 An 1889 5-gram gold coin from Tierra del Fuego by Julius Popper | |
| Date | 1883–1906 |
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| Location | Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and Chile |
| Cause | Gold rush began after the French steamship Arctique ran aground on the northern coast of Cape Virgenes and a rescue expedition for the stranded crew discovered gold in Zanja a Pique |
| Participants | Chilean miners Argentine miners Dalmatian miners Other European miners |
| Outcome | Influx of miners led to the formation of the first towns in the archipelago and fueled the economic growth of Punta Arenas and rapidly destroyed Indigenous Selk'nam population |
Location of Punta Arenas and some of the principal gold findings.
| History of Chile |
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| Timeline • Years in Chile |
Between 1883 and 1906 Tierra del Fuego experienced a gold rush attracting many Chileans, Argentines and Europeans to the archipelago, including many Dalmatians. The gold rush led to the formation of the first towns in the archipelago and fueled economic growth in Punta Arenas. After the gold rush was over, most gold miners left the archipelago, while the remaining settlers engaged in sheep farming and fishing. The rush made a major contribution to the genocide of the indigenous Selk'nam people.