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Tenderfoot Creek

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Lead
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  9. Nearby scientific data
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Links to other databases
  13. Bibliographic references
  14. General comments
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10001712
MRDS ID A012496
Record type Site
Current site name Tenderfoot Creek
Related records 10281633

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -146.23284, 64.27468 (WGS84)
Relative position Tenderfoot Creek drains southeast into the Tanana River, approximately 4.5 miles east of the town of Richardson on the Richardson Highway. The creek is approximately 6 miles long and has several small tributaries. Placer workings are found from its mouth on the Tanana River to about 4 miles upstream (Chapin, 1914). The approximate center of the mining activity is in SW1/4SE1/4 section 30, T. 8 S., R. 8 E., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The Richardson Highway follows the creek for several miles. Numerous unimproved roads provide access to the Tenderfoot Creek drainage. It is locality 14 of Cobb and Eberlein (1980) who summarized relevant references under the name 'Tenderfoot Creek'.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Southeast Fairbanks(Census area)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Big Delta B-5(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Big Delta SW(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Big Delta(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Lead Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Gold Ore

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 119
USGS model code 39a
Deposit model name Placer Au-PGE
Mark3 model number 54

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Quartzite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Gravel
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Schist
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Schist > Mica Schist

Nearby scientific data

(1) -146.23284, 64.27468
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The Richardson area is characterized by gentle slopes and broad, alluvium-filled valleys (Prindle and Katz, 1913, p. 140). The area is unglaciated and largely overlain by windblown silt, sand, and loess, locally up to 50 meters thick (Foster and others, 1979). The bedrock in the region comprises greenschist to amphibolite facies schist, marble, and gneiss that have been intruded by various igneous bodies (Bundtzen and Reger, 1977, p. 29). The schist and marble are probably Paleozoic, and the gneiss has a probable protolith of Precambrian and Paleozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks (Weber and others, 1978). The intrusive bodies in the area range in composition from rhyolite to andesite. Fine-grained rhyolite containing quartz and feldspar phenocrysts is common throughout the area (Olson and others, 1985). At the nearby Democrat Lode (BD014), the rhyolite contains arsenopyrite, gold, and pyrite, and is albitic, clay, and sericite altered (R.J. Newberry, oral communication, 1998). Structurally, the Richardson region is cut by a northwest-trending fracture system termed the Richardson Lineament. The lineament appears to correspond with the distribution of the rhyolite and other intrusive bodies and placer gold deposits (Bundtzen and Reger, 1977, p. 29). Also, the lineament tends to separate gneissic rocks to the northeast from schistose rocks to the southwest (Swainbank and others, 1984). ? Tenderfoot Creek has been the largest gold producer in the Richardson district. However, the gold from Tenderfoot Creek is the lowest grade of any in the Yukon region (Chapin, 1914). Bundtzen and Reger (1977) reported a gold fineness of 670 for Tenderfoot Creek. Metz and Hawkins (1981) reported the average gold fineness to be 901. Glover (1920?) reported a range in gold fineness of 622 to 735 for Tenderfoot Creek. Mining operations occurred in the lower 4 miles of the creek. The alluvium ranges from 30 feet in thickness at the head of the creek to 155 feet near the mouth (Chapin, 1914). Pan concentrates contain amphibole, clinopyroxene, feldspar, garnet, gold, ilmenite, magnetite, quartz, sphene, and zircon (Bundtzen and Reger, 1977). Chapin (1914) reports that a piece of gold-bearing galena float was recovered during mining operations. However, the bedrock source was not found.? Placer gold was first discovered in the Richardson district in 1905. Mining initially occurred on Tenderfoot Creek and expanded to nearby Banner Creek (BD001) and associated tributaries. Because the depth to bedrock in the drainage is 30 to 155 feet, early mining on Tenderfoot Creek was largely by drifting methods (Ellsworth and Parker, 1911). In recent years, surface mining, utilizing earth moving equipment, has taken place in the upper portions of Tenderfoot Creek. After peak gold production in 1908, mining in the area declined (Olson and others, 1985). From 1905 through 1921, production for the Richardson district was approximately 95,000 ounces of gold and 24,000 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and Reger, 1977). Since 1980, the district has produced approximately 10,000 additional ounces of gold from intermittent mining (Olson and others, 1985). Production figures specifically for Tenderfoot Creek are not available, but it has been one of the major producers in the district.
  • Age = Quaternary

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Fairbanks

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = After peak gold production in 1908, mining in the area declined (Olson and others, 1985). From 1905 through 1921, production for the Richardson district was approximately 95,000 ounces of gold and 24,000 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and Reger, 1977). Since 1980, the district has produced approximately 10,000 additional ounces of gold from intermittent mining (Olson and others, 1985). Production figures specifically for Tenderfoot Creek are not available, but it has been one of the major producers in the district.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Placer gold was first discovered in the Richardson district in 1905. Mining initially occurred on Tenderfoot Creek and expanded to nearby Banner Creek (BD001) and associated tributaries. Because the depth to bedrock in the drainage is 30 to 155 feet, early mining on Tenderfoot Creek was largely by drifting methods (Ellsworth and Parker, 1911). In recent years, surface mining, utilizing earth moving equipment, has taken place in the upper portions of Tenderfoot Creek.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Ellsworth, C.E., and Parker, G.L., 1911, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, 325 p.

  • Deposit

    Prindle, L.M., and Katz, F.J., 1913, Detailed description of the Fairbanks district, in Prindle, L. M., A geologic reconnaissance of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 525, p. 59-152.

  • Deposit

    Saunders, R.H., 1965, A geochemical investigation in the Richardson area, Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geochemical Report 3, 11 p.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., and Reger, R.D., 1977, The Richardson lineament-a structural control for gold deposits in the Richardson mining district, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Geologic Report 55, 46 p.

  • Deposit

    Eberlein, G.D., Chapman, R.M., Foster, H.L., and Gassaway, J.S., 1977, Map and table describing known metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous mineral deposits in central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-168-D, 132 p., 1 map, scale 1:1,000,000.

  • Deposit

    Weber, F.R., Foster, H.L., Keith, T.E.C., Dusel-Bacon, C., 1978, Preliminary geologic map of the Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-529A, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Menzie, W.D., and Foster, H.L., 1979, Metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous mineral resource potential in the Big Delta quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-529D, 61 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., and Eberlein, G.D., 1980, Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Big Delta and Tanacross quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-1086, 77 p.

  • Deposit

    Metz, P.A., and Hawkins, D.B., 1981, A summary of gold fineness values from Alaska placer deposits: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Mineral Industry Research Laboratory Report No. 45, 63 p.

  • Deposit

    Swainbank, R.C., Burton, J.P., and Metz, P.A., 1984, Bedrock geology of the Richardson mining district, Alaska: University of Alaska, Mineral Industry Research Laboratory Open-File Report 84-2, 60 p., 8 maps, scale 1:40,000.

  • Deposit

    Olson, B.G., Burton, J., Wolff, E.N., and Swainbank, R.D., 1985, Mining and minerals in the golden heart of Alaska: Fairbanks North Star Borough Publication, 80 p.

  • Deposit

    Glover, A.E., 1950, Placer gold fineness: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Miscellaneous Report 195-1, 38 p.

  • Deposit

    Chapin, Theodore, 1914, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592-J, p. 357-362.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Cobb and Eberlein, 1980

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 26-APR-1999 Cameron S. Rombach Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

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Authoritative Alaska resources

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