Au, Au, au -gahhh.
The Klondike gold rush of 1896 was the richest gold strike in history.
Of all the great gold strikes in history it is the only one where the "motherlode," the source of the alluvial or placer gold found in the rivers, was never located.
What happens when very large amounts of gold are discovered, such as Spain's confiscation ot tons of gold in Mexico and in the Andes?
One thing that happens is nation states can pay debts denominated in gold - at the old market price. The availability of gold means it old currency value is now "too high."
The people who suffer as a result are central bankers and other creditors. Not only are they repaid debts in specie, they lose their control over former debtors.
Representatives of the Guggenheim (shills for Rots) family in NYC appeared in the Klondike and began buying up claims in 1898. Hand mining is profitable only on the richest placer claims.
Dredging or deep drift mining requires large amounts of capital, machinery such a stamps mills, ore refining facilities etc.
The Klondike mother load was located, IMO, but never mined.
The first world war, and economic conditions which followed (to this day) made it more profitable to leave the motherload where it is, and so it stayed in the ground, and that's where it remains.
Oh, and right now Frank Giustra holds the claims. If something should happen to Frank, or there was anything irregular about the staking or the conduct of Guistra's mining interests the claims would be vacated and eligible for restaking.