Squaw Gulch Mine, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Squaw Gulch Mine	Mine
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Squaw Gulch is a tributary of Canyon Creek about 5 miles northwest of Boundary. Placer workings extend for most of the lower 4 miles of Squaw Gulch. The coordinates are located about 2 miles upstream of the mouth of the creek, in section 12, T. 27 N., R. 21 E., of the Copper River Meridian; the location is accurate. Squaw Gulch is locality 73 of Cobb (1972 [MF-393]), locality 56 of Eberlein and others (1977), and locality 104 of Burleigh and Lear (1994).
Geology: The rocks in the vicinity of Squaw Gulch are Paleozoic amphibolite-facies paragneiss, orthogneiss, amphibolite, quartzite, schist, and marble (Szumigala and others, 2002) that have been intruded by numerous granitic and pegmatite dikes of probable Jurassic age. There has been extensive high-angle faulting of these units. Tertiary conglomerate with sparse interbedded sandstone crops out along the lower mile of Baby Creek and in a small area along Kal Creek in the valley of Squaw Gulch. Gravel in Squaw Gulch is subrounded to angular, with some boulders of well-rounded quartz as much as 1.6 feet in diameter (Yeend, 1996). There is a large proportion of boulders relative to gravel in Squaw Gulch, particularly toward the mouth. Three to ten feet of gravel is generally present on fractured, somewhat weathered, clay-rich bedrock. Some clay-rich false bedrock horizons in the gravels contain gold. The gravel averages 8 feet thick, and gold is found in the lower 1.5 feet of gravel over widths as much as 50 feet (Prindle, 1905). Gold generally occurs as small flat pieces, but is in many places mixed with thin flakey gold. Coarse pieces are occasionally found, including nuggets worth as much as $43 (gold at $20.67 per ounce) (Prindle, 1909). Smith (1941 [B 910-C]) reported assays of two gold samples from Squaw Gulch that averaged 843.5 parts of gold per thousand. Metz and Hawkins (1981) also reported a fineness value of 866 parts of gold per thousand. Placer gold has been produced on nearby Canyon Creek (EA143), and Baby Creek (EA148) and Kal Creek (EA146). Squaw Gulch was the most important placer gold-bearing tributary of Canyon Creek (Prindle, 1905). As of 1903, the best gold grades averaged as much as $2 (agod at $20.67 per ounce) per cubic yard of gravel, and the creek produced a few thousand dollars worth of gold. Prindle (1908) included Squaw Gulch in production statistics for the Canyon Creek drainage; the streams produced 447 fine ounces of gold from 1904 to 1907. Small-scale mining and production occurred on Squaw Gulch between 1904 and 1907 (Prindle, 1908) and intermittently from 1910 to 1936. In 1912, Squaw Gulch was being mined by drifting just above Baby Creek, and a steam scraper and sluice boxes were used just below Baby Creek (Ellsworth and Davenport, 1913). In the latter operation, about 11,520 square feet of bedrock was mined with satisfactory returns. A small open-cut mining operation was active on Squaw Gulch intermittently from 1980 to 2000 (Swainbank and others, 1991; Swainbank and others, 1993; Yeend, 1996).
Workings: Small-scale mining and production occurred on Squaw Gulch between 1903 and 1907, and intermittently from 1910 to 1936. In 1912 Squaw Gulch was being mined by drifting just above Baby Creek, and a steam scraper and sluice boxes were used just below Baby Creek (Ellsworth and Davenport, 1913). In the latter operation, about 11,520 square feet of bedrock was mined with satisfactory returns. A small open-cut mining operation was active on Squaw Gulch intermittently from 1980 to 2000 (Swainbank and others, 1991; Swainbank and others, 1993; Yeend, 1996).
Age: Quaternary.
Production: Smith (1941 [B 910-C]) reported assays of 2 gold samples from Squaw Gulch that averaged 843.5 parts of gold per thousand. Metz and Hawkins (1981) also reported a fineness of 866 parts of gold per thousand. Placer gold has been produced on nearby Canyon Creek (EA143), Baby Creek (EA148), and Kal Creek (EA146). Squaw Gulch was the most important placer gold-bearing tributary of Canyon Creek (Prindle, 1905). As of 1903, the best gold grades averaged as much as $2 (gold at $20.67 per ounce) per cubic yard of gravel, and the creek produced a few thousand dollars worth of gold. Prindle (1908) included Squaw Gulch in production statistics for the Canyon Creek drainage; the streams produced 447 fine ounces of gold from 1904 to 1907.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	EA147

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References