Ash Creek Occurrence, Melozitna Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Ash Creek Occurrence	Occurrence
Melozitna Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: The site of the Ash Creek placer occurrence is on Ash Creek near its junction with Tozimoran Creek. It is in the southeast quarter of section 1, T. 6 N., R. 26 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The site corresponds to location 3 in the Tanana quadrangle in Eberlein and others (1977), and is also referred to by Cobb (1977).
Geology: The country rocks in the area of this occurrence include Paleozoic limestone, chert, quartzite, phyllite, and schist (Chapman and others, 1982). Cretaceous granite crops out north and west of Moran Dome. Ash Creek and nearby creeks were prospected following the discovery of gold in Tozimoran Creek (TN022) around 1902 (Chapman and others, 1963). Placer gold was also reported in those creeks. A 12-foot-deep shaft dug by the U.S. Bureau of Mines near the mouth of Ash Creek exposed 12.4 cubic feet of frozen coarse gravel containing 120 grams of cassiterite and 91.29 mg of gold (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4323]). In 1952, the U.S. Bureau of Mines drilled five holes in the Ash Creek placer (Chapman and others, 1963). The work consisted of two two-hole fences and a single hole. The fences were 1,000 feet apart, and the single hole was 1,200 feet from the fences. A total of 5.529 grams of cassiterite were recovered from a total of 190.35 grams of sample [representing] all of the holes. This value, compared to the results of drilling on Tozimoran Creek (TN022) above Ash Creek, shows that Ash Creek contains more cassiterite. However, the bedrock source of the gold and cassiterite is unknown.
Workings: Ash Creek was prospected for gold around 1900. A 12-foot-deep shaft dug by the U.S. Bureau of Mines near the mouth of Ash Creek exposed 12.4 cubic feet of frozen coarse gravel containing 120 grams of cassiterite and 91.29 mg of gold (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4323]). In 1952, the U.S. Bureau of Mines drilled 5 holes on Ash Creek (Chapman and others, 1963). These holes ranged from 13 to 20.5 feet in depth, and yielded a total of 5.529 grams of cassiterite ('tin') in 190.35 grams of sample. No values are given for gold.
Age: Quaternary.

Commodities (Major) - Au, Sn
Development Status: No
Deposit Model: Placer Au(-Sn) (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	TN020

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References