The rush continued until 1849, when word of gold in California reached Georgia and many of the miners left. By 1858, most of the gold mining had ceased. That year, hydraulic mining was introduced to the state. Production of gold reached a low point during the Civil War, but by 1880 mining was again flourishing, thanks to hydraulic ming, which devastated the environment. Although mining continues in the area today, production has been decreasing steadily since 1915.
Some people say the streets of Atlanta are paved with gold and they are.
Building materials from North Georgia frequently have measurable amounts of the metal in them. In fact, when the Mint was torn down bricks used to build it were crushed and the gold was extracted. After heavy rains the employees of water treatment plants in Atlanta have found gold nuggets. Runoff from rivers like the Chattahoochee and Peachtree Creek does contain small amounts of the metal. In 1958 the citizens of Dahlonega presented the state with a gift of gold.