Idaho Bar Mine, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Idaho Bar Mine	Mine
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: This site represents an area of placer mining on Idaho Bar, the upland between Hunter and Little Minook creeks. Placer prospecting and mining have been described on the south slopes of Idaho Bar near Little Minook Creek, extending into the adjacent Livengood quadrangle (Freeman and Schaefer, 1999 [LG186]). For this record, the site is on a small tributary of Little Minook Creek, known locally as Pup 8, in the southwest quarter of section 3, T. 7 N., R. 12 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The location is accurate within 1000 feet. This site roughly corresponds with the site for Idaho Bar, U.S. Bureau of Land Management MAS number 0020480074.
Geology: Bedrock, poorly exposed in the Idaho Bar area, consists of volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Triassic to Mississippian, Rampart Group (Reifenstuhl and others, 1997 [RI 97-15a]). The sedimentary rocks include argillite, phyllitic argillite, volcaniclastic rocks, chert, and impure limestone. Tertiary rhyolite flows or domes are on the western slopes of Idaho Bar and Minook Creek, and on the northern slopes of Hunter Creek. Coarse and shotty gold occurs in Pliocene(?) gravels about 1,000 feet higher in elevation than the mouth of Little Minook Creek (Mertie, 1934). The coarse gravels contain quartzite, quartzite breccia, vein quartz, and chert (Prindle and Hess, 1905). Boulders 2 to 3 feet in diameter are common. Heavy minerals include ilmenite, hematite, and magnetite (Mertie, 1934). Although there was not enough water for large-scale mining, prospecting occurred in 1913, the late 1920's, and the 1930's (Wimmler, 1926; Mertie, 1934; Smith, 1934; Smith, 1936; Smith, 1937). Sporadic mining at Idaho Bar took place from 1953 through 1989 (Alaska Kardex files). Idaho Bar Mining Co., operated by Ace Parker and Kosta Melinkoff, began a new operation in 1962 on Idaho Bar (Saunders, 1962). Their preparatory work included planning to pump water for mining from the upper part of Little Minook Creek. Stripping overburden and mining with a bulldozer occurred in 1972 and 1973 (Alaska Kardex files). Resource Associates of Alaska, Inc. (RAA) trenched and sampled in 1981, and stripped, mined, and tested the gold content of the gravels in 1984.
Workings: Although there was not enough water for large-scale mining, prospecting occurred in 1913, the late 1920's, and the 1930's (Wimmler, 1926; Mertie, 1934; Smith, 1934; Smith, 1936; Smith, 1937). Sporadic mining at Idaho Bar took place from 1953 through 1989 (Alaska Kardex files). Idaho Bar Mining Co., operated by Ace Parker and Kosta Melinkoff, began a new operation in 1962 on Idaho Bar (Saunders, 1962). Their preparatory work included planning to pump water for mining from the upper part of Little Minook Creek. Stripping overburden and mining with a bulldozer occurred in 1972 and 1973 (Alaska Kardex files). Resource Associates of Alaska, Inc. (RAA) trenched and sampled in 1981, and stripped, mined, and tested the gold content of the gravels in 1984.
Age: Pliocene?

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

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Link to USGS - Alaska:	TN068

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References