American Creek; Game Creek Mine, Council Mining District, Nome Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
American Creek; Game Creek Mine	Mine
Council Mining District	Mining District
Nome Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: American Creek is the farthest-northwest headwater tributary of the Niukluk River. This location is at the mouth of Game Creek; placer mining occurred for about 0.5 miles up Game Creek and extends for about 0.3 miles on American Creek downstream from the mouth of Game Creek . This is locality 48 of Cobb (1972, MF 445; 1978, OF 78-181). However, the base map used by Cobb (1972, MF 445) appears to have mislocated and mislabeled Game Creek. The locations for Game Creek and Auburn Creek (SO087) shown on on more recent 1:250,000 and 1:63,360 scale topographic maps matches the original descriptions and is used here.
Geology: Very little is known about the mining at this location on American Creek. A dredge operated here in 1940 (Smith, 1942) but subsequent work is not reported. The Solomon D-5 topographic map shows about 0.3 miles of placer tailings on American Creek and Sainsbury and others (1972, OFR 511) show about 0.5 miles of tailings on Game Creek. Game Creek heads across a 825 foot-divide to the headwaters of Goose Creek (SO072 and SO085). Bedrock in this area is primarily pelitic schist of possible Cambrian or Precambrian age (Till and others, 1986).
Workings: Dredge tailings are present over the lower 0.3 miles of Game Creek and about 0.3 miles of American Creek downstream from the mouth of Game Creek. There is little information available but a dredge operated in 1940.
Age: Quaternary.

Commodities (Major) - Au
Development Status: Yes; small
Deposit Model: Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	SO086

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References