Moose Creek

Site Name

Primary: Moose Creek
Secondary: Big Moose Creek
Secondary: Keys
Secondary: Triple Xs

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Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Tin
Secondary: Tungsten
Secondary: Platinum
Secondary: Mercury

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Location

State: Alaska
District: Bonnifield

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Land Status

Not available

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Not available

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Ownership

Not available

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Production

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

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Physiography

Not available

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Placer Au-PGE

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Orebody

Not available

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Structure

Not available

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Alterations

Not available

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Rocks

Not available

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Cassiterite
Ore: Cinnabar
Ore: Gold
Ore: Platinum
Ore: Scheelite

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Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Moose Creek, a tributary of the Nenana River, drains an area underlain by quartz-orthoclase-sericite schist and augen gneiss of the the California Creek Member of the Totatlanika Schist (Wahrhaftig, 1970 [GQ-810]). The schist is overlain by a thick mantle of gravels. The thick deposits of high gravels that overlie the schist within the Moose Creek basin occur chiefly on the ridges and spurs between Cody, Big Moose, and Little Moose Creeks (Maddren, 1918, p. 366). The first recorded production was in 1909, when 100 ounces of gold was recovered from a gravel bench near the mouth of Little Moose Creek (Capps, 1912, p. 44). Some gold was found in the high gravels, but most gold was recovered from the stream gravels (Maddren, 1918). Concentrates contain gold, scheelite, cassiterite, cinnabar, and platinum-group metals. Mining was reported for most years from 1909 to 1940 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-622, p. 101]). In 1990 and 1991, gold was mined from both upper and lower Moose Creek (Bundtzen and others, 1991, p. 34), and mining continued until at least 1994 in upper Moose Creek. Glover (1950) reported that gold on Moose Creek is 866 to 876 fine.

Comment (Production): Production Notes = The first production was reported in 1909, when 100 ounces of gold was recovered from a gravel bench (Capps, 1912, p.44). From 1909 to 1916, the total output from the basin, including Little Moose Creek, was about $30,000 (about 1,451 ounces of gold) (Maddren, 1918). A dragline was installed in 1937, and the total output for the district increased markedly from $12,000 to $44,000 (Smith, 1939 [B 910-A, p. 55]). No information is available on production in later years.

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary placer.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Cobb, 1976 (OFR 76-662)

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Small-scale placer mining has taken place since 1909 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-662, p. 101-102]; Smith, 1941 [B 926-A, p. 50-51]). In 1925, an automatic gate was in use (Wimmler, 1925 [ATDM MR 195-8, p. 43]). A dragline plant was installed in 1937 (Smith, 1939 [B 910-A, p. 55]). In 1938, and probably other years, prospect drilling was conducted on benches (Smith, 1939 [B 917-A, p. 54]), and a one-bucket dredge began mining in 1939. In 1991, gold was mined from upper Moose Creek by Tom Faa, and Jim Roland worked his Annebelle Property on lower Moose Creek (Bundtzen and others, 1991, p. 34). In 1994, several discontinuous areas in sections 16 and 15 of upper Moose Creek were being mined. The mining was greatly contsrained by the steep valley walls, abundant boulders, and the narrow auriferous channel along the creek (Donald Grybeck, field observations, 1994).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

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

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References

Reference (Deposit): Wahrhaftig, Clyde, 1970, Geologic map of the Fairbanks A-4 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-810, 1 sheet, scale 1:63:360.

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., 1934, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1932: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 857-A, p. 1-91.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1941, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1939: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 926-A, p. 1-106.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1940: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

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): Cobb, E.H., 1975, Mineral resources of Alaska, in Yount, M.E., ed., U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Program, 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 722, p. 37.

Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T. K., Swainbank, R. C., Wood, J. E., and Clough, A. H., 1991, Alaska's mineral industry 1991: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report 46, 89 p.

Reference (Deposit): Capps, S.R., 1912, The Bonnifield region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 501, 64 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1928: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 813-A, p. 1-72.

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

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

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

Reference (Deposit): Malone, Kevin, 1962, Mercury occurrences in Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Circular 8131, 57 p.

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

Reference (Deposit): Glover, A.E., 1950, Placer gold fineness: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 195-1, 38 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral Industry of Alaska in 1940: U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

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

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-410, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

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., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.

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., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.

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., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 836-A, p. 1-83.

Reference (Deposit): Wimmler, N.L., 1925, Placer mining in Alaska in 1925: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 195-8, 118 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1928: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 813, p. 1-72.

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): Capps, S.R., 1924, Geology and mineral resources of the region traversed by the Alaska Railroad: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 755-C, p. 73-150.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1923, The Alaska mining industry in 1921: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 739, p. 1-50.

Reference (Deposit): Maddren, A.G., 1918, Gold placers near the Nenana coal field: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, p. 363-402.

Reference (Deposit): Overbeck, R.M., 1918, Lode deposits near the Nenana coal field: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662-F, p. 351-362.

Reference (Deposit): Martin, G.C., 1920, The Alaska mining industry in 1918: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 712-A, p. 1-52.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1922, The Alaska mining industry in 1920: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 722-A, p. 1-74.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1912, The Alaska mining industry in 1911, in Brooks, A.H., and others, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1911: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 17-44.

Reference (Deposit): Capps, S.R., 1911, Mineral resources of the Bonnifield region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480-H, p. 218-235.

Reference (Deposit): Hasler, J.W., Miller, M.H., and Chapman, R.M., 1973, Bismuth, in Brobst, D.A., and Pratt, W.P., eds., United States mineral resources: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 820, 722 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-662, 174 p.

Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T.K., Swainbank, R.C., Deagen, J.R., and Moore, J.L., 1991, Alaska's mineral industry 1990: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report SR 45, 100 p.

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