Geologic description
Placer gold mining on Hungry Creek began soon after discovery in July, 1900. In 1903, there were three mines in operation, but most of the creek had some prospecting or mining by then (Collier and others, 1908). The creek had numerous rounded granitic boulders, derived from the Kigluaik Mountains; some of the pay gravel was decomposed chloritic schist fragments with intermixed boulders. Gold was accompanied by a small quantity of rounded bismuth nuggets as much as an ounce in weight. Magnetite was the most abundant mineral in the associated heavy mineral concentrates. In addition to mining on one of its headwater tributaries, May Creek (NM176), a small north tributary called Trilby Creek (NM177) was also placer mined. Trilby Creek is possibly located along the Aurora fault of Bundtzen and others (1994). The lower part of Hungry Creek locally flows over dolostone. The dolostone may be alteration products like the dolostone at the many iron oxide deposits of the Sinuk River area (Bundtzen and others, 1994); an example is the nearby Cleveland occurrence (NM161). Bedrock on a part of the creek above a strong northeast fault is mainly the porphyroclastic graphitic schist unit of Bundtzen and others (1994). The fault, named the Aurora fault by Bundtzen and others (1994), is locally mineralized with antimony or gold (see NM157, for example). |
