therefore, its production and use were vital to securing power and wealth in the West. The first industrialized mining in California, mercury mining had its own particular organization, structure, and built environments. These were formed within the Spanish Empire, subsequently transformed by British imperial ambitions, and eventually manipulated by American bankers and investors. In California, mercury mining also depended on a workforce differentiated by race and ethnicity. The landscapes of work and camp and the relations among the many groups involved in the industry - Mexicans, Chileans, Spanish, English, Irish, Cornish, American, and Chinese - form a crucial chapter in the complex history of race and ethnicity in the American West Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-276) and index Notes Print version record Subject Mineral industries -- California -- History -- 19th century Mercury ores -- California -- History -- 19th century Landscapes -- California -- History -- 19th century Mining camps -- California -- History -- 19th century BUSINESS & ECONOMICS -- Industries -- General. HISTORY -- United States -- State & Local -- West (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY) Economic history Landscapes Mercury ores Mineral industries Mining camps Social conditions SUBJECT California -- Economic conditions -- 19th century California -- Social conditions -- 19th century California -- History -- 19th century Subject California Genre/Form History Form Electronic book ISBN 9781607322436 1607322439

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