Ophir Creek Placer

The Ophir 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: Ophir Creek Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold

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: Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1899
Discovery Year: 1898
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: AU WORTH $18.49/OZ, [PRICE OF AU = $20.67/FINE OZ], USGS BULLETIN 263, P. 209

Materials

Ore: Gold
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Ilmenite
Gangue: Magnetite

Comments

Comment (Workings): DEVELOPMENTS BY 1920 INCLUDED 11 MI. DITCH AND HYDROELECTRIC PLANT; AVERAGE CAPACITIES OF 3 DREDGES MINING IN 1903: 1600 CY/DAY, 1800 CY/DAY, AND 800 CY/DAY.

Comment (Geology): GRANITE CLASTS 1-8 IN IN DIAMETER IN GRAVEL; GRANITE AND GNEISS CROP OUT AT HEAD OF CREEK IN BENDELEBEN QUAD. ; MAJOR.UNITS: QUARTZ MICA SCHIST, CHLORITIC SCHIST, CALCAREOUS SCHIST AND LIMESTONE; CUT BY SMALL QUARTZ, CALCITE VEINS CARRYING PYRITE AND VISIBLE AU. ; REG.COM: SOME GOLD RECONCENTRATED FROM TERRACE GRAVELS.

Comment (Deposit): SOME MINING WAS IN BENDELEBEN QUAD.; UPPER COURSE OF OPHIR CR. WAS ARTIFICALLY DIVERTED TO NIUKLUK R. IN EARLY 1900'S, CUTTING OFF THE LOWERMOST 1 MILE IN NIUKLUK FLATS; SEE ALSO: (NIUKLUK RIVER). ; 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.

Comment (Deposit): CREEK GRAVEL'S SHALLOW, RICHEST PORTIONS MINED OUT BY 1903; BENCH GRAVELS GENERALLY RANGE FROM 5 FT TO 14 FT THICK, UNDERNEATH 1-8 FT OF OVERBURDEN, OVER WIDTHS BETWEEN 100-1200 FT; AU IN BENCH GRAVELS, CONCENTRATED ON IMPERMEABLE CLAY LAYERS, BEDROCK SURFACE, AND BEDROCK CREVICES GENERALLY 1-3 FT DEEP, BUT UP TO 6 FT DEEP LOCALLY.

Comment (Production): CALCULATED BY DIVIDING DOLLAR VALUES BY $20.67, (PRICE OF AU/FINE OZ IN EARLY 1900'S); VALUES IN FINE OZ EQUIVALENTS.

Comment (Development): MINED BY SMALL-SCALE HAND METHODS, HORSE-DRAWN SCRAPERS AND WINTER DRIFTING, 1898-1904; LARGE-SCALE HYDRAULIC OPERATIONS AND 1-3 DREDGES OPERATED IN MOST YEARS BETWEEN 1904 AND 1940; ONE DREDGE OPERATED IN 1968; ONE DREDGE REPORTED ACIVE IN 1975; NO DATA ON MORE RECENT ACTIVITY.

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS DISCOVERY CLAIM, AT MOUTH OF SWEETCAKE CR.; DREDGE TAILING SHOWN ON D4 QUAD. EXTEND 1 MILE DOWNSTREAM TO FLATS OF NIUKLU R. AND ABOUT 7 MILES UPSTREAM TO THE MOUTH OF CROOKED CR. IN BENDELEBEN QUAD.; NEARLY CONTINUOUS. LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 722, P. 206-207.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 449, P. 117-121.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 442, P. 343, 360-363.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 320, P. 235-236, 242-250, 261-263.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 314, P. 147, 150-151.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 263, P. 42, 194, 209.

Reference (Deposit): BROOKS AND OTHERS, 1901, RECONNAISSANCES IN THE CAPE NOME AND NORTON BAY REGIONS, ALASKA, IN 1900: USGS SPEC. PUB., P. 25, 69, 111-114.

Reference (Other Database): BAG-MF-445-120

Reference (Production): SCHRADER AND BROOKS, 1900; BROOKS, RICHARDSON, COLLIER AND MENDENHALL, 1901; (USGS SPEC. PUBS.); USGS BULLETIN 213, P. 46.

Reference (Deposit): USGS OFR 77-796-B, P. 17, LOC. 196-197.

Reference (Deposit): USBM OFR 98-76, P. 73.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULLETIN 1374, P. 64.

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