Green Gulch; Irish Hill; Washington Creek Mine, Nome Mining District, Nome Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Green Gulch; Irish Hill; Washington Creek Mine	Mine
Nome Mining District	Mining District
Nome Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Green Gulch was a productive placer mine within a large area of auriferous gravel southwest of Washington Creek (NM128) just south of the Nome-Teller road and on the southside of the Sinuk River site (NM120). The location given is on Green Gulch, an east tributary to Sinuk River; it marks both the Green Gulch placer mine and a general location for the widespread auriferous bench gravels shown by Collier and others (1908, plate X). Bench gravels were also reported to occur flanking the west side hill 1300 (Irish Hill) of Collier and others (1908, p. 216, plate X) south of Green Gulch. This hill is elevation 1335 of the current U.S. Geological Survey Nome C-2 quadrangle. Apparently there is no active mining now, but the gravel benches may have been staked as the Volkheimer-Williams claims in 1969 (Heiner and Porter, 1972, Kardex site Kx 52-308). Green Gulch is locality 61 of Cobb (1972 [MF 463]); Cobb (1978 [OFR 78-93]) referred to this locality as 'Washington Ck.'.
Geology: An extensive area of auriferous bench gravel was mapped by Collier and others (1908, plate X) west of Washington Creek (NM128) extending south along the west flank of hill 1335. The auriferous area merges with the Sinuk River valley (NM120). Collier and others (1908) reported that good prospects, including recovery of a 0.5-ounce nugget, were found in the bench gravels. Placer gold in Green Gulch could have been reworked from the auriferous bench gravels. Sainsbury and others (1972 [OFR 72-321]) mapped bedrock on hill 1335 as mainly chloritic schist with some marble.
Workings: The area was known as auriferous by 1903. Some claim activity was reported as recently as 1969 when 23 claims were located (Heiner and Porter, 1972, Kardex site Kx 52-308). Their location is very approximate but appears to be near Irish Hill (hill 1335).
Age: Quaternary; gravels of the active Green Gulch are Holocene.
Production: Minor production.
Reserves: Large areas of low-grade, gold-bearing gravels may be present in the area.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	NM127

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References