The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-08-29
PLACERS Of ALASKA
YIELD MUCH GOLD
REPORTS ON THE HEADWATER
OF GULkANA AND LUSiTNA
RIVERS INTERESTING.

The United States Geological Sur
| vey has just issued Bulletin 49S,
"Headwater Regions of Gulkana and
| Susitna Rivers, Alaska" by Fred IL.
Mofiit. a report which deals primarily
with the district including the Valdez
creek gold placers but also gives an
account of mining developments dur
ing the last few years In the Slate
creek district at the head of Chstoch.-
ina river. Slate creek and its gold
plaeers were visited by w. c. Men,
denhall in 1902 and were described by
him In the Surveys Professional Paper
Al. Mr.. Mendenhall also visited Delta
river In 1898 but the region west of
Delta river including the head of the
Susitna river has never been described
geologically before the field work of
1910, on which Bulletin 49S is based,
was undertaken. During the summer
of 1910 D. c. Witherspoon, assisted by
c. Il. Giffln, made surveys for topo-
graphic reconnaissance map to be
published on scale Of to 100000 or
about four miles to the inch. This
map Is the base OF the geologic map
accompanying the report.
Gold has been found in its bedrock
source. in the slate area south of VAL
dez creek and is present In some Of
the stream gravel deposits within tnat
area. Most Of the placer gold from
this district, however, has come from
an old tiled-in channel or canyon once
occupied by Valdez creek and from
the stream gravels of that part OF the
present channel of the creek which lies
below the point where the old and new
channels intersect. The gold In the
new channel Is in large part a recon-
centation from the rich auriferous fill
mel represents an earlier stage of the
on which the present stage
is superposed, the whole process being
closely connected with the intense
glaciation which this region has under
gone and which lis not yet completed.
The old channel and the three or four
creek claims below it on the present
stream constitute an excellent example
Of the Importance Of RECOMMENDATION
in the production of rich gold placers.
Lucky gulch a small branch of Val
1ez creek, contributed an important
amount to the gold production of the
district and Rusty creek promises to
become a producing stream also. Min
ing on Valdez creek has been carried
On under difficulties arising from high
cost of transportation and labor, short
ness of working season and other trou-
oles such that it could not have been
profitable if the gravel had not been
rich. The gold production
If Valdez creek including that of 1910,
IS probably not far from $275,00O
Sldle cIeth IL - Ctiot VI val
lez creek. 1t Is the site of an older
lamp than Valdez creek and with its
tributary, Miller gulch, has been the
eatest producer of placer gold with
n the Copper river basin, having
yielded more than one and a half mill
ions of dollars. It's gold Is derived
rom mineral area in slate. Diorite
rocks are present and In
hese respects the deposits resemble
hose Of Valdez creek. 1t Is believed,
'owever, that the slate of Valdez creek
8 younger although the diorite intru-
,ives are probably of the same or near
Y the same age. The richest gold de-
)osits of Slate creek and Miller gulch
ire approaching exhaustion and the
amp has reached that stage where it's
uture will depend on the introduction
If more economical means Of mining
han have been used in the past
A copy Of the report may be obtain
II free on application to the director
If the Geological Survey, Washing
on, D. G.