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Ruby Creek

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Bismuth, Tin, Uranium, Tungsten
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10001651
MRDS ID A012425
Record type Site
Current site name Ruby Creek
Alternate or previous names Strand
Related records 10282196

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -154.79906, 63.23559 (WGS84)
Relative position The Ruby Creek (Strand) placer gold deposit is the lower portion of the Ruby Creek placer (see Ruby Creek; MD068). It is located below the confluence of Crystal Gulch at an elevation of 750 feet in Section 14, T. 26 S., R. 21 E., of the Kateel River Meridian. Location is known to within 250 feet (76 m).
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Bismuth Secondary
Tin Secondary
Uranium Secondary
Tungsten Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Ore Material = uranothorianite

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bismuth Ore
Cassiterite Ore
Gold Ore
Scheelite Ore
Azurite Gangue
Fluorite Gangue
Ilmenite Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Sphene Gangue

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 121
USGS model code 39c
BC deposit profile C01. C02
Deposit model name Shoreline placer Ti

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Gravel

Nearby scientific data

(1) -154.79906, 63.23559
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = No data on size or grade of the Ruby Creek (Strand) deposit has been found in published sources. Ilmenite and magnetite were abundant in concentrates. The Strand part of the Ruby Creek placer is a mature, third order stream with an average gradient of about 150 feet/ mile. The upper end above Crystal Gulch is a second order stream with a higher gradient. In 1929, fineness was estimated to be 807 gold and 107 silver (Mertie, 1936). Age is Quaternary, based on inference with similar deposits in area (Bundtzen and others, 1997).
  • Age = Quaternary, based on inference with similar deposits in area (Bundtzen and others, 1997).

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name McGrath

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Ruby Creek was the first to be mined in the Nixon Fork area (1917). From 1917 to 1942, Ruby Creek produced at least 1,522 ounces (47 kg) gold and unknown amounts of silver. Production continued intermittently until about 1961, but the latter year's production levels were believed to be modest.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Both underground drifting and open cut methods were used prior to 1933 (Mertie, 1936).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A012425
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF MD069

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Martin, G.C., 1922, Gold lodes in the Upper Kuskokwim region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864D, p. 149-161.

  • Deposit

    Brown, J.S., 1926, The Nixon Fork country: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 783. p. 97-144.

  • Deposit

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1936, Mineral deposits of the Ruby-Kuskokwim region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-C, 115-245.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1974, Synopsis of mineral resources and geology of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1307, 53 pages.

  • Deposit

    Herreid, G.H., 1966, Geology and geochemistry of the Nixon Fork area, Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geologic Report 22, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:40,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Mertie, 1936

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model no. 39c)
Deposit Other Comments = See also Hidden Creek (MD066), Upper Ruby Creek (MD068), Birch Gulch (MD073), and Holmes Gulch (MD072).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-JUN-98 Bundtzen, T.K. Pacific Rim Geological Consulting