| Deposit ID | 10009283 |
|---|---|
| MRDS ID | D002166 |
| Record type | Site |
| Current site name | Birch Creek |
| Geographic coordinates: | -144.57068, 65.32974 (WGS84) |
|---|---|
| Relative position | SEE LOCATION COMMENTS |
Political divisions (FIPS codes)
Yukon-Koyukuk(Census area)
Alaska(state)
United States(country)
North America(continent)
Land(continent)
USGS map quadrangles
Circle B-2(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)
Circle SE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)
Circle(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)
Hydrologic units (watersheds)
Alaska(hydrologic region)
Federal lands
Birch Creek WSR(Wild and Scenic River)
Wild and Scenic River BLM(Type of land area)
BLM(Federal land areas administered by BLM)
| Country | State |
|---|---|
| United States | Alaska |
| Commodity | Importance |
|---|---|
| Gold | Primary |
| Silver | Primary |
| Host or associated | Host |
|---|---|
| Rock type | Unconsolidated Deposit > Gravel |
| (1) | -144.57068, 65.32974 |
|---|
| Development status | Past Producer |
|---|---|
| Commodity type | Metallic |
| Significant | No |
| District name | Circle |
|---|
| Agency | Database name | Acronym | Record ID | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USGS | Mineral Resources Data System | MRDS | D002166 | |
| USGS | Alaska Resource Data File | ARDF | CI005 | |
| USGS | Mineral Resources Data System | MRDS | A012214 |
Brooks, A. H., 1907, The Circle precinct, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314, p. 187-204.
Ellsworth, C. E. and Parker, G. L., 1911, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, p. 153-172.
Ellsworth, C. E., 1912, Placer mining in the Fairbanks and Circle Disctricts: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 240-245.
Ellsworth, C. E. and Davenport, R. W., 1913, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana Region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, p. 203-222.
Brooks, A. H. and Capps, S. R., 1924, The Alaskan mining industry in 1922: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 755, p. 3-49.
Mertie, J. B. Jr., 1932, Mining in the Circle district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824, p. 155-172.
Mertie, J. B. Jr., 1938, Gold placers of the Fortymile, Eagle, and Circle districts, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-C, p. 133-261.
Cobb, E. H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Misc. Field Studies Map 391, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
Cobb, E. H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-633, 72 p.
Menzie, W. D., Foster, H. L., Tripp, R.B., and Yeend, W. E., 1983, Mineral resource assessment of the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-170-B, 61 p., 1 sheet, 1:250,000.
Yeend, W. E., 1985, Trace elements of placer gold: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 945, p. 4-7.
Bundtzen, T. K., Eakins, G. R., Green, C. B., and Lueck, L. L., 1986, Alaska's mineral industry 1985: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report 39, 68 p.
Yeend, W. E., 1991, Gold placers of the Circle district, Alaska - past, present, and future: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1943, 42 p.
Koschmann, A. H., and Bergendahl, M. H., 1968, Principal gold-producing districts of the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 610, 283 p.
SMITH, PHILIP S., 1933, PAST PLACER - GOLD PRODUCTION FROM ALASKA: USGS BULL. 857 B PP. 93 - 98
Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1938, Gold placers of the Fortymile, Eagle, and Circle districts, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-C, p. 133-261.
| Subject category | Comment text |
|---|---|
| Deposit | BIRCH CREEK IS APPROXIMATELY 560 KM LONG, ORIGINATING JUST EAST OF MASTODON DOME AND EMPTYING INTO THE YUKON RIVER APPROXIMATELY 50 KM BELOW FORT YUKON. BIRCH CREEK FLOWS OVER QUARTZITE AND QUARTZITE SCHIST BEFORE CROSSING INTO THE TINTINA FAULT TRENCH WHERE IT THEN FLOWS WITHIN THE BROAD LOWLANDS OF THE YUKON RIVER OVER PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE SURFICIAL DEPOSITS. THE FLOOD PLAIN OF THE UPPER AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE CREEK IS COMPOSED OF PEBBLE-TO-COBBLE GRAVEL THAT CONTAINS A FEW BOULDERS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZITE. A PEBBLE COUNT OF GRAVEL IN BIRCH CREEK BETWEEN THE MOUTH OF GOLD DUST AND BUTTE CREEKS REVEALS A COMPOSITION OF 72 PERCENT QUARTZITIC SCHIST, 20 PERCENT QUARTZ, AND 8 PERCENT SCHIST. PANNED CONCENTRATES ARE LOW IN MAGNETITE AND ILMENITE, AND RICH IN GARNET (YEEND, 1991, P. 26). THE ONLY EARLY PLACER PRODUCTION RECORDED FROM BIRCH CREEK WAS FROM RIVER BARS, OF WHICH BUCKLEY BAR WAS PROBABLY THE MOST PRODUCTIVE (ELLSWORTH AND DAVENPORT, 1913, P. |
| Deposit | 213). A BENCH ABOUT A MILE BELOW TWELVEMILE CREEK WAS UNSUCCESSFULLY MINED IN 1911 (COBB, 1976, P. 7). MINING OPERATIONS USING HEAVY EQUIPMENT WITH MODERN HIGH-VOLUME SLUICEBOXES WERE ACTIVE ALONG THE UPPER PART OF BIRCH CREEK IN THE 1980'S (YEEND, 1991). |
| Deposit | GOLD IN SMALL QUANTITIES CAN STILL BE PANNED FROM JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ALONG THE UPPER 160 KM OF BIRCH CREEK (YEEND, 1991, P. 26). |
| Type | Date | Name | Affiliation | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reporter | 01-MAR-1976 | Fisher, Fred S. | U.S. Geological Survey | |
| Updater | 01-SEP-1998 | C.J. Freeman, J.R. Guidetti Schaefer, A.S. Clements | Avalon Development Corporation |
Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.
These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.