Upper Spruce Creek (ARDF #SD045) Au

Upper Spruce Creek

Mines, Probably inactive

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Au
Ore minerals	gold

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	SD
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	C-4
Latitude	57.59755
Longitude	-133.28991
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	Spruce Creek has been explored for placer gold for most it length and some parts of it have been mined. There is little specific information about the mining in upper Spruce Creek, but Kimble and others (1984) found workings and evidence of exploration or mining along Spruce Creek between about 1,600 and 2,500 feet in elevation. This site is plotted at about the center of that activity. It is about 0.6 mile northwest of the center of section 30, T. 49 S., R. 76 E.

Geologic setting

Geologic description Placer gold was discovered near Windham Bay in 1869, probably in Spruce Creek (Spencer, 1906; Kimble and others, 1984). There was intermittent placer mining on Spruce Creek until the 1950s although much of the production took before 1900 and in the early part of the 20th century. Most of the mining took place at what are called the First and Second Basins (SD036 and SD039). However, Kimble and others (1984) found considerable signs of small-scale mining on Spruce Creek above the Second Basin between elevations of 1,600 and 2,500 feet. They include placer pipe, old cuts, cabins, and a diversion ditch. There was probably no great accumulation of gravel in the upper part of Spruce Creek, but some gold was probably mined from potholes and thin stream gravels by hand methods. There are no records of mining on Spruce Creek even in the areas where placer mining was concentrated, let along in upper Spruce Creek. The total gold production from Spruce Creek is probably small.
Geologic map unit	(-133.291615755791, 57.5972106287303)
Mineral deposit model	Placer gold (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).
Mineral deposit model number	39a
Age of mineralization	Probably Quaternary.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	There is evidence of some probably small-scale or hand mining on upper Spruce Creek.
Indication of production	Yes; small
Production notes	A small amount of placer gold was probably produced on upper Spruce Creek.
Additional comments There may be old patented claims that cover parts of upper Spruce Creek. If so, they are surrounded by the Chuck River Wilderness Area which is closed to prospecting and mining.

References

References Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous lode deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p. Brew, D.A., and Grybeck, Donald, 1984, Geology of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness study area and vicinity, Alaska, in U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines, Mineral resources of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness study area and vicinity, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1525, p. 19-52. Brooks, A.H., 1904, Placer mining in Alaska in 1903: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 225, p. 43-59. Buddington, A.F., 1925, Mineral investigations in southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 773-B, p. 71-139. Kimble, A.L., Still, J.C., and Rataj, J.L., 1984, Mineral deposits and occurrences in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness study area and vicinity, Alaska, in U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines, Mineral resources of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness study area and vicinity, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1525, p. 105-210. Moffit, F.H., 1927, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1925: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 792-A, p. 1-39. Redman, Earl, 1988, History of the mines and miners in the Juneau gold belt: Juneau, Alaska, privately printed, 294 p. Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926 and Administrative Report: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797-A, p. 1-50. Spencer, A.C., 1904, The Juneau Gold Belt in Franklin, S.F., and Hayes, C.W., Contributions to economic geology, 1903: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 225, p. 28-42. Spencer, A.C., 1906, The Juneau Gold Belt, Alaska; and A Reconnaissance of Admiralty Island, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 287, 161 p. U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1984, Mineral resources of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror wilderness study area and vicinity, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1525, 308 p. Wright, F.E., and Wright, C.W., 1905, Economic developments in southeastern Alaska, in Brooks, A.H., Report on Progress of Investigations of Mineral Resources of Alaska in 1904: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 259, p. 47-68. Wright, F.E., and Wright, C.W., 1906, Lode mining in southeastern Alaska, in Brooks, A.H., 1906, Report on Progress of Investigations of Mineral Resources of Alaska in 1905: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, p. 30-54.
Reporters	Donald Grybeck (U.S. Geological Survey)
Last report date	10/8/2004