Myrtle Creek Mine (ARDF - CH008), Koyukuk Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Myrtle Creek Mine (ARDF - CH008)	Mine
Koyukuk Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Myrtle Creek reportedly has been placer mined for approximately 6 miles above the confluence with Slate Creek. The point of reference is approximately midway along this stretch of creek (NW1/4 sec. 21, T. 28 N., R. 11 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian). Myrtle Creek is a south-flowing tributary to Slate Creek. The mouth of Myrtle Creek is approximately 5 miles southeast of Coldfoot. The lower one-quarter of the creek (about 1 1/2 to 2 miles) is in the Wiseman quadrangle, and the upper three-quarters is in the Chandalar quadrangle about 6 miles east of Coldfoot. The location is accurate within a 1/2-mile radius.
Geology: Gold was first discovered on Myrtle Creek in 1899 about 2 1/2 miles above the mouth (Maddren, 1913). The most productive ground was reported to be 2 to 3 miles above the mouth. Gold occurs in the Myrtle Creek drainage in the gravels of the present channel and in bench gravels along the lower 2 to 3 miles of the creek. The present channel was, according to Maddren (1913), 100 to 300 feet wide, although Reed (1938) puts the width at 30 to 150 feet. In general the gold was distributed across the present stream bed. The gravels were generally 2 to 4 feet thick and as much as 7 feet thick. Maddren (1913) described the gold as shot or wheat gold, although he speculated that much of the fine gold was not being recovered at the time. The gold was coarse, clean, and somewhat flattened (like melon seeds); occasional nuggets as much as about 1 oz were found. Smith (1942) reported recovery of a 23-oz nugget. The gold was said to be generally concentrated on bedrock and in crevices of the schist bedrock down to about 3 feet below the gravel/bedrock contact. Reed (1938) reported active mining in 1937 from both the present channel and from benches. In at least two locations along the creek, Reed described the gold as having both as a fine and flaky component and coarse and well-worn pieces. At one of these locations, a bench about 2 3/4 miles from the mouth, Reed also noted fine and flaky gold was present all through the gravel and coarser, worn gold (with occasional small nuggets) was on or in the top 3 feet of bedrock. The gravels are generally reported to be slabby schist with varying numbers of greenstone boulders. The bedrock was reported to be graphitic to siliceous schist and slate with at least one observable greenstone dike; this is consistent with later mapping (Brosg
Workings: Mining began on Myrtle Creek in 1899. Mining in the early days was by open cut and later by drifting, principally on the benches. Hydraulicking was begun in 1909. Nearly all evidence of the early mining had disappeared by 1937. A dragline and bulldozers were in use in the early 1950s. Gravels are thawed near the present channel but frozen near the benches. Gold fineness from three locations along the creek was reported to be about 886 from one location and 914 from the other two (Reed, 1938). Exploration activity was noted in 1984 (Eakins and others, 1985) and development activity as late as 1992 (Swainbank and others, 1993).
Age: Quaternary.
Production: Myrtle Creek has reportedly been one of the largest placer gold producers in the Koyukuk district. The total production is not known, but production through 1910 was estimated by Maddren (1913) to be $182,000. Reed (1938) reported that at least $20,000 was mined in the early days (1900-1910?) from a short section above Kelly's Pup in one summer. Values reported by Reed (1938) ranged from $1.20 to $0.35 per square foot of bedrock. The most productive part of the stream was reported by Maddren (1913) to be 2 to 3 miles above Slate Creek at the mountain front. The uppermost claims along the creek (above No. 15) were not profitable at that time. Mining has continued sporadically from 1899 until the present (1998). The most recent production from this property was noted in 1995 (Bundtzen and others, 1996).

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	CH008

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References