High price of gold inspires new rush in California

Matt James has collected gold nuggets for years from the hills and riverbeds of California, but as the precious metal's price soars, he has found an unexpected El Dorado: on social media.

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Though the value has fluctuated, it has effectively doubled in the last two years, reaching an all-time high of more than $4 380 an ounce last month.

"My social media channels are definitely seeing an uptick in traffic right now," said James during one of his expeditions in northern California, where the Gold Rush first erupted in the mid-1800s.

The rise in clicks on his posts - and the related increase in commissions he makes on sales of products he uses in his prospecting - has generated a new income source for James.