Humboldt Creek

The Humboldt Creek is a tin and 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: Humboldt Creek

Commodity

Primary: Tin
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Fairhaven

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: Cassiterite
Ore: Gold
Gangue: Hematite
Gangue: Magnetite

Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Production): Production Notes = The abundance of cassiterite was a handicap to gold mining; as much as 30 tons of tin concentrate (containing 36,000 pounds of metallic tin) were produced in 1919 (Brooks and Martin, 1921). Most of the cassiterite that was recovered by placer mining was not marketed; oil drums containing cassiterite-rich concentrate (60 % tin) were still stored at this location in the 1960's (Sainsbury and others, 1968).

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = pyrite (abundant)

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The headwaters of Humbolt Creek are in an area southeast of the Oonatut Granite Complex (Hudson, 1979; Hudson and Arth, 1983). This area, consists of a Lower Paleozoic metasedimentary assemblage and a polydeformed, metapelitic schist of possible Precambrian age (Till and others, 1986); it is interpreted to be over buried extensions of the Oonatut Granite (Barnes and Hudson, 1977; Hudson, 1979). Cassiterite-rich mineralized zones have not been identified in the headwater bedrock but several high angle fault zones with polymetallic veins (BN048, BN 049, BN050, BN051, BN052) are probably part of tin metallizing systems. The alluvial gravels of Humbolt Creek carry significant gold, for which they have been placer mined, and abundant cassiterite. As early as 1908, gold-bearing concentrate with abundant pyrite and cassiterite was reported (Knopf, 1908). Hydraulic mining and dozer/sluice operations along 5,000 feet of the stream channel took place primarily before WW II (Cobb, 1975). The abundance of cassiterite was a handicap to gold mining; as much as 30 tons of tin concentrate (containing 36,000 pounds of metallic tin) were produced in 1919 (Brooks and Martin, 1921). Most of the cassiterite that was recovered by placer mining was not marketed; oil drums containing cassiterite-rich concentrate (60 % tin) were still stored at this location in the 1960's (Sainsbury and others, 1968). The recovered cassiterite included nuggets up to 4 inches across, some show crystal faces, some are brecciated, and some iare ntergrown with quartz (Sainsbury and others, 1968). Gold and cassiterite can be panned from the surface down through several feet of unmined gravel near the headwater fork of the creek. The gravels here are not mined out (Cobb, 1975, OFR 75-429). The cassiterite-bearing placer deposits are the best indication that significant tin metallization has occurred in the headwaters of the drainage.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = About 5,000 feet of placer gold mine workings are present along the main channel of Humbolt Creek. Some test pits and shafts are present in unmined areas.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Sainsbury and others, 1968

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary

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

References

Reference (Deposit): Knopf, Adolph, 1908, The Seward Peninsula tin deposits: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345-E, p. 251-267.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-417, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Till, A.B., Dumoulin, J.A., Gamble, B. ., Kaufman, D.S., and Carroll, P.I., 1986, Preliminary geologic map and fossil data, Soloman, Bendeleben, and southern Kotzebue quadrangles, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-276, 10 p., 3 plates, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Barnes, D.F., and Hudson, T. L., 1977, Bouguer gravity map of Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-796-C, scale 1:1,000,000.

Reference (Deposit): Hudson, T.L., 1979, Igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Serpentine Hot Springs area, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional paper 1079, 27 p.

Reference (Deposit): Hudson, T.L., and Arth, J. G., 1983, Tin-granites of Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 94, p. 768-790.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-429, 123 p.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., and Martin, G. C. 1921, The Alaska mining industry in 1919: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 714, p. 59-95.

Reference (Deposit): Sainsbury, C.L., Kachadoorian, Reuben, Smith, T.E., and Todd, W.C., 1968, Cassiterite in gold placers at Humbolt Creek, Serpentine-Kougarok area, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 565, 7 p.

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