Little Creek; Gold Run; Discovery; Bonanza; No. 6 Pup Mines, Innoko Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Little Creek; Gold Run; Discovery; Bonanza; No. 6 Pup Mines	Group of Mines
Innoko Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: Little Creek is a northeast-flowing tributary to the Innoko River. The confluence of Little Creek and the Innoko River is approximately 7 miles southeast of Ophir. Mining occurred along nearly the entire 5 miles of Little Creek. The coordinates are for the approximate midpoint of mining, in the NE 1/4 sec. 13, T. 28 S., R. 12 E., Kateel River Meridian. The site corresponds to localities 19 to 21 of Cobb (1972 [MF 367]). The location is accurate. This record also includes references to No. 6 Pup, a tributary to Little Creek that was prospected for tungsten (scheelite).
Geology: The rocks in the vicinity of Little Creek are shale and argillite (Maddren, 1911). Little Creek also drains several small, Cretaceous or Tertiary monzonite plutons and rhyolite dikes, which probably are the source of the placer gold (Chapman and others, 1985; Bundtzen and others, 1987). Almost the whole 5-mile length of Little Creek has been mined. Gold was found in cracks in fractured bedrock, on 'benches' beside the stream which were mined using open cut methods, and in Little Creek's floodplain (Maddren, 1911; Eakin, 1914). The upper 6 feet of bedrock were mined for gold; the bedrock was buried under 10 to 25 feet of unconsolidated material (Maddren, 1911). The gold reportedly was coarse with many nuggets (Maddren, 1910), and averaged 830 fine (Smith, 1941). Minerals identified in panned concentrates include magnetite, ilmenite, siderite, monazite, pyrite, edenite, enstatite, and richterite (Bundtzen and others, 1987). No. 6 Pup, a tributary to Little Creek, contains abundant scheelite, probably from an igneous source (Joesting, 1942; Bundtzen and others, 1987). Gold was discovered along Little Creek in 1907. By 1914, there was open- cut mining on the lower portions of Little Creek (Eakin, 1914). In 1925, a dredge was brought to Little Creek and continued to mine fairly steadily until at least 1940 (Moffit, 1927; Smith, 1929; Smith, 1930 [B 810]; Smith, 1930 [B 813]; Smith, 1932; Smith, 1933 [B 836]; Smith, 1933 [B 844-A]; Smith, 1934 [B 857-A]; Smith, 1934 [B 864-A]; Mertie, 1936; Smith, 1936; Smith, 1937; Smith, 1938; Smith, 1939 [B 910-A]; Smith, 1939 [B 917-A]; Smith, 1941; Joesting, 1942). After 1940, there was intermittent mining on Little Creek. The estimated production from 1908 through 1986 is 47,600 ounces of gold and 8,092 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and others, 1987).
Workings: Gold was discovered along Little Creek in 1907. Early prospecting and mining was conducted by digging shafts and drifts in the upper portions of the creek (Maddren, 1910; Eakin, 1914). By 1914, there was open- cut mining on the lower portions of the creek (Eakin, 1914). In 1925, a dredge was brought to the creek and continued to mine fairly steadily until at least 1940 (Moffit, 1927; Smith, 1929; Smith, 1930 [B 810]; Smith, 1930 [B 813]; Smith, 1932; Smith, 1933 [B 836]; Smith, 1933 [B 844-A]; Smith, 1934 [B 857-A]; Smith, 1934 [B 864-A]; Mertie, 1936; Smith, 1936; Smith, 1937; Smith, 1938; Smith, 1939 [B 910-A]; Smith, 1939 [B 917-A]; Smith, 1941; Joesting, 1942). After 1940, there was intermittent mining on Little Creek. In 1950, 3 mines were operating (Williams, 1950), and in 1959, the Little Creek Mining Co. was operating a bulldozer and dragline (Saunders, 1960). Additional sporadic mining has occurred since 1960.
Age: Quaternary. The sources of the gold in Little Creek are probably the Cretaceous or Tertiary rhyolite dikes, possibly along with some contribution from the monzonite plutons (Bundtzen and others, 1987).
Production: The estimated production from Little Creek from 1908 through 1986 is 47,600 ounces of gold and 8,092 ounces of silver (Bundtzen and others, 1987).

Commodities (Major) - Au; (Minor) - Ag, W
Development Status: Yes; medium
Deposit Model: Placer Au (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a)

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Link to USGS - Alaska:	OP019

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References