Engineer Creek

The Engineer 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

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Site Name

Primary: Engineer Creek

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Fairbanks

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
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a)

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary placer.

Comment (Production): Production Notes = Production from Engineer Creek and its tributaries from 1907 to 1910 was $1,800,000, with gold valued at $18.70 per ounce (Prindle and Katz, 1913). The production figures from the creek since 1910 are unclear because the dredging was part of the Goldstream and Pedro Creek operations; it is probably substantial on the basis of the area of the dredge tailings.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Placer mining took place on Engineer Creek from 1907 to 1916 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-662, p. 40]). In 1922, drift mining was reported to be continuing (Wimmler, 1922, p. 20). Fairbanks Exploration Company acquired an extensive tract of placer ground in 1931; however, an experiment with underground sluicing was terminated because of the floor of the underground workings and the drifts heaved. (Smith, 1933 [B 844-A, p. 33]). United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Co. Dredge no. 8 worked on Engineer Creek from 1948 to 1954, then worked the Dawson Bench near the mouth of Engineer Creek and the left-limit bench of Engineer Creek from 1955 to 1959 (R.M. Chapman, USGS unpublished memorandum, 1978).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Early placer mining took place on Engineer Creek from 1907 to 1916 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-662, p. 40]). The depth to bedrock was from about 50 feet to more than 100 feet (Prindle and Katz, 1913). Values in 4 to 7 feet of gravel over widths of 30 to 100 feet were $1 to $6 per square foot of bedrock (Prindle and Katz, 1913). Production from Engineer Creek and its tributaries from 1907 to 1910 was $1,800,000, with gold valued at $18.70 per ounce (Prindle and Katz, 1913). Fairbanks Exploration Company acquired an extensive tract of placer ground in 1931; however, an experiment with underground sluicing was terminated because the floor of the underground workings heaved (Smith, 1933 [B 844-A, p. 33]). United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Co. Dredge no. 8 worked on Engineer Creek from 1948 to 1954, then worked the Dawson Bench near the mouth of Engineer Creek and the left limit bench of Engineer Creek from 1955 to 1959 (R.M. Chapman, USGS unpublished memorandum, 1978). Glover (1950) reported that the gold along Engineer Creek varied from 875 to 918 fine.

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System is now routed along Engineer Creek.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Prindle and Katz, 1913

References

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., 1912, Placer mining in the Fairbanks and Circle Disctricts: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 240-245.

Reference (Deposit): Orris, G.J., and Bliss, J.D., 1985, Geologic and grade volume data on 330 gold placer deposits: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 85-0213, 173 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., and Katz, F.J., 1909, The Fairbanks gold-placer region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379, p. 181-200.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., 1910, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442, 432 p.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., and Parker, G.L., 1911, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, 325 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-410, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-662, 174 p.

Reference (Deposit): Glover, A.E., 1950, Placer gold fineness: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 195-1, 38 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1917, The mining industry in the territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1916: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 153, 89 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-82.

Reference (Deposit): Eakin, H.M., 1915, Placer mining in Seward Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 622-I, p. 366-373.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-81.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, S.S., 1917, The mining industry in the Territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1916: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 153, 89 p.

Reference (Deposit): Wimmler, N.L., 1922, Placer mining in Alaska in 1922: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 195-6, 77 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1908, The Fairbanks and Rampart quadrangles, Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska, with a section on the Rampart placers, by F.L. Hess, and a paper on the water supply of the Fairbanks region, by C.C. Covert: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 337, 102 p.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., and Davenport, R.W., 1913, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, 303 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., and Katz, F.J., 1913, Detailed description of the Fairbanks district, in Prindle, L. M., A geologic reconnaissance of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 525, p. 59-152.

Reference (Deposit): Chapin, Theodore, 1914, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592-J, p. 357-362.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1914, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1913: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592, p. 340-341.

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