Union Gulch; Union Creek Mine, Koyukuk Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

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

Location: Union Gulch flows east and southeast off the southeast side of Midnight Dome; it is about 3 miles north of Wiseman. Maddren (1913) noted that placer gold deposits on this creek were limited to about one claim but he did not specify the exact location of this claim. Eden (2000) indicates that the placer gold deposits were about 0.8 mile upstream from the mouth of Union Gulch, which is at an elevation of about 1,300 feet. The location is accurate within one-half mile.
Geology: Placer gold deposits on Union Gulch are limited to the modern stream channel (Reed, 1938). Gold was discovered in 1901 when a 32 ounce nugget was recovered. Maddren (1913) reported $35,000 of gold (about 1850 oz.) produced from 1900 through 1909, with $30,000 of that produced in 1902. Mining was reported in 1934 and 1937, but Mulligan (1974) indicated that the property was inactive as of 1974. Bliss and others (1986) reported some mining activity from 1980 to 1982 and Szumigala and Swainbank (1999) reported production from Union Gulch in 1998. The gold is coarse and at a shallow depth (Heiner and Wolff, 1968). Three, panned-concentrate samples from Union Gulch contained abundant magnetite, some sulfides, and one very fine gold particle (Kurtak and others, 1999). All of these panned-concentrate samples were geochemically anomalous in gold (Kurtak and others, 1999). The rocks in the area consist of quartzite, quartz-mica schist and phyllite (Eden, 2000). Maddren (1913) reported $35,000 of gold about 1,850 oz.) produced from 1900 through 1909, with $30,000 of that produced in 1902. Mining was reported in 1934 and 1937, but Mulligan (1974) indicated that the property was inactive as of 1974. Bliss and others (1986) reported some mining activity from 1980 to 1982 and Szumigala and Swainbank (1999) reported production from Union Gulch in 1998.
Workings: Maddren (1913) reported $35,000 of gold about 1,850 oz.) produced from 1900 through 1909, with $30,000 of that produced in 1902. Mining was reported in 1934 and 1937, but Mulligan (1974) indicated that the property was inactive as of 1974. Bliss and others (1986) reported some mining activity from 1980 to 1982 and Szumigala and Swainbank (1999) reported production from Union Gulch in 1998.
Age: Quaternary.
Production: Maddren (1913) reported $35,000 (about 1,850 oz.) of gold produced from 1900 through 1909 with $30,000 of that produced in 1902. Mining was reported in 1934 and 1937, but Mulligan (1974) indicated that the property was inactive as of 1974. Bliss and others (1986) reported some mining activity from 1980 to 1982 and Szumigala and Swainbank (1999) reported production from Union Gulch in 1998.

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

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	WI098

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References