Franklin Creek Placer

The Franklin Creek 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: Franklin Creek Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Mercury
Tertiary: Lead

Location

State: Alaska
District: Fortymile

Land Status

Land ownership: State
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1886
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

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: FINENESS AT LEAST 820 PARTS AU PER THOUSAND. SEE REF. 2, P. 183

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Silver
Ore: Lead
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Barite
Unknown: Galena
Unknown: Cinnabar

Comments

Comment (Development): GOLD DISCOVERED IN 1886 AND MINED UNTIL 1935 WHEN FLOOD WIPED OUT ALL MINING PLANTS AND FILLED CUTS WITH GRAVEL. MINING, SHOVELING IN TYPE WITH DAMS USED FOR GROUND SLUICING.

Comment (Location): USGS MF-393, LOC 55. COORDINATES GIVEN ARE FOR THE SMALL SETTLEMENT OF FRANKLIN MARKED ON EAGLE (A-2) AT THE MOUTH OF FRANKLIN CR. ALL MINING WITHIN 4 MI. OF MOUTH. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

Comment (Deposit): GOLD MAINLY IN AND ON BEDROCK, SOME IN LOWEST 2 FT. OF GRAVEL. GRAVEL 2-12 FT. THICK. SOME GOLD FOUND WITH ADHERING PARTS OF VEIN QUARTZ. BEST PART OF PAY ABOUT 50 FT. WIDE. SMALL AMOUNTS OF CINNABAR AND NATIVE LEAD FOUND.

Comment (Geology): BROAD VALLEY IN UPPER PART OF CREEK. LOWER SEVERAL MILES OF VALLEY IS NARROW, STEEP-WALLED, AND HAS THINNER GRAVEL THAN UPSTREAM. ; MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK IS MANY KINDS OF SCHIST AND SOME CRYSTALINE LIMESTONE CUT BY QUARTZ VEINS AND GRANITIC AND BASIC DIKES; GRANITE AT HEAD OF MAIN CREEK AND SOME TRIBUTARIES.

Comment (Deposit): STREAM GRADIENT 140-170 FEET PER MILE IN LOWER 2.5 MILES OF CREEK. OLDEST PRODUCING CREEK IN DISTRICT ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

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

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS MF-393 (A-2), LOC. 55.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 897-C, P. 181-183.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 813, P. 135-136.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 251, P. 44-45

Reference (Other Database): BAG-MF-393-55

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.