In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Sutter Gold Mining Company mill superintendent Paul Skinner displays a four ounce pyramid of gold he has just poured at the newly constructed mill near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining operation in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Sutter Gold Mining Company mill superintendent Paul Skinner removes a crucible of glowing molten gold that will be poured into a mold, near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining operation in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miner Keith Emerald uses a pneumatic drill to drill holes that will be packed with explosives to blast into the sold rock wall at the Sutter Gold Mining Co's mines near in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Matt Collins, chief operating officer of the Sutter Gold Mining Co., inspects one of the gold mining tunnels operated by the company near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company, which has begun mining adjacent to the historic Comet-Lincoln ore zones, announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miners leave the String Bean Alley Decline, one of the gold mining tunnels operated by the Sutter Gold Mining Co. near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company, which has begun mining near the historic Comet and Lincoln mines, announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Sutter Gold Mining Company mill superintendent Paul Skinner pours the first thin stream of glowing molten gold into a mold, forming a shiny one-inch pyramid, near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining operation in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, a sign showing the price of gold for that day at $1,698 per ounce, is posted outside the office of the Sutter Gold Mining Company in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold taken from the reopened mines near Sutter Creek, as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miner Bill Hardesty drills holes to place supports in the ceiling of one of sold rock shafts at the Sutter Gold Mining Co's Amador county mines near in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miner Keith Emerald uses a pneumatic drill to drill holes that will be packed with explosives to blast into the sold rock wall at the Sutter Gold Mining Co's mines near in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, Matt Collins, chief operating officer of the Sutter Gold Mining Co., left, watches as Allen Smith, second from left, Brain Herfel, third from left, Ted Chapman fouth from left, and Wayne Murphy, right, calibrate the water flow of a gravity table at the company's newly constructed mill near Sutter Creek, Calif. The gravity table uses technology similar to those used by gold rush-era miners who used pans to separate gold from surrounding materials. The company, which has begun mining adjacent to the historic Comet-Lincoln ore zones, announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miner Steve Ator leaves one of newly constructed tunnel of the Sutter Gold Mining Co. gold mines near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company, which has begun mining adjacent to the historic Comet-Lincoln ore zones, announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, gold can be seen in a quartz rock taken from the mine operated by the Sutter Gold Mine Co. near Sutter Creek, Calif. The company, which has begun mining adjacent to the historic Comet-Lincoln ore zones, announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, Sutter Creek resident Donald "Pat' Crosby crosses main street in Sutter Creek, Calif. The Sutter Gold Mining Co., announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold taken from its mine near Sutter Creek, as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada gold mining in a half century. Crosby, 85, who has seen the decline of the area's gold, sand, clay and logging industries thought the mine would never be reopened but is glad it is. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, miner Bill Hardesty right, and Nick Saravia, to place supports in the ceiling of one of sold rock shafts at the Sutter Gold Mining Co's Amador county mines near in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In this photo taken Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, is the newly constructed mill at the Sutter Gold Mining Co.'s in Sutter Creek, Calif. The company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, that it poured its first gold as it prepared to begin the first large scale Sierra Nevada underground gold mining in a half century. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)