Twelvemile Creek Mine, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Twelvemile Creek Mine	Mine
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Twelvemile Creek is a small north tributary of the Walker Fork of the Fortymile River, located about 7 miles west of Boundary. Placer workings extend from one-half mile to one mile upstream of the mouth of Twelvemile Creek. The coordinates are the approximate midpoint of the placer workings, in section 32, T. 27 N., R. 21 E., of the Copper River Meridian; the location is accurate within 500 feet. Twelvemile Creek is locality 59 of Eberlein and others (1977) and locality 98 of Burleigh and Lear (1994). In the northeast Eagle quadrangle, Excelsior Creek (see EA032) was formerly known as Twelvemile Creek.
Geology: Bedrock along Twelvemile Creek consists of Paleozoic amphibolite-facies paragneiss, orthogneiss, amphibolite, schist, quartzite, and marble (Szumigala and others, 2002). These metamorphic units are intruded by sparse granitic pegmatite dikes of probable Jurassic age. The north-south trend of Twelvemile Creek spatially corresponds to a strong north-south-trending conductive zone in the airborne geophysical data (Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and others, 1999). This trend also follows a prominent north-south-trending, high-angle fault (Szumigala and others, 2002). Terrace-gravel benches along the north side of Walker Fork near Twelvemile Creek are present as much as 300 feet above Walker Fork and above the level of placer workings in Twelvemile Creek (Yeend, 1996). In the early 1930's, Twelvemile Creek was prospected extensively, but with little results (Powers, 1935). A bucket-type dredge operated on Walker Fork about a mile above the mouth of Twelvemile Creek from 1907 to 1909. Prospecting and possibly some mining occurred in the 1960's and 1970's on Twelvemile Creek (Eberlein and others, 1977). A small open-cut mining operation was active on Twelvemile Creek from 1982 to 1984 (Norm LaFramboise, Boundary Explorations, Inc., written commun., 2000).
Workings: In the early 1930's, Twelvemile Creek was prospected extensively, but with little results (Powers, 1935). A bucket-type dredge operated on Walker Fork about a mile above the mouth of Twelvemile Creek from 1907 to 1909. Prospecting and possibly some mining occurred in the 1960's and 1970's on Twelvemile Creek (Eberlein and others, 1977). A small open-cut mining operation was active on Twelvemile Creek from 1982 to 1984 (Norm LaFramboise, Boundary Explorations, Inc., written commun., 2000).
Age: Quaternary.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	EA153

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References