Nugget Creek

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Gold, Tin, Tungsten

Sections on this page

Identification information
Geographic coordinates
Site location context
Geographic areas
Commodities
Materials information
Alteration
Mineral occurrence model information
Nearby scientific data
Economic information about the deposit and operations
Mining district
Links to other databases
Bibliographic references
General comments
Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID	10309027
MRDS ID	A011579
Record type	Site
Current site name	Nugget Creek
Alternate or previous names	Nugget Bench High Channel
Related records	10136996, 10107515

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-150.93279, 62.51954 (WGS84)
Relative position	C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978, Fig. 4.2-B(3)) show placer ground from the confluence of Nugget Creek with Cache Creek to about 1.5 miles upstream through Sections 9, 15, and 16 in T. 29 N., R. 9 W., of the Seward Meridian. The Nugget Bench High Channel Deposit is shown on Fig. 4.2-B(3) about one mile upstream from the confluence. Coordinates given in this record are for the Nugget Bench High Channel.

Geographic coordinates:

-150.93279, 62.51954 (WGS84)

Relative position

C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978, Fig. 4.2-B(3)) show placer ground from the confluence of Nugget Creek with Cache Creek to about 1.5 miles upstream through Sections 9, 15, and 16 in T. 29 N., R. 9 W., of the Seward Meridian. The Nugget Bench High Channel Deposit is shown on Fig. 4.2-B(3) about one mile upstream from the confluence. Coordinates given in this record are for the Nugget Bench High Channel.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Matanuska-Susitna(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Talkeetna C-2(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Talkeetna NE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Talkeetna(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Yentna River(hydrologic unit)

Susitna River(hydrologic accounting unit)

South Central Alaska(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country	State
United States	Alaska

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Gold	Primary
Tin Critical	Secondary
Tungsten Critical	Secondary

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Arsenopyrite	Ore
Cassiterite	Ore
Gold	Ore
Ilmenite	Ore
Magnetite	Ore
Pyrite	Ore
Scheelite	Ore
Garnet	Gangue
Quartz	Gangue
Zircon	Gangue

Alteration

Argillic alteration is locally associated with the white quartz conglomerate (Clark and Hawley, 1968).

Mineral occurrence model information

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

Nearby scientific data

(1)	-150.93279, 62.51954	ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

Geologic Description = Both Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits and Tertiary conglomeratic (white quartz-breccia, Clark and Hawley, 1968) units have been mined on Nugget Creek. The area is underlain by the Sterling Formation (Tps), the upper member of the Tertiary Kenai Group, and Mesozoic argillite (KJs) (Reed and Nelson, 1980). Quaternary auriferous stream gravels from 6 to 8 feet deep and bench gravels 1 to 6 feet deep above the Sterling Formation have been mined (Clark and Hawley, 1968, p. 11). The Nugget Bench High Channel cuts down through the Tertiary formations into the underlying Mesozoic argillite (KJs) exposing the Tertiary conglomerate/white quartz breccia deposits. The channel slopes away from present drainage direction and bedrock drains have been cut to Nugget Creek where it has been mined for 1000 feet along a northeast-southwest trend across Nugget Creek (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc.,1978). The channel can be projected magnetically for 400 feet beyond the mined section (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). The gold fineness ranges from 860 to 864 and averages 861 (Clark and Hawley, 1968). C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978) report that as much as 30,000 ounces of placer gold may have been produced from the Nugget Bench deposits. In late 1907 grades were about $3 per bedrock foot. Hawley and Clark (1973, p. A6) note that the highest grade lode deposits in Yentna district are located at the Nugget Creek, the Colby (TL037), Bird (TL040) prospects. Glaciofluvial deposits similar to Nugget Creek can be found on Windy Creek (TL027) and Bird Creek (TL040). Older Tertiary conglomeratic (white quartz breccia, Clark and Hawley, 1968) units probably represent southwest flowing drainages similar to those in Thunder (TL032, 058), Falls (TL030), Dollar (TL031) and Willow (TL042) Creeks. Gold was reconcentrated from these older Tertiary channels into the modern Cache Creek drainage (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). Also see Cache Creek (TL029).
Age = Pleistocene and Tertiary (Clark and Hawley,1968).

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status	Past Producer
Commodity type	Metallic

Mining district

District name	Yentna

Comments on the production information

Production Notes = C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc. (1978) report that as much as 30,000 ounces of gold may have been produced from these deposits. In late 1907 grades were about $3 per bedrock foot.

Comments on the workings information

Workings / Exploration = Nugget Bench High Channel has been mined by conventional placer methods for 1000 feet along a northeast-southwest trend across Nugget Creek.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency	Database name	Acronym	Record ID
USGS	Alaska Resource Data File	ARDF	TL035
USGS	Mineral Resources Data System	MRDS	A011579
USGS	Mineral Resources Data System	MRDS	D002712

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Brooks, A.H., 1908, The mining industry in 1907: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345, 294 p.
Deposit

Capps, S.R., 1913, The Yentna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 534, 75 p.
Deposit

Brooks, A.H., 1913, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1912: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, 308 p.
Deposit

Brooks, A.H., 1914, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1913: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592, p. 340-341.
Deposit

Brooks, A.H., 1918, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1916: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, 469 p.
Deposit

Capps, S.R., 1924, Geology and mineral resources of the region traversed by the Alaska Railroad: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 755-C, p. 73-150.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797, p. 1-50.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1932, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1929, in Smith, P.S., and others Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1929: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824-A, p. 1-81.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-82.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1932: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 857-A, p. 1-91.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.
Deposit

Smith, P.S. 1939, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1938: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 917-A, p. 1-113.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral Industry of Alaska in 1940: U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.
Deposit

Robinson, G. D., Wedow, Helmuth, Jr., and Lyon, J. B., 1955, Radioactivity investigations in the Cache Creek area, Yentna district, Alaska 1945: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1024-A, p. 1-23.
Deposit

Clark, A.L., and Hawley, C.C., 1968, Reconnaissance geology, mineral occurrences, and geochemical anomalies of the Yentna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 68-35, 64 p.
Deposit

Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.
Deposit

C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978, Mineral appraisal of lands adjacent to Mt. McKinley National Park, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 24-78, 275 p., 7 plates.
Deposit

Reed, B.L., Nelson, S.W., Curtin, G.C., and Singer, D.A., 1978, Mineral resources map of the Talkeetna Quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-870-D, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
Deposit

Cobb, E.H., and Reed, B.L., 1980, Summaries of data and lists of reference to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Talkeetna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-884, 106 p.
Deposit

Reed, B.L., and Nelson, S.W., 1980, Geologic map of the Talkeetna quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-1174, scale 1:250,000.
Deposit

Brooks, A.H., 1911, The mining industry in 1910, in Brooks, A.K., and others, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1910: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480-B p. 21-43.
Deposit

Clark, A.L., and Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Talkeetna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-369, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
Deposit

MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1977, Map showing metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous mineral deposits in the eastern part of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-169-A, 99 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.
Deposit

Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1919, Platinum-bearing gold placers of the Kahiltna Valley: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692-D, p. 233-264.
Deposit

Paige, Sidney, and Knopf, Adolph, 1907, Reconnaissance in the Matanuska and Talkeetna basins, Alaska, with notes on the placers of the adjacent regions: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314-F, p. 104-125.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-81.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.
Deposit

Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1940: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

Comments on the references

Primary Reference = Clark and Hawley, 1968

General comments

Subject category	Comment text
Deposit	Model Name = Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).
Deposit	Other Comments = Both Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits and Tertiary conglomeratic units have been mined on Nugget Creek. Glaciofluvial deposits similar to Nugget Creek can be found on Windy Creek (TL027) and Bird Creek (TL040). Older Tertiary conglomeratic units probably represent southwest flowing drainages similar to those in Thunder (TL032, 058), Falls (TL030), Dollar (TL031) and Willow (TL042) Creeks. Gold was reconcentrated from these older Tertiary channels into the modern Cache Creek drainage (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). Also see Cache Creek (TL029).

Subject category

Comment text

Deposit

Model Name = Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

Deposit

Other Comments = Both Quaternary glaciofluvial deposits and Tertiary conglomeratic units have been mined on Nugget Creek. Glaciofluvial deposits similar to Nugget Creek can be found on Windy Creek (TL027) and Bird Creek (TL040). Older Tertiary conglomeratic units probably represent southwest flowing drainages similar to those in Thunder (TL032, 058), Falls (TL030), Dollar (TL031) and Willow (TL042) Creeks. Gold was reconcentrated from these older Tertiary channels into the modern Cache Creek drainage (C.C. Hawley and Associates, Inc., 1978). Also see Cache Creek (TL029).

Reporter information

Type	Date	Name	Affiliation	Comment
Reporter	10-AUG-1998	Madelyn A. Millholland	Millholland & Associates

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Alaska resources

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