Central Creek

The Central 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: Central Creek

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Kiana

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 (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Many shallow shafts were sunk in the 1930s to test for gold along the creek and some winter drift mining was done. Early miners shoveled gravel directly from the stream bed. During the winter of 1930-31, a line of drill holes at 50 foot spacing were put across the stream valley. Results indicated an average value of $0.64 per cubic yard (gold at $20.67/ounce). Additional drilling was planned for the summer of 1932 (Reed, 1932).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = This placer gold deposit is located in the stream channel and benches along Central Creek. Bedrock along the creek is schist and limestone of early to mid-Paleozoic age. Depth to bedrock varies from 9 to 14 feet in the benches and from 1 to 5 feet in the stream bed. The gold is fine and flaky (Reed,1932).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Reed, 1932

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Stream gradient in the mining area is approximately 100 feet per mile.

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

Comment (Production): Production Notes = Production through 1930 was approximately 145 ounces of fine, flaky gold (Schmidt and Allegro, 1988).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary.

References

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Baird Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-386, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in northern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-628, 106 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., Mayfield, C.F., and Brosge, W.P., 1981, Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral occurrences in eleven quadrangles in northern Alaska (Arctic, Baird Mountains, Chandler Lake, DeLong Mountains, Demarcation Point, Howard Pass, Misheguk Mountain, Mount Michelson, Noatak, Point Lay, and Table Mountain); Supplement to Open-File Report 75-628; Part A, Summaries of data to January 1, 1981: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-767-A, 25 p.

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, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1938, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1936: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-A, p. 1-107.

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

Reference (Deposit): Reed, I.M., 1932, Report of the placer deposits of the Squirrel River gold field: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines, Miscellaneous Report 27-1, 15 p.

Reference (Deposit): Schmidt, J.M., and Allegro, G.L., 1988, Map showing mineral occurrences and indicators in the Baird Mountains quadrangle, northwestern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1992, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.

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