Nugget Creek

Site Name

Primary: Nugget Creek
Secondary: Nugget Bench High Channel

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Commodity

Primary: Gold
Secondary: Tungsten
Secondary: Tin

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Location

State: Alaska
District: Yentna

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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

Alteration Text: Argillic alteration is locally associated with the white quartz conglomerate (Clark and Hawley, 1968).

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Rocks

Not available

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Cassiterite
Gangue: Garnet
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Zircon

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Comments

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

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Both Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits and Tertiary conglomeratic units have been mined on Nugget Creek. Glaciofluvial deposits similar to Nugget Creek can be found on Windy Creek (TL027) and Bird Creek (TL040). Older Tertiary conglomeratic units probably represent southwest flowing drainages similar to those in Thunder (TL032, 058), Falls (TL030), Dollar (TL031) and Willow (TL042) Creeks. Gold was reconcentrated from these older Tertiary channels into the modern Cache Creek drainage (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). Also see Cache Creek (TL029).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Both Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits and Tertiary conglomeratic (white quartz-breccia, Clark and Hawley, 1968) units have been mined on Nugget Creek. The area is underlain by the Sterling Formation (Tps), the upper member of the Tertiary Kenai Group, and Mesozoic argillite (KJs) (Reed and Nelson, 1980). Quaternary auriferous stream gravels from 6 to 8 feet deep and bench gravels 1 to 6 feet deep above the Sterling Formation have been mined (Clark and Hawley, 1968, p. 11). The Nugget Bench High Channel cuts down through the Tertiary formations into the underlying Mesozoic argillite (KJs) exposing the Tertiary conglomerate/white quartz breccia deposits. The channel slopes away from present drainage direction and bedrock drains have been cut to Nugget Creek where it has been mined for 1000 feet along a northeast-southwest trend across Nugget Creek (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc.,1978). The channel can be projected magnetically for 400 feet beyond the mined section (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). The gold fineness ranges from 860 to 864 and averages 861 (Clark and Hawley, 1968). C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978) report that as much as 30,000 ounces of placer gold may have been produced from the Nugget Bench deposits. In late 1907 grades were about $3 per bedrock foot. Hawley and Clark (1973, p. A6) note that the highest grade lode deposits in Yentna district are located at the Nugget Creek, the Colby (TL037), Bird (TL040) prospects. Glaciofluvial deposits similar to Nugget Creek can be found on Windy Creek (TL027) and Bird Creek (TL040). Older Tertiary conglomeratic (white quartz breccia, Clark and Hawley, 1968) units probably represent southwest flowing drainages similar to those in Thunder (TL032, 058), Falls (TL030), Dollar (TL031) and Willow (TL042) Creeks. Gold was reconcentrated from these older Tertiary channels into the modern Cache Creek drainage (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). Also see Cache Creek (TL029).

Comment (Production): Production Notes = C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978) report that as much as 30,000 ounces of gold may have been produced from these deposits. In late 1907 grades were about $3 per bedrock foot.

Comment (Geology): Age = Pleistocene and Tertiary (Clark and Hawley,1968).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Clark and Hawley, 1968

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Nugget Bench High Channel has been mined by conventional placer methods for 1000 feet along a northeast-southwest trend across Nugget Creek.

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References

Reference (Deposit): Paige, Sidney, and Knopf, Adolph, 1907, Reconnaissance in the Matanuska and Talkeetna basins, Alaska, with notes on the placers of the adjacent regions: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314-F, p. 104-125.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64.

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): Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797, p. 1-50.

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., 1918, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1916: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, 469 p.

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

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

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

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1913, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1912: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, 308 p.

Reference (Deposit): MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1977, Map showing metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous mineral deposits in the eastern part of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-169-A, 99 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1914, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1913: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592, p. 340-341.

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1919, Platinum-bearing gold placers of the Kahiltna Valley: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692-D, p. 233-264.

Reference (Deposit): Clark, A.L., and Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Talkeetna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-369, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

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

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

Reference (Deposit): Capps, S.R., 1913, The Yentna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 534, 75 p.

Reference (Deposit): Reed, B.L., and Nelson, S.W., 1980, Geologic map of the Talkeetna quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-1174, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978, Mineral appraisal of lands adjacent to Mt. McKinley National Park, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 24-78, 275 p., 7 plates.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., and Reed, B.L., 1980, Summaries of data and lists of reference to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Talkeetna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-884, 106 p.

Reference (Deposit): Reed, B.L., Nelson, S.W., Curtin, G.C., and Singer, D.A., 1978, Mineral resources map of the Talkeetna Quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-870-D, 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): 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., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1938: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 917-A, p. 1-113.

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

Reference (Deposit): Robinson, G. D., Wedow, Helmuth, Jr., and Lyon, J. B., 1955, Radioactivity investigations in the Cache Creek area, Yentna district, Alaska 1945: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1024-A, p. 1-23.

Reference (Deposit): Clark, A.L., and Hawley, C.C., 1968, Reconnaissance geology, mineral occurrences, and geochemical anomalies of the Yentna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 68-35, 64 p.

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., 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 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.

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

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