Bonanza Creek area

The Bonanza Creek area is a silver 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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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: Bonanza Creek area
Secondary: Bonanza Cr.
Secondary: Little Eldorado Cr.
Secondary: Skookum Cr.
Secondary: Coarse Money Cr.
Secondary: Snow Gulch

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Chisana

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

Gangue: Cinnabar
Gangue: Galena
Gangue: Molybdenite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Placer: stream, bench, buried channel

Comment (Production): Production Notes = Au: est. 50,000 oz 1913-1959. Production in the district was dominated by Bonanza and Little Eldorado Creeks. Production data are for entire Chisana District. Most mining was between 1913 and 1915, when about half of the district's total production took place; production since 1940 has been minor.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Attempt was made at drift mining on upper Bonanza Creek. Report of 85 ft shaft with 25 ft drift dug into old channel without discovering paying ground. Many of the gravels were frozen locally. Current condition unknown. Fineness values between 791 and 818, (reported in USGS B 989, p. 200 as assay value of 16.35 to 16.90 dollars/oz, with Au at 20.67 dollars/oz). Type of workings: chiefly surface. Intermittent mining since discovery in 1913.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Active

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Small-scale placer mining and prospecting has also taken place on Chathenda Creek and its tributaries, including an attempt at drift mining on Dry Gulch (now called Salt Creek). Production, if any, was probably not significant

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Host material is auriferous gravel. Stream, bench, and old channel gravels range from 2 to 12 ft in depth, ave. 4 to 5.5 ft. Gold in stream placers was on and in top 1 to 2.5 ft of rippable bedrock. Gravels are thin, heterogeneous, and angular with locally abundant boulders.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Moffit, 1954, USGS B 989-D, p.196-200, 203

References

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1921, The future of Alaska mining, in Martin G.C. and others, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1917: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 714, p. 5-57.

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., and Matson, N.A., 1970, Geochemical data from the Nabesna A-2 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 70-275, 12 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Moffit, F.H., 1943, Geology of the Nutzotin Mountains, Alaska, with a section on the igneous rocks, by R. C. Wayland, and Gold deposits near Nabesna, by R. C. Wayland, 1943: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-B, p. 103-199.

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., and Jones, D.L., 1973, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Nabesna A-2 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-749, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Capps, S.R., 1916, The Chisana-White River district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 630, 130 p.

Reference (Deposit): Moffit, F.H., 1954, Geology of the eastern part of the Alaska Range and adjacent area: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 989-D, p. 63-218.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1915, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1914: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 622, 238 p.

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., and Matson, N.A., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Nabesna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-422, scale 1:250,000.

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