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Dome Creek

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

Identification information

Deposit ID 10308895
MRDS ID A015499
Record type Site
Current site name Dome Creek
Related records 10209386, 10101026

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -147.61596, 65.03267 (WGS84)
Relative position The coordinates given are near the western end of a placered area along Dome Creek at Dome Camp, just below the mouth of Murray Creek; NW1/4NE1/4 sec. 6, T. 2 N., R. 1 E., of the Fairbanks Meridian.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Tin Secondary
Tungsten Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Cassiterite Ore
Gold Ore
Scheelite 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) -147.61596, 65.03267
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Dome Creek was one of the most productive placer gold streams in the Fairbanks mining district, and by 1973, the creek had produced more than $4,000,000 in gold from both surface and underground workings (Cobb, 1973). Dome Creek has been mined for more than three miles from above Seattle Creek nearly to Olnes on the Elliot Highway. Before WWI, most mining was by drifting with a depth to bedrock of up to 200 feet (Prindle and Katz, 1913). The portion from near the mouth of Moose Creek to Seattle Creek was dredged from 1955 to 1959 (R.M. Chapman, 1978, unpublished U.S.G.S. memorandum). Surface mining has continued intermittently to the present, notably in upper Dome Creek, and for several miles below the Dome Creek camp site, shown on the Livengood A-2 topographic map. The location of drift mines on lower Dome Creek in the Chatanika Flats is described in ARDF No. LG044. Depth to uneven bedrock surface ranges from 30 to 200 feet, with a paystreak of 130 to 165 feet wide in the lower 2 to 3 feet of gravel and the upper 2 to 3 feet of bedrock (Prindle, 1908, p. 29). The middle part of the stream course is not productive, and auriferous gravel extends into the Chatanika Flats (Prindle and Katz, 1913). Concentrates contained gold, scheelite, and a little cassiterite (Cobb, 1976; OFR 76-633, p. 51). Production, including that from tributaries, from 1903 through 1920 was about 394,245 ounces (Cobb, 1976, p. 51). U.S.S.R. & M. Dredge no. 5 moved to Dome Creek in winter of 1954 to 1955, and worked there from 1955 to 1959 (R.M. Chapman, 1978, unpulished U.S.G.S. memorandum). During winter and early spring 1989, about 14,000 cubic yards were brought to the surface in a small scale undergound drift mine operation below the lower limit of the former U.S.S.R.& M. operations. Gravel sluiced during the summer of 1989 averaged 0.04 ounces of gold per cubic yard (Bundtzen and others, 1990, p. 35). In 1991, this same operation continued to rework old drifts and removed side pay left by the early 20th century hand miners (Bundtzen and others, 1992). Current sluicing is taking place above the dredge tailings (J. Schaefer, 1999, field observation).

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 Fairbanks

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Dome Creek was one of the most productive placer gold streams in the Fairbanks mining district, and by 1973, the creek had produced more than $4,000,000 in gold from both surface and underground workings (Cobb, 1973). During winter and early spring 1989, about 14,000 cubic yards were brought to the surface and stockpiled for summer sluicing. Gravel sluiced during the summer of 1989 averaged 0.04 ounces per cubic yard (Bundtzen and others, 1990, p. 35).

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Surface and underground workings have produced gold. U.S.S.R. & M. Dredge no. 5 moved to Dome Creek in winter of 1954 to 1955, and worked there from 1955 to 1959 (Chapman, 1978, U.S.G.S. memorandum). A small scale undergound drift mine by Roberts Mining was started in 1989 below the lower limit of former U.S.S.R. & M. dredging activities (Bundtzen and others, 1990, p. 35) and continued until 1993 (Bundtzen and others, 1994, p. 29). In 1991, Robert's Mining mined 11,470 cubic meters (15,000 cubic yards) of rich placer pay at the drift mine, reworking old drifts and removing side pay left by the early 20th century hand miners (Bundtzen and others, 1992). RCL Mining worked both an underground drift mine and washed old drift tailings on Dome Creek, below the Roberts Mining operation (Swainbank and others, 1993). Current operations consist of a cat feeding a sluice box, above the dredge tailings (J. Schaefer, 1999, field observation).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF LG049
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A010721
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A015496
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A015499
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS D002640

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1907, The Alaskan mining industry in 1906: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 314, p. 19-39.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1908, The mining industry in 1907: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345, 294 p.

  • Deposit

    Prindle, L.M., 1908, The Fairbanks and Rampart quadrangles, Yukon-Tanana region, Alaska, with a section on the Rampart placers, by F.L. Hess, and a paper on the water supply of the Fairbanks region, by C.C. Covert: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 337, 102 p.

  • Deposit

    Prindle, L.M., and Katz, F.J., 1909, The Fairbanks gold-placer region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379, p. 181-200.

  • Deposit

    Ellsworth, C.E., 1910, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442, 432 p.

  • Deposit

    Ellsworth, C.E., and Parker, G.L., 1911, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 480, 325 p.

  • Deposit

    Ellsworth, C.E., 1912, Placer mining in the Fairbanks and Circle Disctricts: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 520, p. 240-245.

  • Deposit

    Ellsworth, C.E., and Davenport, R.W., 1913, Placer mining in the Yukon-Tanana region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 542, 303 p.

  • Deposit

    Prindle, L.M., and Katz, F.J., 1913, Detailed description of the Fairbanks district, in Prindle, L. M., A geologic reconnaissance of the Fairbanks quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 525, p. 59-152.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1914, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1913: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592, p. 340-341.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1915, Mineral resources of Alaska in 1914: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 622, 238 p.

  • Deposit

    Eakin, H.M., 1915, Placer mining in Seward Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 622-I, p. 366-373.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1916, Antimony deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 649, 67 p.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1917, The mining industry in the territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1915: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 142, 66 p.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1917, The mining industry in the territory of Alaska during the calendar year 1916: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bulletin 153, 89 p.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1918, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1916: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, 469 p.

  • Deposit

    Martin, G.C., 1919, Alaska Mining Industry in 1917: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692, p. 11-42

  • Deposit

    Martin, G.C., 1920, The Alaska mining industry in 1918: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 712-A, p. 1-52.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., and Martin, G. C. 1921, The Alaska mining industry in 1919: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 714, p. 59-95.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1922, The Alaska mining industry in 1920: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 722-A, p. 1-74.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1923, The Alaska mining industry in 1921: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 739, p. 1-50.

  • Deposit

    Capps, S.R., 1924, Geology and mineral resources of the region traversed by the Alaska Railroad: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 755-C, p. 73-150.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1928: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 813, p. 1-72.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1932, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1929, in Smith, P.S., and others Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1929: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824-A, p. 1-81.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1933: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-A, p. 1-94.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1938, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1936: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-A, p. 1-107.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1938: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 917-A, p. 1-113.

  • Deposit

    Joesting, H.R., 1942, Strategic mineral occurences in interior Alaska: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Pamphlet 1, 46 p.

  • Deposit

    Thorne, R.L., Muir, N.M., Erickson, A.W., Thomas, B. I., Hedie, H. E., and Wright, W. S., 1948, Tungsten deposits of Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 4174, 22 p.

  • Deposit

    Byers, F.M., Jr., 1957, Tungsten deposits in the Fairbanks district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1024-I, p. 179-216.

  • Deposit

    Koschmann, A.H. and Bergendahl, M.H., 1968, Principal gold producing districts of the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 610, 283 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.

  • Deposit

    Mulligan, J.J., 1974, Mineral resources of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline corridor: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8626, 24 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Circle quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-633, 72 p.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., Swainbank, R.C., Deagen, J.R. and Moore, J.L., 1990, Alaska's mineral industry 1989: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report 44, 100 p.

  • Deposit

    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.

  • Deposit

    Thorne, R.L., Muir, N.M., Erickson, A.W., Thomas, B. I., Hedie, H. E., and Wright, W. S., 1948, Tungsten deposits of Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 4174, 51 p.

  • Deposit

    Chapin, Theodore, 1914, Lode mining near Fairbanks, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 592-J, p. 321-355.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Livengood quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-413, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1975, Mineral resources of Alaska, in Yount, M.E., ed., U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Program, 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 722, p. 37.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Livengood quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-819, 241 p.

  • Deposit

    Joesting, H.R., 1943, Strategic mineral occurrences in interior Alaska, supplement to pamphlet no. 1: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Pamphlet 2, 26 p.

  • Deposit

    Moffit, F.H., 1927, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1925: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 792-A, p. 1-39.

  • Deposit

    Prindle, L.M., 1906, Yukon placer fields: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, p. 109-127.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1928: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 813-A, p. 1-72.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1941, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1939: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 926-A, p. 1-106.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1940: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

  • Deposit

    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.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Cobb, 1976 (OFR 76-633)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Placer gold deposit (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 04-MAY-1999 C.J. Freeman, J.R. Guidetti Schaefer Avalon Development Corporation