Ophir Creek

The Ophir Creek 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

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Site Name

Primary: Ophir Creek

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Silver

Location

State: Alaska
District: Innoko

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: Gold
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

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

Comment (Exploration): Status = Active?

Comment (Production): Production Notes = The estimated production from Ophir Creek from 1908 to1961 is 66,489 ounces of gold and 7,004 ounces of silver. Production figures for more recent mining from 1978 to 1985 are unknown (Bundtzen and others, 1987).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Gold was discovered on Ophir Creek in 1908, and mining occurred nearly continuously until 1940 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-576]). By 1914, the creek was one of the chief gold-producing streams in the area, and 8 mines were operating (Eakin, 1914; Brooks, 1915). Drifting, draglines, and hydraulicking were all used to recover the gold. In 1950, at least one person was mining along Ophir Creek (Williams, 1950). Mining is also reported during 1959, but the operator at that time planned to move to the Ruby district in 1960 (Saunders, 1960). More recent exploration or mining is probable but not documented.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Cobb, 1976 (OFR 76-576)

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Bedrock in the vicinity of Ophir Creek consists of shale and siltstone (Chapman and others, 1985). The creek also drains small monzonite intrusive bodies, and igneous rock pebbles and cobbles are reported in the stream gravels (Mertie, 1936). Some vein quartz is also reported in the gravels (Mertie, 1936). Most of the gold on Ophir Creek is in crevices in the top 2 to 5 feet of bedrock (Maddren, 1910). The gold is coarse with many nuggets. It also occurs in bench and stream gravels (Maddren, 1910; Maddren, 1911). In 1933, one claim on Ophir Creek averaged $7 to 8 per square foot of bedrock. Nuggets as large as 14 ounces have been recovered (Mertie, 1936). The gold averages 898 fine (Smith, 1941). Heavy minerals in pan concentrates include magnetite, ilmenite, edenite, zircon, rutile, orthoferrosilite, and pyrite (Bundtzen and others, 1987). The likely source of the gold is nearby rhyolite dikes and monzonite plutons (Bundtzen and others, 1987). Gold was discovered on Ophir Creek in 1908, and mining occurred nearly continuously until 1940 (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-576]). In 1950, at least one person was mining along Ophir Creek (Williams, 1950). Mining is also reported during 1959, but the operator at that time planned to move to the Ruby district in 1960 (Saunders, 1960). More recent exploration or mining is probable but not documented. The estimated production from Ophir Creek from 1908 to1961 is 66,489 ounces of gold and 7,004 ounces of silver. Production figures for more recent mining from 1978 to 1985 are unknown (Bundtzen and others, 1987).

Comment (Geology): Age = Quaternary. The likely source of placer gold at Ophir Creek is nearby Cretaceous or Tertiary rhyolite dikes and monzonite plutons (Bundtzen and others, 1987).

References

Reference (Deposit): Maddren, A.G., 1910, The Innoko gold-placer district, Alaska, with accounts of the central Kuskokwim valley and the Ruby Creek and Gold Hill placers: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 410, 87 p.

Reference (Deposit): Saunders, R.H., 1960, Itinerary report on a trip to the Flat and Ophir Districts: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Itinerary Report 64-2, 15 p.

Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T.K., Green, C.B., Deagen, J., and Daniels, C.L., 1987, Alaska's mineral industry, 1986: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Special Report 40, 68 p.

Reference (Deposit): Chapman, R.M., Patton, W.W., and Moll, E.J., 1985, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Ophir quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 85-203, 1 sheet, 1:250,000 scale.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction material) in the Iditarod and Ophir quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-576, 101 p.

Reference (Deposit): Eakin, H.M., 1914, The Iditarod-Ruby region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 578, 45 p.

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

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1936, Mineral deposits of the Ruby-Kuskokwim region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-C, 115-245.

Reference (Deposit): Williams, J.A., 1950, Mining operations in the Fairbanks district and Innoko and Koyukuk precincts: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 194-13, 20 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Ophir quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-367, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Maddren, A.G., 1909, Gold placers of the Innoko district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379, p. 238-266.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1910, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1909: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442, 426 p.

Reference (Deposit): Maddren, A.G., 1911, Gold placer mining developments in the Innoko-Iditarod region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, p. 236-270.

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.

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