Big Creek Placer

The Big 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: Big Creek Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Tin

Location

State: Alaska

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: 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: Cassiterite

Comments

Comment (Development): SPORADIC MINING FROM 1907 TO 1940'S. NO SIGN OF ACTIVITY IN 1975-77.

Comment (Deposit): GOLD AND CASSITERITE REPORTED TO BE DISTRIBUTED VERTICALLY THROUGH GRAVEL OF PAYSTREAK. GROUND NEAR HEAD OF CREEK IS 15 TO 20 FT. DEEP, INCLUDING 1-15 FT. OF GRAVEL BENEATH MUCK. PLACERS HAVE NOT BEEN EXTENSIVELY OR SYSTEMATICALLY PROSPECTED; PAYSTREAK INFERED TO BE 30 FT. WIDE, 1-15 FT. THICK, AND TO EXTEND POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 5,000 FT. DOWNSTREAM FROM THE MOUTH OF COX PUP. COLORS OF GOLD IN ALL 15 PROSPECT HOLES; CONSIDERABLE PYRITE FOUND IN ALL THESE HOLES, PYRITE IN GRAVEL OR ATTACHED TO LARGE FRAGMENTS OF BEDROCK.

Comment (Workings): 15 HOLES SUNK 15 TO 60 FEET TO SLATY BEDROCK. MOST OF GROUND IS NOT FROZEN AND DIFFICULT TO WORK BY DRIFT MINING.

Comment (Geology): NO KNOWN CONTACT BETWEEN SLATY BEDROCK AND GRANITE IN VALLEY, BUT FRAGMENTS OF VEIN QUARTZ WITH TOURMALINE PRESENT. ; MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK IS SLATE. ; REG.COM: GOLD AND CASSITERITE APPARENTLY CLOSE TO THEIR SOURCE.

Comment (Deposit): STREAM GRADIENT APPROXIMATELY 82 FT. PER MILE. BIG CREEK FLOWS IN A WIDE, SHALLOW VALLEY WITH VERY GENTLY SLOPING SIDES. THE VALLEY IS ABOUT 1.5 MILES WIDE BETWEEN THE DIVIDES, AND THE FLOOR IS APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. WIDE. ; 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.

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS MF-405 (C-5), LOC. 4

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 410, P. 79

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 864-C, P. 144-145

Reference (Deposit): USGS OF 239, P. 37, 40, 44-46.

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