Lower Gold Creek Placer

The Lower Gold Creek Placer is a gold mine located in Powell county, Montana.

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

Satelite View

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: Lower Gold Creek Placer
Secondary: China Bar Placer

Commodity

Primary: Gold

Location

State: Montana
County: Powell
District: Pioneer (Gold Creek) District

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Deposit Type: Placer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1860
Discovery Year: 1852
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

General Physiographic Area: Rocky Mountain System
Physiographic Province: Northern Rocky Mountains
Physiographic Detail: Flint Creek Range

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: R
Description: Royal Stock

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Gold

Comments

Comment (Deposit): GOLD IS PRESENT IN GRAVELS AND BENCHES BUT CONTAIN MANY LARGE BOULDERS. CHINA BAR GRAVEL IS 8 FT THICK.

Comment (Deposit): THE PART OF GOLD CREEK BELOW THE MOUTH OF PIONEER CREEK HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED AS A POSSIBLE SITE FOR CONNECTED-BUCKET DREDGING. BUT THE BOULDERS MAY MAKE IT UNPROFITABLE. ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT

Comment (Production): 1867 CHINA BAR WAS PRODUCING $50/MONTH. BY USING SLUICE BOX $1.50-2.00/DAY WAS RECOVERED IN 1862.

Comment (Workings): HYDRAULIC GIANTS WERE FIRST USED IN 1871. 1860 A 30 FT SHAFT WAS SUNK BY HENRY THOMAS.

Comment (Location): CHINA BAR IS LOCATED ABOUT 1.0 MI FROM THE MOUTH OF THE CREEK ON THE EAST BANK. ; INFO FROM LAND.ST :(1958)

References

Reference (Deposit): MBMG MEM NO 26, P. 118-120, 122.

Reference (Deposit): USGS PP 78, P. 263-4.

Reference (Deposit): MBMG MEM NO 5, P. 27.

Reference (Deposit): USGS PP 610, P. 168-69.

Reference (Production): MBMG MEM 26. USGS BULL 978.

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 978, P. 69, 73, 75-77, 91, 93.

Principal Gold Districts of Montana

In Montana, 54 mining districts have each have produced more than 10,000 ounces of gold. The largest producers are Butte, Helena, Marysville, and Virginia City, each having produced more than one million ounces. Twenty seven other districts are each credited with between 100,000 and one million ounces of gold production. Read more: Principal Gold Districts of Montana.