Happy Creek

The Happy 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

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: Happy Creek

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Antimony
Tertiary: Mercury
Tertiary: REE
Tertiary: Tungsten
Tertiary: Chromium
Tertiary: Tin

Location

State: Alaska
District: Iditarod

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: 1910
Year Last Production: 1940
Discovery Year: 1909
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: Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Cinnabar
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Stibnite
Gangue: Zircon
Gangue: Monazite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): WEATHERED MONZONITE CONSTITUTES A RESIDUAL PLACER WHICH GRADES INTO AN ALLUVIAL PLACER AND THEN INTO STREAM AND BENCH PLACERS. CONCENTRATES CONTAIN ZIRCON, CHROMITE, FERBERITE, AMALGAM, MONAZITE, & TRACE CASSITERITE IN ADDITION TO ORE MINERALS MENTIONED ABOVE (WHITE & KILLEEN, 1953).

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

Comment (Deposit): STREAM GRADIENT 3% AT MOUTH, 7% AT HEAD.

Comment (Workings): SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND (DRIFTING WAS ATTEMPTED IN THE EARLY YEARS, BUT FAILED DUE TO THAWED GROUND).

Comment (Production): MINED INTERMITTENTLY 1910-84; PRODUCED >75,000 OZ. AU

Comment (Commodity): ONE SAMPLE CONTAINED .073% URANIUM AND .013% THORIA.

Comment (Location): USGS MF-363, LOC. 25. TAILINGS MARKED ON IDITAROD (B-4,5) TOPOGRAPHIC MAP.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

References

Reference (Deposit): MILLER, M.L., BUNDTZEN, T.K., AND GRAY, J.E., 1996, MINERAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT OF THE IDITAROD QUADRANGLE, WEST-CENTRAL ALASKA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-2219-B, SCALE 1:250,000, PAMPHLET (IN PRESS).

Reference (Deposit): MERTIE, J.B., JR., 1936, MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE RUBY-KUSKOKWIM REGION, ALASKA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 864-C, 115-245.

Reference (Deposit): U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPT. OF INV. 5991, P. 8, 17-18, 21-22.

Reference (Other Database): BAG-MF-363-25

Reference (Deposit): WHITE, M.G., AND KILLEEN, P.L., 1953, RECONNAISSANCE FOR RADIOACTIVE DEPOSITS IN THE LOWER YUKON-KUSKOKWIM HIGHLANDS REGION, ALASKA, 1947: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 255, 18 P.

Reference (Deposit): MALONEY, R.P., 1962, TRENCHING AND SAMPLING OF THE RHYOLITE MERCURY PROSPECT, KUSKOKWIM RIVER BASIN, ALASKA: U.S. BUREAU OF MINES REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 6141, 43 P.

Reference (Deposit): COBB, E.H., COMPILER, 1972, METALLIC MINERAL RESOURCES MAP OF THE IDITAROD QUADRANGLE, ALASKA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF-363, SCALE 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): COBB, E.H., 1976, SUMMARY OF REFERENCES TO MINERAL OCCURRENCES (OTHER THAN MINERAL FUELS AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL) IN THE IDITAROD AND OPHIR QUADRANGLES, ALASKA: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OPEN-FILE REPORT 76-576, 101 P.

Reference (Deposit): BUNDTZEN, T.K., MILLER, M.L., LAIRD, G.M., AND BULL, K.F., 1992, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDITAROD MINING DISTRICT, IDITAROD B-4 AND EASTERN B-5 QUADRANGLES, SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA: ALASKA DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS PROFESSIONAL REPORT 97, 46 P., 2 SHEET, SCALE 1:63,360.

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