Colorado Creek Mines, Circle Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Colorado Creek Mines	Group of Mines
Circle Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

See also Coal Creek (CY006) and Boulder Creek (CY004). This site is within the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve.
Location: Colorado Creek is a northeast-flowing tributary of Coal Creek, which is a northeast-flowing tributary of the Yukon River. Colorado Creek joins Coal Creek just south of the major placer activity on Coal Creek (CY006). Colorado Creek is about 7 miles long; coordinates for the mines have been arbitrarily placed at the approximate midpoint of the creek, in the NE1/4 section 19, T. 5 N., R. 22 E., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The exact location along Colorado Creek where mining was conducted is uncertain, although the lower section of Colorado Creek seems most likely. The location is accurate to within 4 miles.
Geology: In 1905, Colorado Creek was the location of most mining activity in the Coal Creek valley (Prindle, 1906). There is an unconfirmed report of the discovery of a galena-bearing quartz vein (Brooks, 1907). The exact location along Colorado Creek where mining was conducted is uncertain, although the lower Colorado Creek seems most likely. The bedrock at the head of Colorado Creek is Paleozoic phyllitic argillite. The creek crosses a fault, and the lower portion of the creek flows over Tertiary to Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Dover and Miyaoka, 1988). As at Fourth of July Creek (CY015), Coal Creek (CY006), and Woodchopper Creek (CY038), the source of gold is probably gravels derived from Tertiary conglomerate. Mining took place along Colorado Creek intermittently between 1905 and 1946. Nuggets as large as half an ounce were found. The reported production from Colorado Creek in 1946 was 49 troy ounces of gold and 1 troy ounce of silver (National Park Service, 1990).
Workings: Mining took place along Colorado Creek intermittently between 1905 and 1946. Nuggets as large as half an ounce were found (National Park Service, 1990).
Age: Quaternary?
Production: The reported production from Colorado Creek in 1946 was 49 troy ounces of gold and 1 troy ounce of silver (National Park Service, 1990).

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	CY007

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References