Final answer:
People develop new gold mining and refining techniques due to the scarcity of easily accessible gold deposits and the need for more efficient, profitable, and environmentally friendly extraction methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
People work to develop new techniques for mining and refining gold because the most accessible and rich gold deposits have already been exploited. As early as the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, prospectors began to require more sophisticated tools and techniques to extract gold due to the depletion of surface deposits. Over time, this led to increased investment in larger mining operations. Technological advancements in gold mining are essential to continue extracting gold effectively, given that easily attainable resources are becoming rarer. Families and individuals in the early days relied on simple panning and shallow mining techniques, but now, high-tech and scientific methods are necessary to reach deeper and less accessible deposits.
Furthermore, the pursuit of more efficient mining methods is partially driven by economic interests, as the effort and cost to extract gold have increased while maintaining profitability is of utmost importance. Moreover, the environmental impact of gold mining, including mercury pollution of streams, has led to the development of cleaner and safer mining practices to mitigate environmental damage.