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Unnamed (in Aurora Creek)

Occurrence in Alaska, United States with commodities Zinc, Gold
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10307967
Record type Site
Current site name Unnamed (in Aurora Creek)

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -165.62329, 64.72178 (WGS84)
Relative position Aurora Creek is an east tributary of upper Cripple River; its mouth is about 5.5 miles upstream from where the Nome-Teller road crosses Cripple River. The location is in Aurora Creek at an elevationof about 600 feet and about half-way between the head of the creek and its mouth on Cripple River. It is the location of Kardex site Kx 52-294 (Heiner and Porter, 1972; Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, 1982). The location is about the center of a group of 15 claims staked in 1968.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Zinc Primary
Gold Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Gold Ore
Sphalerite Ore

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 119
USGS model code 39a
BC deposit profile C01. C02
Deposit model name Placer Au-PGE
Mark3 model number 54

Nearby scientific data

(1) -165.62329, 64.72178
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Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = A stratabound zinc-lead deposit (NM140) crops out in Aurora Creek about 1-mile above this location. Aurora Creek has been mined with hand tools for placer gold, especially in the benches on the southwest of Aurora Creek. Numerous boulders of zinc-bearing schist can be found along the stream. In 1968, Allan Doyle located 15 placer claims, nominally for zinc, along this part of Aurora Creek. One patented claim is within Doyle's claim block. This claim appears to have been located to control a head gate on a ditch rather than as a mineral location. Country rock is mainly the massive marble unit of Bundtzen and others (1994).
  • Age = Quaternary.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Occurrence

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Nome

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Probably very minor production of placer gold.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Fifteen claims were staked in 1968 during a period of activity on the Aurora Creek zinc-lead deposits (NM140). Some mining for placer gold has taken place along Aurora Creek and its west side benches.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF NM138

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Heiner, L.E., and Porter, Eve, 1972, Alaska Mineral Properties, volume 2: University of Alaska, Mineral Industry Research Laboratory Report 24, 669 p.

  • Deposit

    Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, 1982, Mining claim location maps -- Nome quadrangle: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, 8 p., 3 sheets, scales 1:63,360 and 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., Reger, R.D., Laird, G.M., Pinney, D.S., Clautice, K.H., Liss, S.A., and Cruse, G.R., 1994, Progress report on the geology and mineral resources of the Nome mining district: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Public Data-File 94-39, 21 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:63,360.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = This report

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Alluvial placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a); sphalerite-bearing boulders are present in Aurora Creek gravels.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 12-MAR-00 Hawley, C.C. and Hudson, Travis L. Hawley Resource Group