Pacific Beach Sands Gold-Platinum-Titanium Placer

The Pacific Beach Sands Gold-Platinum-Titanium Placer 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

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Pacific Beach Sands Gold-Platinum-Titanium Placer
Secondary: Lituya Bay
Secondary: Mf-436

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Platinum
Tertiary: Titanium, Metal

Location

State: Alaska
District: Yakutat/Glacier Bay N.M.

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
Year First Production: 1894
Year Last Production: 1940
Discovery Year: 1867
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Silt
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Platinum
Gangue: Biotite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Oligoclase
Gangue: Labradorite
Gangue: Hornblende
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Andesine
Gangue: Olivine
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Epidote
Gangue: Augite
Gangue: Magnetite

Comments

Comment (Geology): WELL SORTED MODERN ACTIVE BEACH SANDS, WITH SOIL-COVERED INACTIVE BEACH SANDS FARTHER INLAND, MARINE TERRACES UP TO 750 FT ELEVATION. ; MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK CONSISTS OF CRET GRAYWACKE, ARGILLITE, SLATE, PHYLLITE, AND GREENSTONE OF YAKUTAT GROUP. ALSO CRET GRANITIC ROCKS IN SMALL STOCKS AND PLUTONS, AND TERT SILTSTONE AND SANDSTONE OF YAKATAGA FORMATION. ; REG.COM: SOURCE OF PLACER GOLD BELIEVED TO BE LAYERED MAFIC AND ULTRAMAFIC PLUTONS IN FAIRWEATHER RANGE.

Comment (Deposit): TOTAL HYPOTHETICAL RESOURCE IS 8 SQ MI OF BEACH AREA TOTALING 90 MILLION CUBIC YARDS OF MATERIAL AT AN AVERAGE GRADE OF 1% ILMENITE AND LESS THAN 0.00001 OZ/CY OF GOLD. NO LARGE TONNAGES OF HIGH GRADE PLACER GOLD FOUND IN NEAR-SURFACE BEACH SANDS. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Deposit): THIS SITE NAME WAS CREATED BY THE REPORTER OR OTHER USGS EMPLOYEE BASED ON PROXIMITY TO SOME MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC FEATURE.

Comment (Development): DISCOVERED AND MINED BY RUSSIANS BEFORE 1867. FIRST AMERICAN PRODUCTION 1894. WORKED 1894-1917 BY SLUICE AND LONG TOM METHODS. MINOR PRODUCTION UNTIL ABOUT 1940. 105 ACTIVE CLAIMS HELD IN 1978 BY GOLD RESERVE MINING CO..

Comment (Deposit): BEACH SAND DEPOSITS EXTEND FROM MOUTH OF SEA OTTER CREEK SOUTH AT LEAST 20 MI TO MOUTH OF EAGLE CREEK 2 MI NORTH OF LITUYA BAY. ACTIVE BEACH SANDS AVERAGE 500 FT WIDE, BACK BEACH UP TO 1.300 FT WIDE, WITH MARINE TERRACES AT ELEVATIONS UP TO 750 FT IN COASTAL FOOTHILLS. TERRACES ARE UP TO 100 FT THICK. 1-2 IN THICK LAYER OF FINE, GARNET-RICH SAND CARRIES MOST GOLD AND PLATINUM. ESTIMATED RESOURCE OF 1 SQ MI OF BEACH SAND SAMPLED IS 120,000 TONS ILMENITE, AND 1,200 TROY OZ GOLD, WITH ADDITIONAL 7 SQ MI OF BEACH NOT SAMPLED, ACCORDING TO USGS OF 78-494, P.C-30,31.

Comment (Workings): SLUICE BOX AND LONG TOM METHODS USED, SLUICE PLANT OPERATED 1901-1903 AT ECHO CREEK. EXTENSIVELY SAMPLED BY USBM IN 1977.

Comment (Location): USGS MF-436, LOC. 65; USGS OF 78-494, FIG. C-3, 4, 5. LOCATION IS AT MOUTH OF ECHO CREEK, THE SITE OF GREATEST PRODUCTION. DEPOSIT EXTENDS FROM MOUTH OF SEA OTTER CREEK SOUTH 20 MI TO MOUTH OF EAGLE CREEK. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS MF-436, LOC. 65 (1972)

Reference (Deposit): USGS OF 78-494, P. C-28-91, TABLES C-4-24, FIGS. C-3-30, PLATES IA, PLATES IA, III (1978)

Reference (Deposit): USGS OF 78-316, P. 32, 33 (1978)

Reference (Deposit): USGS B 836, P. 133-135 (1933)

Reference (Other Database): BAG-MF-436-65

The Top Ten Gold Producing States

These ten states contributed the most to the gold production that built the West from 1848 through the 1930s. The Top Ten Gold Producing States.