Slate Creek Mine, Koyukuk Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Slate Creek Mine	Mine
Koyukuk Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

See also Myrtle Creek (WI150) and Slate Creek (in the Chandalar quadrangle).
Location: Slate Creek is a west-flowing tributary to the Middle Fork,Koyukuk River. The coordinates are for a site immediately downstream from the junction of Slate Creek and Myrtle Creeks. Mining on Slate Creek in the Wiseman quadrangle probably extended from near the mouth upstream to the junction with Myrtle Creek, a distance of about 7 or 8 miles. There was also mining activity on upper Slate Creek, above its junction with Myrtle Creek in the Chandalar quadrangle.
Geology: The gold in Slate Creek occurs in the modern channel and in high channels both above and below the junction with Myrtle Creek (Reed, 1938). In the modern channel from the mouth of Slate Creek upstream to the junction with Myrtle Creek, the gravels are 10 to 40 feet thick. Reed (1938) indicates that it was possible for the early miners to recover $3 to $4 per day of flour gold (approx. 0.15 - 0.20 ounce of gold) by rocking. The high channels along Slate Creek were prospected in the early 1900's, but they contained insufficient gold to justify mining. The productive portion of Slate Creek above the junction with Myrtle Creek is probably in the adjoining Chandalar quadrangle. Bedrock along Slate Creek is mica schist, slate, or phyllite containing small bodies of quartz and cut by several altered diorite dikes (Maddren, 1913). Slate Creek was mined by hand and by mechanized methods including use of a dragline (Bliss and others, 1988). There was some scattered exploration drilling. Intermittent mining continued up through at least 1993 (Bundtzen and others, 1994). Maddren (1913) reported production of $3,000 (about 150 ounces of gold) from 1900 to 1909. No information is available for later production.
Workings: Slate Creek was mined by hand and by mechanized methods including use of a dragline (Bliss and others, 1988). There was some scattered exploration drilling. Intermittent mining continued up through at least 1993 (Bundtzen and others, 1994).
Age: Quaternary.
Production: Maddren (1913) reported production of $3,000 (about 150 ounces of gold) from 1900 to 1909. No information is available for later production.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	WI149

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References