Midnight Creek Placer

The Midnight Creek Placer is a gold and tin 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: Midnight Creek Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Tin
Secondary: Silver
Tertiary: Tungsten

Location

State: Alaska
District: Ruby

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

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

Analytical Data: GRADE 1.3 GLM3 AU. FINENESS 883-885.5 AU, BUT ONE SHIPMENT ASSAYED ONLY 857.5 FINE.

Materials

Ore: Gold
Ore: Scheelite
Unknown: Cassiterite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): GOLD ACCOMPANIED BY MUCH CASSITERITE AND RARE SCHEELITE. GOLD ON BEDROCK OR CLAY FALSE BEDROCK. PAY STREAK 100-150 FT. WIDE ALONG SOUTH SIDE OF VALLEY ADJACENT TO CREEK. THICKNESS OF MUCK AND GRAVEL INCREASES FROM 9 FT. IN UPPER VALLEY TO 80 FT. 1.7 MILES ABOVE MOUTH; POSTULATED TO BE 125 FT. AT MOUTH. DISTRIBUTION OF GOLD AND CASSITERITE SPOTTY.

Comment (Location): USGS MF-405, LOC. 22. STRIP MINE MARKED ON RUBY (B-6). COORDINATES GIVEN FOR APPROXIMATE CENTER OF TAILINGS. TRIBUTARY OF LONG CREEK. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

Comment (Development): MINING (NOT CONTINUOUS) FROM 1911 TO 1949. DRIFT MINING REPORTED IN 1916; MINED ALSO BY OPEN CUTS.

Comment (Workings): ONLY THE DEEPER PARTS OF ALLUVIUM PERENIALLY FROZEN.

Comment (Geology): CREEK DRAINS GRANITE CONTACT AREA. CREEK FLOWS IN A SHALLOW VALLEY THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FT. WIDE BETWEEN DIVIDES. ; MAJOR.UNITS: BEDROCK SCHIST WITH QUARTZ VEINS NEAR HEAD OF VALLEY GRANITE ON RIDGES AT HEAD; SCHIST, SLATE, SILICEOUS CHERTY ROCK, AND SOME GREENSTONE IN VALLEY BOTTOM IN MIDDLE AND LOWER VALLEY; GREENSTONE BEDROCK ON RIDGES ON EITHER SIDE. ; REG.COM: BEDROCK LODE SOURCE THOUGHT TO BE LOCAL QUARTZ VEINS IN SCHIST OR LODES IN AND AROUND GRANITE IN HEADWATER AREA.

Comment (Deposit): STREAM GRADIENT APPROXIMATELY 125 FEET PER MILE; GIVES ADEQUATE DRAINAGE. ; 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 (B-6), LOC. 22

Reference (Deposit): USGS OF 239, P. 37, 40-42.

Reference (Deposit): USGS OF 77-168 D, P. 87, LOC. 34.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL. 642, P. 242-243.

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These ten states contributed the most to the gold production that built the West from 1848 through the 1930s. The Top Ten Gold Producing States.