# Did the Sioux utilize the gold in the Black Hills? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133 "2015-06-10T02:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/1 "2015-06-10T02:13:58Z")
For jewelry, trade or whatnot? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/2 "2015-06-10T02:32:19Z")
[Father DeSmet reported seeing Sioux carrying gold from the Black Hills.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hills_Gold_Rush) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/3 "2015-06-10T02:32:57Z")
It doesnt seem so. Whether or not they knew of it is controversial. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/4 "2015-06-10T04:39:02Z")
Only what they found easily. I never heard of them mining or doing any sluice/panning for gold. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/5 "2015-06-10T07:19:45Z")
Gold doesnt have intrinsic value to humans like food… ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/6 "2015-06-10T08:26:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Gold doesnt have intrinsic value to humans like food… No, but it’s shiny, and it stays shiny for ever in human terms, and many cultures the world over have valued it just as a rare decoration that other people will hand over necessities for because they in their turn want some decoration and it’s hard to come by. ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sioux-utilize-the-gold-in-the-black-hills/722133/7 "2015-06-10T15:31:10Z")
> **[Why Didn't the Native Americans Discover Gold in CA?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=361861)** > > Or did they? According to this link http://www.pbs.org/goldrush/discovery.html “Sutter’s undoing began 50 miles northeast of his fort on the American River. In late 1847, James Marshall and about 20 men were sent to the river by Sutter to build a... Anything shiny on the plains would give away location to a raiding party.