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Boob Creek

Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Mercury, Platinum, Tin
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10308976
MRDS ID A015001
Record type Site
Current site name Boob Creek
Related records 10185606, 10101004

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -157.0059, 63.33064 (WGS84)
Relative position Boob Creek is is a north-flowing tributary to Mastodon Creek. For this record, the site is plotted about 2.6 miles southeast of the site of Tolstoi, at the south boundary of sec. 8, T. 25 S., R. 10 E. The coordinates mark the approximate midpoint of placer mining along Boob Creek, near a cabin marked on the U.S. Geological Survey Ophir B-3 topographic map. Boob Creek is locality 2 of Cobb (1972 [MF 367]). The location is accurate.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Mercury Secondary
Platinum Secondary
Tin Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Cassiterite Ore
Cinnabar Ore
Gold Ore
Magnetite Ore
Platinum Ore
Pyrite Ore
Garnet Gangue
Quartz Gangue

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) -157.0059, 63.33064
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The country rocks in the Boob Creek area consist of Cretaceous sandstone and shale, Jurassic greenstone and cherty tuff, Paleozoic limestone and metamorphic rocks, Cretaceous or Tertiary monzonite intrusions, and an ultramafic complex at Mt. Hurst (Chapman and others, 1985; Roberts, 1984; Hawley and others, 1991; Bundtzen and Miller, 1997). The layered ultramafic rocks exposed at Mt. Hurst may be present in the Boob Creek area and may be the source of platinum-group metals at Boob Creek. Placer gold and platinum-group metals occur in gravels approximately 2 to 4 feet thick, buried beneath 25-30 feet of muck (Harrington, 1919). It is also likely that additional buried ancient stream channels exist in the Boob Creek area that may contain gold and platinum. Harrington (1919) reports that platinum made up about 1% of the metal produced from Boob Creek. Concentrates also contain cinnabar, magnetite, pyrite, garnet, magnesiochromite, hematite, zircon, anthophyllite, diopside, and obsidian (Harrington, 1919). Microprobe analyses of platinum grains from Boob Creek show that the grains are mostly ferrian platinum, with lesser amounts of osmian iridium. Some inclusions of rhodium and iridium sulfide (prassoite) are also present, as well as mertite and platinum and palladium arsenides and sulfides (Tom Bundtzen, undated unpublished data). Gold at Boob Creek is approximately 902 fine, with 86 parts silver and 12 parts impurities (Bundtzen and others, 1987). Gold was discovered along Boob Creek in 1916, and in the following year 3,100 ounces of gold and 30 ounces of platinum were recovered (Harrington, 1919). Mining, exploration, and development along Boob Creek continued at a reduced rate intermittently until the mid 1960's. Boob Creek was re-staked during the 1980's and sporadic exploration and small-scale mining have occurred since that time (Dashevsky, 2001). Shafts and drifts were hand-dug during the 1980's and 1990's; some recovery of gold, platinum, and fossil ivory was reported (Hawley and Buxton, 1991; Bundtzen and others, 1992; Dashevsky, 2001). One ounce of platinum was recovered during 1995 exploration work (Bundtzen and others, 1996). Conservative production estimates from Boob Creek are 3,170 ounces of gold and 320 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and others, 1987). Most of this is probably from the first year after discovery. More recent production figures are not available. Also see OP008, 009, 012, and 020.
  • Age = Quaternary. The source of the placer gold at Boob Creek may be the Cretaceous or Tertiary monzonite in the area; the source of the platinum is probably ultramafic rocks, such as those at Mt. Hurst.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Active

Mining district

District name Innoko

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Conservative production estimates from Boob Creek are 3,170 ounces of gold and 320 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and others, 1987). Most of this is probably from the first year after discovery. More recent production figures are not available. Although over 100 shafts have been sunk into the Boob Creek area, locations are documented only for shafts sunk within the last 20 years (Hawley and Buxton, 1991; Dashevsky, 2001). Two shafts were dug during 1984, and nearly 4 ounces of gold, 11 grains of platinum, and a 225-pound tusk of fossil ivory, as well as other ivory and bone items were recovered. In 1987, 3 shafts and 4 drifts were completed, and 1.62 ounces of gold and a trace of platinum were recovered. During 1989, 1 shaft and 3 drifts were sunk, and 2.69 ounces of gold, 6.75 grains of platinum, and approximately 15 pounds of fossil ivory were recovered (Hawley and Buxton, 1991). In 1991, further exploration work was done on Boob Creek and gold and platinum were recovered (Bundtzen and others, 1992). Further exploration took place in 1995; minor gold and 1 ounce of platium were recovered (Bundtzen and others, 1996).

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Gold was discovered along Boob Creek in 1916, and in the following year 3,100 ounces of gold and 30 ounces of platinum were recovered (Harrington, 1919). In 1916, a pay streak was reported as 75 to 100 feet wide and traceable through 5 claims (Hawley and Buxton, 1991). In 1918, the principal owner of the Boob Creek claims, J.E. Riley, was murdered, and mining, exploration, and development along Boob Creek continued at a reduced rate intermittently until the mid-1960's. Boob Creek was re-staked during the 1980's and sporadic exploration and small-scale mining have occurred since that time (S. Dashevsky, 2001). Although over 100 shafts have been sunk into the Boob Creek area, locations are documented only for shafts sunk within the last 20 years (Hawley and Buxton, 1991; Dashevsky, 2001). Shafts and drifts were hand-dug during the 1980's and 1990's; some recovery of gold, platinum, and fossil ivory was reported (Hawley and Buxton, 1991; Bundtzen and others, 1992; Dashevsky, 2001). Ground-penetrating radar studies were conducted in the Boob Creek area in 2000, in an attempt to locate buried auriferous channels (3D Mining, unpublished data, 2000).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF OP013
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A015001
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS M045397

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., and Harrington, G.L., 1916, Mineral resources of the Ruby-Kuskokwim region, in Brooks, A.H., and others, Mineral Resources of Alaska, Report on Progress of Investigations in 1915: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 642, p. 223-266.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H., 1919, Alaska's mineral supplies: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 666, p 89-102.

  • 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

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1923, The occurrence of metalliferous deposits in the Yukon and Kuskokwim regions: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 739, p. 149-165.

  • Deposit

    Brooks, A.H. and Capps, S.R., 1924, Mineral industry in Alaska, 1922: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 755, p. 1-56.

  • Deposit

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., and Harrington, G.L., 1924, The Ruby-Kuskokwim Region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 754, 129 pages.

  • Deposit

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1969, Economic geology of platinum minerals: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 630, 120 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Ophir quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-367, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction material) in the Iditarod and Ophir quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-576, 101 p.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., Green, C.B., Deagen, J., and Daniels, C.L., 1987, Alaska's mineral industry, 1986: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Special Report 40, 68 p.

  • Deposit

    Hawley, C.C., and Buxton, C.L., 1991, Boob Creek placer prospect, western Alaska: unpublished company report, Hawley Resource Group, 13 p.

  • Deposit

    Dashevsky, S.S., 2001, Tolstoi project (Au, Pt) Innoko district, Alaska: unpublished report for 3D Mining, Inc., 8 p.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., Swainbank, R.C., Clough, A.H., Henning, M.W., and Charlie, K.M., 1996, Alaska's mineral industry, 1995: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report 50, 72 p.

  • Deposit

    Bundtzen, T.K., Swainbank, R.C., Wood, J.E., and Clough, A.H., 1992, Alaska's mineral industry 1991: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Special Report SR 46, 89 p.

  • Deposit

    Harrington, G.L., 1919, The gold and platinum placers of the Tolstoi district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692-F, p. 339-351.

  • 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.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Harrington, 1919

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Placer Au-Pt (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39 a)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-AUG-01 Cameron, C.E. Northern Associates Inc.