Bear Creek

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Gold, Silver
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  9. Mineral rights holdings
  10. Land status
  11. Ownership information
  12. Production statistics
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10160410
MRDS ID A015005
MAS/MILS ID 0020640003
Record type Site
Current site name Bear Creek
Related records 10002570

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Claim
Geographic coordinates: -156.14881, 63.57056 (WGS84)
Elevation 216
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Yukon-Koyukuk(Census area)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Ophir C-1(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Ophir NE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Ophir(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Kateel River 022 S 014 E 15 NW Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Tertiary

Nearby scientific data

Claim (1) -156.14881, 63.57056

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Placer
Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Small
Significant No

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim

Land status

Ownership category BLM Administrative Area

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Bear Creek Mining Co.
    ID 5000719
    Interest 100
    Home office Alaska
    Year 1987

Production statistics

  • Year 1922
    Description 150 Yards Processed. 24 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 746.48g
  • Year 1947
    Description 54 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1679.58g
  • Year 1947
    Description 72,000 Yards Processed. 555 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 17262.43g
  • Year 1952
    Description 8 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 248.82g
  • Year 1952
    Description 85 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 2643.79g
  • Year 1953
    Description 35,000 Yards Processed. 214 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 6656.14g
  • Year 1953
    Description 20 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 622.06g
  • Year 1958
    Description 33 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 1026.41g
  • Year 1958
    Description 12,000 Yards Processed. 339 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 10544.08g
  • Year 1959
    Description 248 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 7713.66g
  • Year 1959
    Description 23 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 715.38g
  • Year 1960
    Description 88 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 2737.1g
  • Year 1960
    Description 52,000 Yards Processed. 920 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 28615.2g
  • Year 1961
    Description 32,222 Yards Processed. 197 Troy Ounces Gold
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Gold Gold 6127.38g
  • Year 1961
    Description 19 Troy Ounces Silver
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Trace Silver Silver 590.96g

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION PRIOR TO 1962: 10,412 OZ. OF GOLD, 1,150 OZ. OF SILVER (USBM AFOC FILES). GATES WORKED BEAR CR. WITH 2 DOZERS AND A DRAGLINE (CARNES -1975).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Ownership

    ALASKA KARDEX 064-015

  • Deposit

    B755a p. 44

  • Deposit

    B864C pp. 170-172

  • Deposit

    IR JCR 380901 p. 2

  • Deposit

    B910A p. 51

  • Deposit

    IR JCR 390810 p. 9

  • Deposit

    IR JCR 400819 p. 10

  • Deposit

    B933A p. 42

  • Deposit

    MR194-13 p. 3

  • Deposit

    C255 pp. 16-18

  • Deposit

    IR RHS 6005 p. 13

  • Deposit

    MF367

  • Deposit

    OF508 p. 82

  • Deposit

    BMOF98-76 p. 61

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 12-FEB-1988 Dwb-Mirl U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 05/09/1985
MSHA mine ID5000719
Mine name (MSHA)Bear Creek Mine
Current operatorWillard E Gates
Current controller (parent)Gates Willard E
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

Authoritative Alaska resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.