Homestake Creek Mine, Melozitna Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Homestake Creek Mine	Mine
Melozitna Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Morelock Creek flows through lands selected by or conveyed to Doyon, Ltd. For further information, contact Doyon, Ltd., at 1 Doyon Place, Suite 300, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99701-2941.
Location: This placer mine is on Homestake Creek, near its junction with Morelock Creek (Cobb, 1972, location 17; Cobb, 1977). The site is in the northwest quarter of section 30, T. 6 N., R. 18 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The location is accurate within 500 feet. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management site for Homestake Creek (MAS number 0020480089), is approximately 1.5 miles up Homestake Creek from this site.
Geology: Bedrock in the area of Homestake Creek consists of greenstone, metachert, dolomite, marble, calcareous schist, and siliceous mica schist (Mertie, 1934; Chapman and others, 1982). Although granitic rocks were reported by Eakin (1916), none were found in later mapping by Chapman and others (1963; 1982). The bedrock is complexly folded, faulted, and locally cut by sulfide-bearing quartz-calcite veins (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4322]; North Star Exploration, Inc.,1999 [Report 99-34]). As early as 1901, gold and cassiterite ('tin') placer mining had begun in the Morelock Creek area (TN033), concentrated near the mouths of Bonanza (TN030) and Homestake creeks (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4322]). Brooks and Prindle (1911) reported that placer gold had been mined near the mouth of Homestake Creek, but little else is known about the site. There are no workings known on Homestake Creek, and no other reports of mining or production. The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a drilling program in the area in 1943 (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4322]). At least 23 churn drill holes were tested, including two fences across Morelock Creek (TN033) and one across Bonanza Creek (TN030). In addition, the Bureau used test pits, caisson shafts, and open pit-mining to sample the Morelock Creek area. Drilling on line 8.5 showed 0.27 pound of tin and 0.0085 ounce of gold per square foot of bedrock. Line 15 (on Bonanza Creek) yielded weighted averages of 0.1492 pound of tin and 0.0328 ounce of gold per square foot of bedrock. Line 10 contained no tin or gold.
Workings: There are no workings known on Homestake Creek. Brooks and Prindle (1911) reported that placer gold had been mined near the mouth of Homestake Creek, but little else is known about the site. Placer deposits in the area were worked using surface techniques; according to Smith (1939 [B 910-A, B 917-A]), open cut mining was employed. The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a drilling program in the area in 1943 (Thomas and Wright, 1948 [RI 4322]). At least 23 churn drill holes were tested, including two fences across Morelock Creek (TN033) and one across Bonanza Creek (TN030). In addition, the Bureau used test pits, caisson shafts, and open pit-mining to sample the Morelock Creek area. Drilling on line 8.5 showed 0.27 pound of tin and 0.0085 ounce of gold per square foot of bedrock. Line 15 (on Bonanza Creek) yielded weighted averages of 0.1492 pound of tin and 0.0328 ounce of gold per square foot of bedrock. Line 10 contained no tin or gold.
Age: Quaternary.
Production: North Star Exploration, Inc. (1999 [Report 99-34]) reported that Morelock Creek (which is in Block 20 of the Doyon, Limited holdings) produced most of the 11,400 ounces of gold credited to the Gold Hill-Melozitna mining district.

Commodities (Major) - Au; (Minor) - Sn
Development Status: Yes; small
Deposit Model: Placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a).

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Link to USGS - Alaska:	TN028

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References