Soo (ARDF #LG052) Au

Soo

Mine, Inactive

Alternative names

Spaulding
Wild Rose
Chief
Waterbury
Waverly
Inspiration
Carnation

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Au
Other commodities	Ag; Pb; Sb
Ore minerals	arsenopyrite; galena; gold; limonite; pyrite; stibnite; tetrahedrite

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	LG
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	A-2
Latitude	65.037
Longitude	-147.55
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	Cobb (1972, MF-413), loc. 23, 24; NE1/4SE1/4 sec. 33, T. 3 N., R. 1 E., of the Fairbanks Meridian. This mine is near the head of Dome Creek, about 1.5 miles WNW of Pedro Dome. Accuracy is within 1,500 feet.

Geologic setting

Geologic description Gold is found in quartz veins in a shear zone containing stibnite, arsenopyrite, auriferous tetrahedrite, and galena. Two veins, the Wild Rose and the Soo, trend east and dip north. The Chief vein trends N 50 E and dips 50 NW. The veins contain free gold, some of which is smeared on slickenside surfaces (Smith, 1913; B 525). Gold fineness ranges from 823 to 843 (Smith, 1913; B 525). Much of the ore contained $50 to $60 or more per ton, with some of the richest running over $250 per ton (Smith, 1913; B 525). Hill (1933) reported that typical ore from the H-K vein shows two generations of quartz; one with a little gold and the second with pyrite, arsenopyrite, stibnite and free gold. The Wild Rose vein contains small bunches of stibnite with a little galena, tetrahedrite, and copper sulfides (Chapin, 1914). Specimens of stibnite consist of columnar and fibrous masses, together with fine granular aggregates (Brooks, 1916; B 649). Specimens of curved and bladed crystals of stibnite contain over 60% Sb (Joesting, 1942; ATDM Pamph. 1). The mine operated intermittently from 1910 to 1936. Total gold production from 1912 to 1914 and from 1925 to 1931 was between $140,000 and $165,000, or about 7500 ounces (Hill, 1933). Ebbley and Wright (1948, p. 38) reported that antimony ore had been produced.
Geologic map unit	(-147.552444992434, 65.0365739607622)
Mineral deposit model	Gold, galena and antimony sulfides in quartz veins.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	Mine development consisted of several shafts and extensive underground workings, mainly along the Wild Rose vein on the Soo claim (Chapin, 1914).
Indication of production	Yes; small
Production notes	The mine operated intermittently from 1910 to 1936. Total gold production from 1912 to 1914 and from 1925 to 1931 was between $140,000 and $165,000, or about 7500 ounces (Hill, 1933). Ebbley and Wright (1948, p. 38) reported that antimony ore had been produced.

References

MRDS Number	A015418
References 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. Brooks, A.H., 1912, The mining industry in 1911, in Brooks, A.H., and others, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1911: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520-A, p. 17-44. Brooks, A.H., 1916, Antimony deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 649, 67 p. Brooks, A.H., 1916, Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1915: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 642, 279 p. Burand, W.M., 1966, A geochemical investigation of stream sediments in the Elliot Highway area, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geochemical Report 11, 33 p. Chapin, Theodore, 1914, Lode mining near Fairbanks, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592-J, p. 321-355. Chapman, R.M., and Foster, R.L., 1969, Lode mines and prospects in the Fairbanks district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 625-D, 25 p., 1 plate. Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Livengood quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-413, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000. Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Livengood quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-819, 241 p. Eakin, H.M., 1915, Mining in the Fairbanks district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 622-G, p. 229-238. Ebbley, Norman, Jr., and Wright, W.S., 1948, Antimony deposits in Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 4173, 41 p. Hill, J.M., 1933, Lode deposits of the Fairbanks district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 849-B, p. 29-163. Joesting, H.R., 1942, Strategic mineral occurrences in interior Alaska: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Pamphlet 1, 50 p. Joesting, H.R., 1943, Strategic mineral occurrences in interior Alaska, supplement to pamphlet No. 1: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Pamphlet 2, 31 p. Killeen, P.L., and Mertie, J.B., 1951, Antimony ore in the Fairbanks District, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 51-46, 43 p. Smith, P.S., 1913, Lode mining near Fairbanks, in Prindle, L.M., A geologic reconnaissance of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 525, p. 153-216. Smith, P.S., 1913, Lode mining near Fairbanks: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542-F, p. 137-202. Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926 and Administrative Report: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797-A, p. 1-50. Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927 and Administrative Report: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64. Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral Industry of Alaska in 1928: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 813-A, p. 1-72. 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. Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-81. Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1932: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 857-A, p. 1-91. Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94. Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91. Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95. Smith, P.S., 1938, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1936: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-A, p. 1-107. Smith, S.S., 1917, The mining industry in the territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1915: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 142, 66 p.
Reporters	C.J. Freeman, J.R. Guidetti Schaefer (Avalon Development Corporation)
Last report date	5/4/1999