Gold Run Creek Mine, Hot Springs Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Gold Run Creek Mine	Mine
Hot Springs Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: This placer mine is at the junction of Gold Run Creek and Rhode Island Creek, on the boundary of sections 7 and 18, T. 4 N., R. 13 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The location is accurate within a quarter mile. The site is included in location 39 of Cobb (1972).
Geology: The country rocks in the area of Gold Run Creek are chiefly Mesozoic clastic sedimentary strata that are cut by thrust faults, and intruded by Cretaceous or Tertiary monzodiorite (Chapman and others, 1982; Reifenstuhl and others, 1998). Bedrock in Gold Run Creek has been described as blocky, silicic(?) schist, and slaty to schistose grit (Collier, 1903; Hess, 1908). The placer gravels range in thickness from 16 to18 feet, and consist of well-rounded clasts that include quartzite (Hess, 1908). The overlying muck is 2 feet thick. The ground is frozen and sluicing can only be done during snow melt (Collier, 1903), inasmuch as the creek flows in an open, shallow valley that is often dry (Hess, 1908). The gold occurs in a streak 150 feet wide by 1,500 feet long, both in the gravels and in the upper 3 or 4 feet of bedrock (Mertie, 1934). At least some reconcentration of gold probably took place, because Gold Run Creek cuts through the bench gravels of Shirley Bar (TN127) (Prindle and Hess, 1905). Mertie reported that the gold was light colored, shotty, and somewhat worn. Some, however, exhibited crystal faces (Hess, 1908), suggesting a proximal lode source. There thus may be two sources of the gold: one local and one distant. Purington (1905) reported that the gold was worth $16.00 per ounce when refined gold returned $20.67 per ounce. Mining in Gold Run Creek started around 1900 and continued sporadically, probably until the 1930's. Mertie (1934) reported that the early diggings had been mined out. According to Cobb (1977), total production through 1938 was estimated at nearly 10,000 ounces of gold. Archie Pringle held active mining claims and may have mined in 1967 (Heiner and others, 1968).
Workings: Mining on Gold Run Creek began in the winter of 1900-01. Mertie (1934) reported that it had been drift mined from one end to the other by 1931. Archie Pringle held active mining claims and may have mined in 1967 (Heiner and others, 1968).
Age: Quaternary.
Production: Approximately $200,000 worth of gold was produced from Gold Run Creek through 1931 (Mertie, 1934), estimated by Cobb (1977) to be nearly 10,000 ounces of gold. Production rate was low due to the lack of water for sluicing, which could only be done during breakup.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	TN126

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References