Deadwood Creek

Site Name

Primary: Deadwood Creek
Secondary: Forty Three Pup
Secondary: Twenty Five Pup
Secondary: Sixteen Pup
Secondary: Fifteen Pup
Secondary: Nine Pup
Secondary: Discovery Gulch
Secondary: Tommys Pup
Secondary: Switch Creek
Secondary: Twenty Two Pup
Secondary: Twenty Six Pup

---

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Tungsten
Secondary: Lead
Secondary: Tin
Secondary: Mercury
Secondary: Silver

---

Location

State: Alaska
District: Circle

---

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
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: Cinnabar
Ore: Gold
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Wolframite

---

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Deadwood Creek flows through a northeast-trending valley for about 16 km where it then enters the Tintina fault trench and flattens into a broad fan. The creek meanders for another 8 km before emptying into Crooked Creek. Almost all of the gold produced to date has come from the portion of Deadwood Creek above the Tintina fault trench. Deadwood Creek drainage lies within the 'Lower Schist' bedrock unit described by Wiltse and others (1995) as 'medium to dark gray and medium greenish-gray, fine to medium grained, commonly slightly calcareous quartz-muscovite schist, and lesser amounts of quartzose porphyroblastic-albite-chlorite schist and chlorite schist.' Numerous quartz veins ranging from less than a centimeter to almost a meter in width are present in the schists. Some quartz veins are folded with the enclosing schist; however, most veins cut across the foliation and are not folded. Disseminated pyrite and galena are locally present in the schist in the upper part of Deadwood Creek valley (Yeend, 1991). Granite outcrops are seen in the lower 6 km of the creek valley, south of the Hot Springs Fault contact. Gravel in Deadwood Creek ranges from 1 to 5 meters in thickness, with as much as 3 meters of muck overburden. Boulders are up to 1 meter in diameter, but more commonly are 0.3 meter in diameter. Several wide benches mantled with gold-bearing gravel occur along the northwest side of the valley. The paystreak was as much as 130 m in width. In areas of quartzite bedrock, gold was found as deep as 1 m in cracks and crevices. Some nuggets weighed as much as 0.5 oz, but in general the gold was flaky and fine, averaging 5 to 6 mg (Mertie, 1938). Large amounts of wolframite and cassiterite (1 to 2 pounds per cubic yard) were present in the heavy-mineral fraction of the concentrates recovered in several mining operations, especially those immediately above the mouth of Switch Creek (Johnson, 1910). Mertie (1938) reported that tin and tungsten mineralization in the bedrock occurred south of the southernmost outcrop of granite. Other heavy minerals detected in concentrates are magnetite, ilmenite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, galena, limonite, garnet, scheelite, and cinnabar. Small amount of uranium were detected in several of these minerals (Eberlein and others, 1977). Burand (1965) reported anomalous amounts of copper, zinc, and lead in sediments. A reconnaissance soil sampling program on a ridge near Discovery Gulch outlined an area of seven samples ranging in value from 30 to 1125 ppb Au and associated elevated arsenic values (La Teko Resources Ltd, news release, January 6, 1998).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Active

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Mining on Deadwood Creek has been nearly continous since the original gold discovery. In the early years, placers were mined by drifting and shallow opencuts. After 1909, hydraulic mining became the primary method. In 1936, there were six individually owned placer mining operations on the creek - two hydraulic plants, two opencut operations, one drift mine and one mechanical excavation operation (Mertie, 1938). A dragline excavator used in 1936-37 cleared 3000 sq ft of bedrock daily. A dredge used in 1937-38 had 60 buckets of 4 cf capacity running at 27 buckets per minute (Mertie, 1938). Recent mines have been operating on the gravel near and just upstream from the Hot Springs fault (Yeend, 1991). In 1996 and 1997, LaTeko Resources Ltd. conducted geological mapping, soil sampling, and trenching with results indicating anomalous gold values. The anomalies appear to be associated with a northwest-trending granitic intrusion. Several samples returned better than 100 parts per billion gold (LaTeko Resources Ltd. Annual Report, 1997).

Comment (Production): Production Notes = 110 men working 8 out of the 47 claims produced approximately 5,000 oz of gold during 1896 (Dunham, 1898). Yield of 2 to 3 oz 'to the shovel' were not uncommon (2 to 3 oz of gold could be recovered from the gravel shoveled by a man in a 10-hour day). Total production from 1894 to 1906 was 33,865 fine ounces (Brooks, 1907).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Menzie, 1983; Yeend, 1991.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Placer gold deposit (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a); Polymetallic mineralization associated with granite.

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = The entire length of the Deadwood Creek flood plain has been mined for gold, and the creek has a reputation among miners as being the most 'mined-out' creek in the Circle district (Yeend, 1991, p. 17). See also Switch Creek, ARDF no. CI056.

---

References

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 836-A, p. 1-83.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1906, The Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska; Description of Circle quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 295, 27 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1906, Yukon placer fields: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, p. 109-127.

Reference (Deposit): Chapin, Theodore, 1914, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592-J, p. 357-362.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-81.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1932, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1929, in Smith, P.S., and others Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1929: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824-A, p. 1-81.

Reference (Deposit): Wedow, Helmuth, Jr., Killeen, P. L., and others, 1954, Reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in eastern interior Alaska, 1946: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 331, 36 p.

Reference (Deposit): Nelson, A.E., West, W.S., and Matsko, J.J., 1954, Reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in eastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 348, 21 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cushing, G.W., and Foster, H.L., 1984, Structural observations in the Circle quadrangle, Yukon-Tanana Upland, Alaska, in Accomplishments during 1981: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 868, p. 64-65.

Reference (Deposit): Wedow, Helmuth, Jr., 1953, Preliminary summary of reconnaissance for uranium and thorium in Alaska, 1952: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 248, 15 p.

Reference (Deposit): Barker, J.C., 1979, Trace element study of the Circle mining district, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 57-79, 74 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-633, 72 p.

Reference (Deposit): Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous Lode Deposits of Alaska. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Misc. Field Studies Map MF-391, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.

Reference (Deposit): Malone, Kevin, 1965, Mercury in Alaska, in Mercury potential of the United States: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8252, p. 31-59.

Reference (Deposit): Burand, W.M., 1965, A geochemical investigation between Chatanika and Circle hot springs, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geochemical Report 5, 11 p.

Reference (Deposit): Hess, F.L., 1912, Tin resources of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 89-92.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., and Davenport, R.W., 1913, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, 303 p.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., 1912, Placer mining in the Fairbanks and Circle Disctricts: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 240-245.

Reference (Deposit): Joesting, H.R., 1942, Strategic mineral occurences in interior Alaska: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Pamphlet 1, 46 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1938: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 917-A, p. 1-113.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S. 1939, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1938, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1936: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-A, p. 1-107.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-82.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1932: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 857-A, p. 1-91.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 836, p. 1-83.

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1932, Mining in the Circle district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824, p. 155-172.

Reference (Deposit): Johnson, B.L., 1910, Occurrence of wolframite and cassiterite in the gold placers of Deadwood Creek, Birch Creek district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442, p. 246-250.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1909, The mining industry in 1908: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379-A, p. 21-62.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1911, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1910: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480 p. 21-43.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., and Parker, G.L., 1911, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, 325 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1906, The Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska: Description of Circle quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 295, 27 p.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1907, The Alaskan mining industry in 1906: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314, p. 19-39.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1908, The mining industry in 1907: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345, 294 p.

Reference (Deposit): Ellsworth, C.E., 1910, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442, 432 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1905, The gold placers of the Fortymile, Birch Creek, and Fairbanks regions, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 251, 89 p.

Reference (Deposit): Purington, C.W., 1905, Methods and costs of gravel and placer mining in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 263, 273 p.

Reference (Deposit): Prindle, L.M., 1906, Yukon placer fields: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, 169 p.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1918, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1916: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, 469 p.

Reference (Deposit): Martin, G.C., 1919, Alaska Mining Industry in 1917: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692, p. 11-42

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1916, Antimony deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 649, 67 p.

Reference (Deposit): Spurr, J.E., 1898, Geology of the Yukon gold district, Alaska, with an introductory chapter on the history and conditions of the district to 1897 by H.B. Goodrich: U.S. Geological Survey 18th Annual Report, Part 3, p. 87-392.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1907, The Alaskan mining industry in 1906: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314, p. 19-39.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1904, Placer mining in Alaska in 1903: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 225, p. 43-59.

Reference (Deposit): Eakins, G.R., Bundtzen, T.K., Lueck, L.L. Green, C.B., Gallagher, J.L., and Robinson, M.S., 1985, Alaska mineral industry, 1984: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report 38, 57p.

Reference (Deposit): Wiltse, M.A., Reger, R.D., Newberry, R.J, Pessel, G.H., Pinney, D.S., Robinson, M.S., and Solie, D.N., 1995, Bedrock geologic map of the Circle mining district, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 95-02b, 1 sheet, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Yeend, W.E., 1991, Gold placers of the Circle district, Alaska - past, present, and future: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1943, 42 p.

Reference (Deposit): Orris, G.J., and Bliss, J.D., 1985, Geologic and grade volume data on 330 gold placer deposits: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 85-0213, 173 p.

---

The Top Ten Gold Producing States

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.