Pioneer Creek Placer

The Pioneer 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: Pioneer Creek Placer
Secondary: What Cheer Bar
Secondary: Doric Cr.
Secondary: Boothby Cr.
Secondary: Seattle Jr. Cr.
Secondary: Skookum Cr.
Secondary: Joe Bush Cr.

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Mercury
Tertiary: Tungsten

Location

State: Alaska
District: Hot Springs

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

Owner Name: John Cole, 10 Mile Chena Hot Springs Rd., Fairbanks, Ak 99701, . Mary Sue Mines, L.W. Beyer,
Years: 1975 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1902
Discovery Year: 1902
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Bedrock Greatly Iron Stained

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: FINENESS A LITTLE OVER .800 AU-SEE REF. 2, P. 198.

Materials

Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Sphene
Gangue: Zircon
Gangue: Ilmenite
Gangue: Tourmaline
Unknown: Gold
Unknown: Scheelite
Unknown: Cinnabar

Comments

Comment (Location): USGS MF-371, LOC. 41. COORDINATES GIVEN ARE FOR INTERSECTION DORIC CREEK AND WATER DITCH MARKED ON TANANA (A-1). LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

Comment (Development): GOLD DISCOVERED IN 1902 ON WHAT CHEER BAR. MINING FROM 1902 TO AT LEAST 1975. MINED BY SLUICING, HYDRAULIC PLANTS, AND OPEN-CUTS. MINED IN 1975 BY BULLDOZER

Comment (Geology): BEDROCK STRIKES N 70-75 E AND DIPS STEEPLY NORTH. CREEK PARALLEL TO LOCAL STRIKE. ASYMETRICAL VALLEY, SE SIDE STEEP, NW SIDE GENTLE; PARALLEL TO UPPER EUREKA CR. SEVERAL GRAVEL COVERED TERRACES ON NORTH VALLEY SLOPE. ALL TRIBUTARIES ENTER FROM NW. ; MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK IS JURASSIC-CRETACEOUS (?) PYRITIZED SHEARED SANDSTONE AND SLATE, QUARTZITE, AND PHYLLITE; CUT BY A FEW QUARTZ VEINS.

Comment (Deposit): STREAM GRADIENT ABOUT 80 FT. PER MILE. LOCATION DESCRIPTION FOR PIONEER CR. AND ALL TRIBUBARIES ENTERING FROM THE NW. ; 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.

Comment (Deposit): GOLD IN BASAL GRAVEL AND IN TOP FEW FEET OF BEDROCK. IN PLACES IT IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE 5 TO 6 FT. OF BEDROCK TO GET A GOOD RECOVERY. PAY STREAK IN BENCHES EXTENDING HALF A MILE OR SO NW OF CREEK. GOLD RECONCENTRATED INTO RICH PLACERS WHERE BENCHES ARE CROSSED BY SMALL TRIBUTARY STREAMS. BENCH GRAVELS ARE 3-12 FT THICK AND ARE MAINLY LOCALLY DERIVED. RICHEST BENCH IS 250 FT. ABOVE AND 2,000 FT. NORTH OF CREEK, LOWER BENCHES ARE LOWER GRADE.

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS MF-371 (A-1), LOC. 41

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 844-D, P. 195-98, 236-37.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 337, P. 82-83, 85-87

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 535, P. 30.

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