Pedro Creek

Mine, Inactive

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities Au
Other commodities Sn
Ore minerals cassiterite; gold

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale LG
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale A-1
Latitude 65.003
Longitude -147.522
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy Cobb (1972, MF-413), loc. 89; NW1/4SE1/4 sec. 15, T. 2 N., R. 1 E., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The coordinates given are for Pedro Camp. Mine tailings are marked along Pedro Creek on the Fairbanks (D-2) quadrangle and the Livengood (A-1) and (A-2) quadrangles and cover an area of almost 4.5 miles.

Geologic setting

Geologic description

Pedro Creek was a major placer gold producer in the Fairbanks mining district, with placered ground extending almost 4.5 miles, from the mouth of Twin Creek to the confluence with Gilmore Creek. Placer gold on Pedro Creek is both very fine and coarse and was found in the bottom 2 to 7 feet of gravel and the top 1 to 5 feet of bedrock (Prindle, 1904; Brooks, 1905). The depth to quartzite schist bedrock is 9 to 35 feet (Prindle, 1904; Prindle and Katz, 1909). Heavy minerals found with the gold are magnetite, garnet, rutile and pyrite (Prindle, 1905). The pay streak is from 4 to over 200 feet wide (Brooks, 1905). Mining was by drifting, open cuts, and dredges (Cobb, 1976; OFR 76-633). U.S.S.R. & M. Co. dredge no. 4 was built on Pedro Creek in 1939, and the dredge worked there from 1939 to 1942, and from 1952 to 1958 (R.M. Chapman, U.S.G.S. unpublished memorandum, 1978). Recent mining has been reported near the mouth of Steamboat Creek (D. Grybeck, oral communication, 1999). The value of gold produced from 1903 to 1910 was $1,250,000 (the gold was then valued at $17.68 per ounce) (Prindle and Katz, 1913). More recent production figures are not available.
Geologic map unit (-147.524440619057, 65.0025746393201)
Mineral deposit model Placer gold deposit (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).
Mineral deposit model number 39a

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration Mining was by drifting, open cuts, and dredges (Cobb, 1976; OFR 76-633). No mining was reported from 1917 through 1925. U.S.S.R. & M. Co. dredge no. 4 was built on Pedro Creek in 1939 and the dredge worked there from 1939 to 1942, and from 1952 to 1958 (R.M. Chapman, U.S.G.S. unpublished memorandum, 1978). Recent mining has been reported near the mouth of Steamboat Creek (D. Grybeck, oral communication, 1999).
Indication of production Yes; small
Production notes The value of gold produced from 1903 to 1910 was $1,250,000 with the gold then valued at $17.68 per ounce (Prindle and Katz, 1913).

Additional comments

Felix Pedro discovered gold here in 1902 - the first discovery in the Fairbanks district.

References

MRDS Number A015507

References

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.
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.
Reporters C.J. Freeman, J.R. Guidetti Schaefer (Avalon Development Corporation)
Last report date 5/4/1999