Fortymile River Placer

The Fortymile River 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: Fortymile River Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Tungsten

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
Year First Production: 1887
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

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Scheelite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): GOLD CONCENTRATED ON BARS DOWNSTREAM FROM GOLD-BEARING TRIBUTARIES, THAT IS, FRANKLIN CREEK, FLAT CREEK, NUGGET CREEK ETC., WHERE CLEAVAGE IS TRANSVERSE TO RIVER COURSE, FORMING NATURAL RIFFLES ON BARS WHERE GOLD IS DEPOSITED. MANY BARS OFTEN REMINED AFTER FLOODING ADDED NEW GOLD. SOME BENCHES NEAR CREEK MOUTHS ARE AURIFEROUS. SOME BARS HAVE VERY LITTLE GRAVEL, WHILE SOME HAVE GRAVEL AS MUCH AS 25 FT. THICK.

Comment (Geology): MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK IS MAINLY SCHIST AND INTERBEDDED CRYSTALINE LIMESTONE; GENERALLY STRIKES TRANSVERSE TO RIVER AND DIPS NEARLY VERTICALLY.

Comment (Deposit): RIVER GRADIENT UNDER 50 FEET PER MILE. LOCATION DESCRIPTION REPRESENTS 9 PLACER DEPOSITS ALONG FORTYMILE RIVER FROM ITS CONFLUENCE WITH FRANKLIN CREEK TO THE YUKON BOARDER. FORTYMILE RIVER MAJOR RIVER DRAINING DISTRICT. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Location): USGS MF-393, LOCATIONS 56, 60, 62, 64-69. DEPOSITS ALONG FORTYMILE RIVER FROM CONFLUENCE WITH FRANKLIN CR. TO YUKON BORDER. COORDINATES REPRESENT BONANZA BAR. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

Comment (Development): MINING IN MOST YEARS FROM 1887 UNTIL 1960'S OR MORE RECENTLY. MINED MAINLY BY DREDGES. DREDGE FIRST INSTALLED IN 1906. MINED ALSO BY HYDRAULIC PLANTS.

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, LOCATIONS 56, 60, 62, 64-69

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 897-C, P. 185-188

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 375, P. 42-44

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