| Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale | FB |
|---|---|
| Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale | D-1,2 |
| Latitude | 64.978 |
| Longitude | -147.5 |
| Nearby scientific data | Find additional scientific data near this location |
| Location and accuracy | The Gilmore Creek mine is located in sec. 26 and 27, T. 2 N, R. 1 E., Fairbanks Meridian. The coordinates given are for the approximate center of a 2.5-mile-long area of tailings that are marked on the Fairbanks D-1 and D-2 topographic maps. The tailings extend from the junction of Gilmore Creek and Pedro Creek upstream to the mouth of Tom Creek. The mouth of Gilmore Creek is about 3 miles northeast of the town of Fox and just east of the Steese Highway. This prospect is included in locality 55 of Cobb (1972 [MF 410]). |
Geologic descriptionGold, some with intergrown native bismuth, was found before 1906 on bedrock. The gravel was a few feet thick near the head of the creek and as much as 60 feet thick near the mouth. Gravel in the creek is mainly schist, quartz, and granite (Prindle, 1906, 1908). Placer scheelite is common (Joesting, 1942 [ATDM Pamph. 1]). The creek was mined from 1905 to 1940 and mining has been active in recent years as well (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-662]). Don Stein and Goldstream Valley Exploration worked a pay streak on Gilmore Creek in 1993 and 1994 (Bundtzen and others, 1994; Swainbank and others, 1995). The gold varies from 808 to 936 fine (Glover, 1950). | |
| Geologic map unit | (-147.502437625456, 64.9775750905838) |
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| Mineral deposit model | Placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a) |
| Mineral deposit model number | 39a |
| Age of mineralization | Quaternary placer. |
| Workings or exploration | The creek was mined from 1905 to 1940 and in recent years as well (Cobb, 1976 [OFR 76-662]). In 1922, a crew of twelve operated a Bagley scraper plant, an old surface cut was completed, and a new, 300 foot by 400 foot, surface cut was opened (Wimmler, 1922, p. 17). Two hydraulic plants were in operation in 1925 (Wimmler, 1925 [ATDM MR 195-8, p. 52]). In 1926, Tom Gilmore mined on a small scale by hand and by ground sluicing (Wimmler, 1926 [ATDM MR 195-11, p. 58]). In 1929, Steve Liedy mined by open cut and by drifting in the winter on upper Gilmore Creek (Wimmler, 1929, p. 166). Don Stein and Goldstream Valley Exploration worked a paystreak on Gilmore Creek in 1993 and 1994 (Bundtzen and others, 1994; Swainbank and others, 1995). |
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| Indication of production | Yes; small |
| Production notes | No quantitative information is available, but there was obviously production during the more than 90 years the creek has been placer mined. |
| MRDS Number | A015334; D002644 |
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ReferencesSmith, S.S., 1917, The mining industry in the Territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1915: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 142, 65 p.
Smith, S.S., 1917, The mining industry in the Territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1916: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 153, 89 p.
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| Reporters | J.R. Guidetti Schaefer and C.J. Freeman (Avalon Development Corporation) |
| Last report date | 7/31/2001 |