Sunset Creek Placer

The Sunset Creek Placer is a gold mine located in Clallam county, Washington.

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: Sunset Creek Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Platinum
Tertiary: Titanium, Metal
Tertiary: Zirconium
Tertiary: Chromium
Tertiary: Iron

Location

State: Washington
County: Clallam
District: Cape Flattery Area

Land Status

Land ownership: National Park
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: J. M. Starbuck

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Beach Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year Last Production: 1917
Discovery Year: 1894
Discovery Method: Ore-Mineral In Place
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Pacific Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Pacific Border Province
Physiographic Detail: Pacific Mountains

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

Orebody

Form: STRATABOUND BLANKET

Structure

Type: L
Description: The Older Rocks Are Severely Deformed.

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Name: Sand and Gravel
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Pleistocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: 2-5 PENNYWEIGHT/YD AU+PT. PT:AU=1:5 TO 1:15

Materials

Ore: Chromite
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Garnet
Ore: Zircon
Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Deposit): METALS ARE FOUND IN A THIN LAYER OF FINE HEAVY SAND COMPOSED CHIEFLY OF PINK GARNET AND BLACK GRAINS OF ILMENITE AND MAGNETITE. AT THIS SITE THE WAVE TERRACE IS CUT INTO A LAYER OF TOUGH CLAY BELONGING TO THE DRIFT.

Comment (Commodity): AU AND PT ARE SMALL, FLAT, AND SMOOTH WITH PT ABOUT 1/4 THE SIZE OF AU. ABOUT 10% OF THE PT IS FERROMAGNETIC

Comment (Location): IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK. NEAR MOUTH OF SUNSET CREEK. (NOT LABELED ON TOPO MAP)

Comment (Geology): THE PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS CONSIST OF STREAM GRAVEL AND GLACIAL DRIFT. THE PRESENCE OF MARINE FOSSILS WOULD INDICATE DEPOSITION IN THE SEA.

References

Reference (Production): PARDEE, 1929

Reference (Deposit): DERKEY, R.E., JOSEPH, N.L., AND LASMANIS, RAYMOND, 1990, METAL MINES OF WASHINGTON - PRELIMINARY REPORT: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF GEOLOGY AND EARTH RESOURCES OPEN-FILE REPORT 90-18, P. 29.

Reference (Deposit): HUNTTING, M.T., 1955, GOLD IN WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY BULLETIN 42, P. 117.

Reference (Deposit): PARDEE, J.T., 1929, PLATINUM AND BLACK SAND IN WASHINGTON, IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 1928: U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 805, P. 3-15.

Washington Gold

"Where to Find Gold in Washington" looks at the density of modern placer mining claims along with historical gold mining locations and mining district descriptions to determine areas of high gold discovery potential in Arizona. Read more: Where to Find Gold in Washington.