Bluestone River Mine, Port Clarence Mining District, Nome Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Bluestone River Mine	Mine
Port Clarence Mining District	Mining District
Nome Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Bluestone River is a north-flowing stream whose mouth is on the south shore of Tuksuk Channel, 11 miles southeast of Teller. Sainsbury and others (1969) mapped placer mining operations along 1.25 miles of the main drainage at surface elevations between 95 and 145 feet. Cobb and Sainsbury (1972) show another area of operations 0.5 miles north of those mapped by Sainsbury and others (1969). These are localities 83 and 84 of Cobb and Sainsbury (1972). Other locations of placer mining further upstream on Bluestone River are parts of tributary mining locations (Gold Run, TE094 and Skookum Creeks, TE093; Sainsbury and others, 1969). Cobb (1975) summarized relevant references under the name 'Bluestone R.'.
Geology: Bedrock in the Bluestone River drainage is mostly a metapelitic sequence with local metamorphosed mafic intrusive bodies (Sainsbury, 1972). South and east tributaries to the Bluestone River, such as Gold Run Creek, have bedrock assemblages that include chlorite schist, some amphibolite, and metamorphosed mafic intrusive bodies. In places, the retrograded greenschist facies mafic bodies preserve remnant blueschist facies minerals. The ages of these assemblages are not known but they are probably Paleozoic. Sainsbury and others (1969) mapped placer mining operations along 1.25 miles of the main drainage at surface elevations between 95 and 145 feet. Cobb and Sainsbury (1972) show another area of operations 0.5 miles north (downstream) of those mapped by Sainsbury and others (1969). Other locations of placer mining further upstream on Bluestone River are parts of tributary mining locations (Gold Run and Skookum Creeks; Sainsbury and others, 1969). The placer deposits below elevations of 145 feet are low enough to have potentially been affected by shoreline marine trangressions at times of Quaternary high sea level stands. Gold occurs on benches as well as the main drainage. Most of the gold is fine but some nuggets were present (Collier and others, 1908). Smith (1909) reports that one nugget worth $72 (1908) was recovered. The upper one foot of bedrock contributed to pay. Sainsbury (1972, p. 3) reports that cinnabar and some platinum-group metals are present in auriferous gravels of the Bluestone River.
Workings: Sainsbury and others (1969) mapped placer mining operations along 1.25 miles of the main drainage at surface elevations between 95 and 145 feet. Cobb and Sainsbury (1972) show another area of operations 0.5 miles north (downstream) of those mapped by Sainsbury and others (1969). Other locations of placer mining further upstream on Bluestone River are parts of tributary mining locations (Gold Run and Skookum Creeks; Sainsbury and others, 1969).
Age: Quaternary
Production: Not known
Reserves: Not defined

Commodities (Major) - Au; (Minor) - Hg, platinum-group metals
Development Status: Yes
Deposit Model: Alluvial Au placer (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a)

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	TE092

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References