Cache Creek (Spruce Creek)

The Cache Creek (Spruce Creek) is a gold mine located in Alaska.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

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Site Name

Primary: Cache Creek (Spruce Creek)

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Nome

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Production): Production Notes = The dredge operating on this creek was apparently the major producer in the area between 1932 and 1935; considering the extent of the workings the deposits may have been high grade. The paystreak was reported to have been mined out (Smith, 1939).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Cobb, 1978 (OF 78-181)

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = About 8,000 feet of placer workings have been mapped along this drainage between elevations of about 45 and 130 feet. The workings start about 5,000 feet upstream from the mouth of the creek on Taylor Lagoon. Although prospected in the 1900's (Collier and others, 1908), principal mining was by dredging in the 1930's (Cobb, 1978). Some gravels were locally-derived schist and greenstone that was coarse and not well-rounded (Smith, 1910). The gravels were about 11 feet thick on bedrock and permafrost was locally encountered (Smith, 1933). Some beach gravel was encountered and mined but the location was not reported. The paystreak was reported to have been mined out (Smith, 1939). The elevation and location of this placer indicates that it was influenced by Quaternary sea level fluctuations. Bedrock in the area is part of a pelitic schist assemblage of possible Cambrian or Precambrian age (Till and others, 1986).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = About 8,000 feet of placer workings have mapped along this drainage between elevations of about 45 and 130 feet. The workings start about 5,000 feet upstream from the mouth of the creek on Taylor Lagoon. Although prospected in the 1900's (Collier and others, 1908), principal mining was by dredging in the 1930's (Cobb, 1978).

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

References

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 836-A, p. 1-83.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S. 1939, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic resources map of the Solomon quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-445, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1910, Geology and mineral resources of the Solomon and Casadepaga quadrangles, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 433, 234 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1978, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Solomon quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-181, 185 p.

Reference (Deposit): Collier, A. J., Hess, F.L., Smith, P.S., and Brooks, A.H., 1908, The gold placers of parts of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, including the Nome, Council, Kougarok, Port Clarence, and Goodhope precincts: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 328, 343 p.

Reference (Deposit): Till, A.B., Dumoulin, J.A., Gamble, B. ., Kaufman, D.S., and Carroll, P.I., 1986, Preliminary geologic map and fossil data, Soloman, Bendeleben, and southern Kotzebue quadrangles, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-276, 10 p., 3 plates, scale 1:250,000.

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