Alaska mining history. strip mine was opened.
Alaska mining history The Alaska Empire underground lode mine recovered gold from quartz veins in metamorphic rocks. A richer gold strike had been made in Alaska's Kennecott, also known as Kennicott and Kennecott Mines, is an abandoned mining camp in the Copper River Census Area in the U. The mine was in The Porcupine Gold Rush showed the power of determination. Gold Mining in Alaska. AN EXCLUSIVE, FIRST OF IT’S KIND, AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE. Alaska's forgotten mining towns offer a unique glimpse into the past. Gold mining in Alaska, a state of the United States, has been a major industry and impetus for exploration and settlement since a few years after the United States acquired the territory in 1867 from the Russian Empire. com The Alaska Garnet The old mining camp, now a ghost town, and the mine were listed as the Nabesna Gold Mine Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The English name Chisana derives from the Ahtna Athabascan name Tsetsaan' Na, meaning literally 'copper river' (not to be confused with the river known in English as the Treadwell stamp mills, 1908. state of Alaska which consists of Admiralty Island. Geological Survey Bulletin 714-A. It was initially discovered in 1903, adding to the rich mining history of the region. This claim adjoined the rich Paris lode but turned out to be nearly barren rock. Michael, Unga, Unalaska and others, and in Dawson in Canada, as well as various other Canadian stations. 8 billion, or 36% of Alaska’s total exports (2017). Discovery Southeast, 72 p. Composed of four sub-sites, Treadwell was in its time the largest hard rock gold mine in the world, employing over 2,000 people. strip mine was opened. Initially this was a placer mining district, but by 1910 lode mines were active. From 1938 to 1941 the industry averaged more than $24 million annually, about three times the production value during the 1900 Nome gold rush. The discovery sparked a rush to extract the wealth embedded in the mountain, transforming the remote site into one of the richest copper mines in history. Use the DCAT feeds to federate this site's content with external catalogs like data. Alaska Mapper is a web-based geographic information system (GIS) that allows you to locate Alaska land-records information by navigating an interactive map of the state. These early mining efforts were eventually joined to form the Wasilla Mining The Alaska Mining Claims Mapper is a custom view of land-records data related to mining that is provided by the Alaska Mapper application. Both born Alaska, a huge strike was made in September 1898, and in August 1902, an Italian immigrant named Felix Pedro found the gold that uncovered an even larger series of gold fields Alaskan gold mining began in southeast Alaska. The city of Juneau was founded there that year. PROVEN YIELDS. report, Geology and Mineral Resources of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, the only recorded instances of Russian gold exploration in Alaska occurred between 1848 and 1851, when Peter Doroshin, a Russian-American Company mining engineer, discovered gold in the Kenai River and spent two summers prospecting along the Russian River. 1910s. Robert Lee Hatcher staked the first hard rock claim in 1906. In the first section of this article, we explore the captivating history of Kennecott Copper Mine, a remarkable abandoned site that ranks among Alaska’s most iconic historical landmarks. Places like Nome, Fairbanks, and the Yukon-Alaska border show how gold shaped communities. The Fortymile River region in east-central Alaska has a long and colorful history as the site of the first major gold discovery in interior Alaska. Only a few hundred ounces of gold were produced annually from the entire region from 1944 through 1959. The Alaska Gold Mining Museum is at Gold The Golconda Mining Company site, which contains a campsite, an elaborate ditch, and extensive piles of hand-stacked cobble, provides a good example of early placer mining in Alaska. The William Sulzer Alaska Mining Papers consist of business correspondence, financial records, and legal The History of Alaska-Yukon Mining: CHAPTER 9 Alaska miners and investors could look to many publications, including technical and investment journals, for information on mining techniques and prospects, but all sources had to be used with caution. ” Over time, the Fairbanks mining district became Alaska’s largest producer of gold, earning it the title “America’s Klondike. Dickinson. We’ll also share our personal experiences and photos to give you an insider’s look. 1968: Fixed gold price ended. GessWhoTo. May 10, 2022, celebrates the ninth annual Alaska Mining Day. In 1938, the Alaska Free Gold Mine merged with Independence Mine to form the Alaska-Pacific Consolidated Mining Co. Discover one of the many reasons Fairbanks is called the “Golden Heart City. In the early days, mining was Subjects include the Klondike gold rush and life in Dawson, Yukon; gold mining on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska; copper mining in Alaska's Copper River Region and Prince In the heart of Alaska's wilderness, two Alaska Native men stamped their names in state history with the discovery of the largest platinum deposit ever found in the Last Frontier. The mining methods of the day removed the soil and significantly altered the The history of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company (A. Approximately 120 active rock quarries, and sand and gravel operations throughout Alaska with at least $12 million in production value on state lands. Juneau is home to some of the earliest large-scale gold mining sites in Alaska. A complex of federal, state, and private lands are utilized by Mining has long been a key fixture of Alaska’s economy. Discovering Alaska's Hidden History. History of Independence Mine State Historical Park. Visitors can take guided tours of the mine and even try gold panning. (APC). Mines, though, continued to be active up and down Poorman Road into the This copper mine, originally founded in the early 1900’s, was at the time the richest copper deposit in the world. Gold was first discovered on the Fortymile River in 1886 in the vicinity of the Yukon-Alaska border. The project is being managed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)—Alaska's state History. The discovery of gold at Nome triggered the largest, most exciting, and unusual stampede in Alaska Gold Rush history. Trilogy Metals Inc. One such prospect is The History of Alaska-Yukon Mining: CHAPTER 17 Modern Mining. Durkee Mary T. The first mining efforts were placer mining of stream gravels, and placer mining in the area has A history of Alaska’s gold rushes reveals riches found in historic mines today. A History of Mining on Coal Creek and Woodchopper Creek (2003) and I wrote Gold, Steel & Ice: A History of Mining Machines in Yukon On July 18th, 2013, the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation opened a museum at 825 1st Avenue in downtown Fairbanks. Map of Improvements by the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Co. Use the OGC API - Records to discover geospatial resources through More than 200 placer mines produced 41,000 ounces of gold with a value of $52 million. As the Alaska Miners Association celebrates its 85th anniversary, the organization's vital role Central Interior Alaska / gold mining / mining history / Steese Highway / Uncategorized; Mining remnants still visible in Nome Creek Basin. We have proven claims on East Fork, Six Mile, and throughout the Resurrection and Palmer Creek drainage’s. Treadwell: Alaska’s Lost Mine tells the story of the Treadwell town & mine complex as a guided walking tour through the existing ruins with a narrative spanning the history of the site starting with the discovery of gold in 1880 and ending with the tragic cave in and flooding in 1917. In 1869 miners who had been disappointed in the Cassiar gold district in British Columbia discovered gold placers at Windham Bay and Sumdum Bay southeast of Juneau. Established in 1896, Crow Creek Mine is one of Alaska's most renowned hydraulic gold mining operations. Bundtzen, Thomas K HISTORY OF TREADWELL. In fact, the mining industry is to thank for the city of Juneau being Alaska's capital. Each town tells its own story, from the Mining involves high-stress, high-risk and the possibility of high-reward. The Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Museum is on 1st Avenue and honors the 100+ pioneers who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1997. 7. The entire Southeast Alaska Panhandle is prospective for PGM deposits similar to Salt Chuck. In 1887, 115 miners were at work using picks shovels and rockers; using these hand tools they extracted more than 14,000 Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) is the largest primary silver producer in the United States and has been in business for 130 years. Nugget Creek is a historic vernacular landscape that exemplifies the evolution of small scale copper lode mine on the Kuskulana drainage in the copper belt of the Chitina Valley, Alaska. Discover how gold mining shifted to fishing, how coal mining was a significant industry, and how homesteaders established industries that form today’s economy, with the Sterling Highway providing connections for growth. In Fairbanks, there is a replica Gold Rush street at Alaskaland, including original pioneer log cabins and a saloon offering a Gold Rush revue. The mining operations would continue in the Juneau area until 1944. The mine was first discovered in 1893 and was one of the most productive gold mines in the Fairbanks area during the early 1900s. walk along many of the streams and rivers in Hollis or along some of the ridges you will see leftover evidence of the mining history. According to the book, A History of Coal Mining in the Sutton-Chickaloon Area Prior to WW II, in 1913 the U. The Treadwell Mine Collapse: A Turning Point in Alaska's Mining History, 1917 in Anchorage Alaska- The Treadwell Mine collapse at Douglas in 1917 was a significant event in the history of mining in Alaska. 65 The Admiralty mining district is a mining area in the U. For forty years, between 1882 and 1922, Alaska’s first successful large-scale, low-grade gold mine operated on Douglas Island, across Gastineau Channel from downtown Juneau. In Willow Creek, Alaska, placer gold was first discovered in 1896. A year earlier, in 1857, gold was discovered along the Fraser River. Morgan and the Guggenheim Over 100 years of mining on the Kenai Peninsula has produced about 133,800 ounces of placer gold, and hard rock mines have produced 30,000 more ounces. The Last Chance Mining Museum, located in the historic AJ Mine, provides insight into the mining practices of the past. 2020 State of Alaska The History of Alaska-Yukon Mining: CHAPTER 13 Kennecott and Other Mines. Gold Fever. July 22, 2014. The Law, Legal History, and History from Legal Documents In this section, we will briefly discuss some of the types of sources that can be valuable in legal history analysis, and how these can be used to learn about mining history in Alaska. Total gold production of the Juneau district from 1882 through 1959 was 6,883,556 ounces - 66,279 ounces from placers, the remainder from lodes. Today, visitor attractions and fun-filled events celebrate the historic quest for gold. In the ensuing years, several gold mining operations began. 80 km) east of downtown Douglas and southeast of downtown Juneau, owned and operated by John Treadwell. The Yellow Band mining camp is In the summer of 2010 the Discovery Channel began filming a reality TV series on placer gold mining entitledGold Rush Alaska on location less than a mile from the old town site of Porcupine. Located on the Seward Peninsula's Bering Sea coast, about 90 miles northwest of Nome and five miles southeast of Cape Prince of Wales, Tin City was founded with aspirations a The Alaska Mining Industry, The Future of Alaska Mining and the Alaskan Mining Industry in 1919. Elmer 2 2 2 Page 2 Mining Wrangell History Mary T. Discovering Alaska's hidden wealth, the journey of Indigenous explorers in the land of platinum, Goodnews Bay Mining District. Kennecott Copper Mine in Alaska – Introduction. purchase. Placer mining began near Fairbanks in July 1902, after Felix Pedro (real name Felice Pedroni), an Italian immigrant and Tom Gilmore discovered gold in the hills north of the Tanana and Chena Rivers in 1901. state of Alaska that was the center of activity for several copper mines. Ore Reserves at 31 March 2024: The proposed Palmer Mine is an advanced exploration project located in northern Southeast Alaska, a few miles upstream of the Tlingit Village of Klukwan and the town of Haines. These include the Fort Knox Mine, Pogo Mine, Kensington Mine, and Greens Creek Mine, as well as the Donlin Gold, SAM and Livengood projects. The area currently lacks the transportation infrastructure necessary for the development, construction, and operations of potential mines in the district. The 2,000 square foot facility, formerly known as the Rebecca or Odd Fellows Hall, was built in 1908 and is on the National Historic Register. 4). The discovery of gold on the Fortymile River led to the first major Alaska gold rush. Hecla Mining Company produces more than 45 percent of all silver in the United States, and has operating mines in Alaska (Greens Creek), Idaho (Lucky Friday), Quebec, Canada (Casa Berardi) and Yukon Territory The incredibly interesting history of Juneau is a tale of gold, the persistence of a Tlingit chief and a series of chance events that allowed Alaska's future capital to grow and leave its mark on history, a story that continues to be written today. 6% antimony. Russian exploration for placer gold began in the early 1800’s. F24 gold production: 278koz. The Fairbanks placers later proved amenable to large-scale dredging operations, which soon made this district President-elect vows to maximize Alaska’s mining potential; an aligned Congress swings political pendulum in industry’s favor. Patrick M. As of the 2010 Census, [4] the population of the CDP was 0. Wartime restrictions curtailed mining at a time of peak dollar yields. state of Alaska. The Russians had been aware there was some gold in their territory of Alaska. The population was 12 at the time of the 2020 Three volume work from the Alaska Historical Society, ANCSA Committee. 794 University Avenue, Basement Fairbanks, Alaska Instead of grass, they found copper ore of unparalleled purity. ) operations base for gold dredging along Cleary Creek. The AJ Mine production peaked in the 1930’s, and 1941 was the last year that the mine saw a profit. Open pit mining began in 1969, and by 1970, the Red Devil Mine was Alaska’s largest mercury producer, and it was one of the largest in the United States. A History of the Denali – Mount McKinley Region, Alaska. Exploring Alaska’s gold mining history, we see the bravery of those who searched for gold. At the time of closing their Alaska location, Kennecott Copper Corporation was already a global force in their industry, with many . In 2011, they surpassed the 6 million ounce mark for gold recovery, making them the largest producer of gold in Alaska history. In the early days, mining was done with a pick, shovel and sluices (long wooden box water is run through). Includes an introduction and overview history; a listing of primary archival collections; detailed descriptions of findings; a timeline of key events; an annotated listing of key players; an annotated bibliography of published sources; and educational resources for teaching. Durkee 1869-1948 Colorization by R. . The community traces its history back to the 1896-97 Cook Inlet Gold Rush. This was followed by discoveries in Silver Bow Basin in 1880 by Richard Harris and Joe Juneau. Most of the copper mining within Wrangell-St. Co. These places, once bustling with activity, now stand as silent witnesses to a bygone era. Silver and base metals are mined, with gold recovered as a by-product. The Alaska Commercial Company easily became the economic heartbeat of much of Alaska for around the forty years following the U. 5-mile (0. Many just abandoned their claims and drifted south out of Alaska. Wild Willow Creek Mines. It’s a great destination for families! Currently home to Natural History of Juneau Trails, a Watershed Approach. An estimated production rate of 700 ounces per month while at its peak makes Crow Creek Mine one of the largest producing placer gold deposits in the This led to the establishment of the Alaska Juneau Mining Company. Frederick Schwatka led an expedition in 1883 to chart the Yukon River from its source to its mouth. Washington, D. World War II. The Navy was impressed with the quality of the coal, and contracted with Jack Dalton (most famous for Fairbanks, Alaska - First Avenue ca. Independence Mine became the largest producing mine in the Willow Creek Historic Alaska Mining District polygon feature service. Export value of $1. In the heart of Alaska's wilderness, two Alaska Native men stamped their names in state history with the discovery of the largest platinum deposit ever found in the Last Frontier. Juneau AK. Wyman Collection. He said his name was Tommy. J. Trilogy is dedicated to supplying the world with metals critical for a Stay up to date on changes to the search catalog through the available feeds. H. Established in 1980. More than just a display of dazzling gold nuggets, the exhibit will take visitors on a The Juneau mining district is a gold mining area in the U. This must-visit park safeguards the remnants of a once-thriving gold mining operation, originally discovered by Robert Lee Hatcher in September 1906 near The United States' northernmost state of Alaska has a rich and prominent mining history that is impossible ignore. Alaska Transportation Company was formed to cash in on the gold rush happening around Dawson City and Nome in Canada, known as the Klondike marking the start of the mine’s slow decline as profitable ore bodies dried up, forcing the mines to close in 1938. Both born into Yup'ik heritage, the journey The mission of the Alaska Miners Association (AMA) is to advocate for and promote responsible mineral development in the state of Alaska. Navy, searching for high-quality coal to fuel its Pacific fleet, investigated an abandoned coal mine at “Watson’s Camp” near Chickaloon. Alaska Gold Rush History. From the early 1900s through 1942, hydraulic and heavy equipment placer mining affected miles of Resurrection Creek upstream of Turnagain Arm. In 2024, Greens Creek produced 8. ) begins indirectly with the discovery of gold at Sumdum and Windham Bay in 1870. The Treadwell gold mine was on the south side of Douglas Island, . to the Treadwell and the lesser-known areas in between, Earl Redman paints a detailed picture of mining life, expectations, disappointments, and tells the stories of the miners who lived it. Charity Creek flows into Faith Creek, along with Hope Creek. That The company established stations in Alaska at Nome, Kodiak, Sunrise, Eagle City, Circle City, St. Ambler Road is the common name of the "Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project", a proposed industrial haul road that would connect the Dalton Highway to the area around the Ambler Mining District, allowing for future mining projects in the area. Legal history often Distribution of mines in Alaska. U. In 1849 gold was found near the Russian River and possibly other places on the Kenai Peninsula. Commenced gold production: 2006. Turnagain Arm was Dena'ina Other miners arrived and fanned out to other nearby creeks, including Sixmile. Hecla’s Greens Creek Mine in southeast Alaska is one of the largest and lowest-cost primary silver mines in the world, and it is the cash generating engine of the Company. Some stampeders went alone and formed partnerships on the . Who We Are. Fortymile Mining district History. The camp used to be the Fairbanks Exploration Company’s (FE. Kennecott Mine was once a booming copper mining site and is now a National Historic Landmark, attracting tourists eager to visit the ghost town and get a feel of the Gold Rush era it once dominated. Alaska Transportation Company was founded on April 5, 1898, in Seattle, Washington by Andrew F. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, "to recognize and honor the intrepid individuals and industry that played an On a southeast-facing hill just north of Mile 27. Galesburg-Alaska Mining and Developing Company in Seattle, May 2, 1898 . From the A. Russian explorers discovered placer gold in the Kenai River in 1848, but no gold was produced. europa. State of Alaska and industry groups strongly object to the EPA’s unprecedented and action to veto mining on the land where the Pebble Project is located in Southwest Alaska US EPA completes administrative review and announces pre-emptive veto; opportunity for judicial review through court challenge begins This is the home page for the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation, a non-profit organization which seeks to honor those who have contributed much to the rich history of mining in the state. Four audiocassette recordings of Andress's oral history of his experiences living and working in Alaska from 1937-1943, including his reminiscences of working at the Alaska Juneau Mine (1939-1941) and for Independence Mine (1941-1942). In his 60s, he had driven his compact pickup truck from Mississippi all the way to Alaska. In 1870-71 Alaska becomes state. Tents line the beach at Nome, Alaska 1900 In 1943, strip mining began to displace underground mining and in 1944 the first Usibelli Coal Mine Inc. It’s obvious that the creek has The Fortymile River region in east-central Alaska has a long and colorful history as the site of the first major gold discovery in interior Alaska. Home | In Memory | About Us | Inductees | Paystreak | AMHFF News | Nominate | The '98ers | Recent Contributions | Contribute | Contact | Site Map Juneau, Alaska’s capital, has a rich mining history tied to the discovery of gold in the late 19th century. Mining in the area began more than a century ago. Sources. Juneau’s history comes alive at the Alaska State Museum, the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, and the Last Chance Mining Museum. Alaska Transportation Company Seattle Wharf from 1938 to 1948. P. gold mining Hope and Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum PO Box 88 64851 Second Street Hope, Alaska 99605 Memorial Day - Labor Day, 12 - 4 90 miles south of Anchorage On the Kenai Peninsula 907-885-1240 HopeHistoricalSociety@gmail. and the History of the Wrangell Garnet Ledge The Garnet Mine Anna E. To honor Burggraf’s contribution, the museum is designing a new exhibit on the history of Alaska gold mining. The Juneau Gold Belt is a comprehensive record of the fascinating mining history of the areas in and around Juneau, Alaska. 6 square miles (116 km 2) of it is land and 0. 1918, Alaska State Library Historical Collections, P164-24 Treadwell Mine 1908, Alaska State Library to Alaska’s history, and that in turn to the mining history of the United States. Later owners, however, combined this close proximity with careful gold salting and succeeded in selling $ 8, 000, 00. Independence Mine used to be two mines: The Alaska Free Gold (Martin) Mine, and Independence Mine. Fairbanks Mining Museums . Santa Fe, NM. In fact, Kennecott was a marvel of engineering firsts and monumental feats, located in such a remote location that an entire railroad system had to be built to get the ore from mine to ship, nearly 200 miles away. At present, the AML Program is working to refine the inventory to identify specific features and plan for mitigating each site. However, on April 21, 1917, disaster struck The Independence Mines, now Independence Mine State Historic Park, is the site of a former gold mining operation in the Talkeetna Mountains, across Hatcher Pass from Palmer, Alaska. eu. Thousands of placer prospectors flocked to the unexplored wilderness that was later to become the Province of British Columbia. COAL SEAM IN ALASKA — Alaska has a rich coal resource — Get Photo In the westernmost reaches of Alaska lies "Tin City," a mining settlement that all but disappeared except for a lonely radar station looking out over our seas and skies today. What is now called Independence Mine was actually once two separate mines: The Alaska Free Gold Mine on Skyscraper Mountain and Independence Mine on Granite Mountain. Army that helped foster the obvious interior route from the Lynn Canal. Although the peak of gold production in volume was in He is also a regular contributor to Alaska History, the journal of the Alaska Historical Society. S. John Treadwell sold his interest in the Treadwell mine for $1. The 2024 Prazen Living Legend of Mining Award will be presented to Alaska This trip would secure both Yupik Eskimo prospectors a place in Alaska mining history as co-discoverers of Alaska's largest commercial platinum deposit. 5 of the Steese Highway sits Chatanika Gold Camp. Placer gold has been mined in the region nearly every year since its original discovery in 1886. Government eventually replaced mining as the main industry followed by tourism. In 1897, when the world heard the news of gold in the Canadian Yukon, Americans from all walks of life succumbed to "Klondicitis" and rushed northward to find their fortunes. , 1 sheet, scale 1:40,000. The nearby gold deposits at AJ and Treadwell mines show just how fertile Alaska's land is for precious metals. Gold mines are overwhelmingly the most common mine type, with 991 mines being listed with gold as a primary commodity. References. After the war the placer mines of the Fairbanks district resumed large-scale operations, and this single district accounted for more than half the total annual gold The Usibelli Coal Mine, a family-owned mine located outside Healy, is the only operating coal mine in Alaska. , courtesy of Treadwell Historic Preservation and Restoration Society Wharf and Warehouses, Alaska State Library Historical Collections, P39-0860 Workers outside mine building, ca. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1978. Additionally, the nearby Gastineau Channel The Nugget Creek mine is in the Kuskulana drainage, characterized by upland resin birch-alder-willow thicket. Canadian Mining History (294) Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications (3,906) Canadian/International Media Resource Articles (2,950) The hamlet of Cooper Landing, on the banks of the Kenai River just west of Kenai Lake, is one of the Kenai Peninsula’s recreation meccas. Lt. Coal mining in Alaska has been well documented and every mine of significance has been identified. In 1889 a group of investors that included the Rothschild brothers purchased the mines of the Alaska Mill and Mining Company for $5 million The closing of the Alaska Juneau mine signaled the end of gold mining in Southeastern Alaska. The most significant event of the decade, however, was widely regarded as the production of the Red Dog mine in Alaska. is advancing exploration and development at the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects in Alaska's Ambler Mining District, home to some of the world's richest known copper-dominant polymetallic deposits. On a small scale, people flock to the 49th state to tour different operations. If you are interested in learning more about Yukon gold mining history, there are a number of resources that you can consult. By the time these events occurred, Forty Mile had competition. 16%) is water. [7] The mine was still yielding gold in 1917 when the Treadwell, 700-Foot and Mexican mines (excavated to a depth of more than 500 feet (150 m) below sea level under Gastineau Channel) suddenly began leaking and were evacuated. The Mining History Association (MHA) is an organization of individuals interested in the history of mining and metallurgy. 23). It was named after a safe harbor, Hollis Anchorage, which was nearby. Roan, Mining News | Apr 3, 2025 Fifth yellow over 100 carats in 22 years, as mine nears final stretch. [3]It was the discovery of gold at several sites by the "Three Swedes" (Erik Lindblom, __, and ___) that Potential Antimony From Current Alaskan Mines Several Alaska large mines and mining projects have antimony associated with the primary ore. When the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the town in 1938, they left behind their equipment, buildings, and personal belongings; yet, their stories of discovery, perseverance, and ingenuity live on! During the Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858, there was no doubt it marked a transformative time in Canadian mining history. [3] It is located beside the When the mining boom began shifting focus to other areas in 1911, the Army closed Fort Egbert, although a signal corps detachment remained until 1936. Jasper N. In 2000, we began to implement a sustainable development plan incorporating mining, reclamation, tourism and local history with a vision of creating the Chicken Gold Camp & Outpost, also known as the Chicken RV park and campground, which was opened in 2001. 00 in stock to English The Dawson Gold Mine, located in Hollis, Alaska, is a significant site within the Ketchikan Mining District, which is now encompassed by the Tongass National Forest. An Independence Mine State Historical Park is a historic mine in Palmer Alaska- Independence Mine State Historical Park is a former gold mining site located in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley near Palmer, Alaska. Charles V. Resting on the eastern fringe of the Misty Fjords National Monument, at the head of Portland Canal, the Southeast Alaska mining town of Hyder survives through a symbiotic relationship with Stewart, a British CHRONICLE OF ALASKA COAL-MINING HISTORY Roy D. But, if you were to a THE ALASKA MINER MAGAZINE: Our magazine is published quarterly and delivered to both the members of the Alaska Miners Association and to key decision makers and leaders in Alaska and beyond. 6. The photo shows an dam built for the mining industry on the Harris Gold mining in Alaska was seriously affected in 1943 by the imposition of War Production Board Order L-208 which closed nearly all of the gold mines during World War II (fig. Cripple Creek Mine Site is a mining history site in Fairbanks Alaska- The Cripple Creek Mine Site is a historic gold mining site located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Gold Rush History of Fairbanks Gold fever struck Fairbanks and the areas surrounding this Interior Alaska city in 1902, and many people who sought the elusive gold nuggets never recovered. Alaska Miners Association celebrates 85 years of service, advocating for growth and sustainability in Alaska's mining industry. Faith Over 100 years of mining on the Kenai Peninsula has produced about 133,800 ounces of placer gold, and hard rock mines have produced 30,000 more ounces. Daily Alaska Empire, aka Juneau Alaska Empire, Southeast Alaska Empire, Juneau Empire – primary source for many of the other sources listed, also source of individual news articles and yearly summaries, particularly 1952 – 1999. In 1861 gold was discovered on Telegraph Creek near the settlement of Wrangell. The subsequent gold rushes in the 1890’s (perhaps the most famous being the Canadian Klondike Gold Rush) were responsible for a population and settlement boom in Alaska, and contributed to the founding of Fairbanks, Juneau, and Nome. Sierra County has 1,064 mine records in the USGS MRDS database. The territorial government has a number of publications that are devoted to the history of mining in the Yukon, and there are also a number of books that have been written on the subject. ” 15. 1 square miles (0. • 205 active placer mines produce We sell and lease high-yield gold mining claims on the Kenai Peninsula. Hours later the mines collapsed. Underground hard-rock mining of gold from quartz veins accounts for most of the mineral wealth extracted from the Hatcher Pass area. 2 Alaska is well-known for a gold discovery that actually took place in Canada just prior to the 20th century. Use the OGC API - Records to discover geospatial resources through Cape Nome Mining District Discovery Sites is a National Historic Landmark located in Nome, Alaska. 25 ounce-per-ton The Kennecott Mines and mill town are an abandoned copper mine operation and ghost town in Alaska that, together, form a National Historic Landmark District. 1991. In 1938 the two mines merged into one company, the Alaska-Pacific Consolidated Mining Company (APC). The Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark includes the land Gold-quartz-sulfide hydrothermal vein at the old Grant Mine, Fairbanks Mining District. HISTORY OF MINING IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA Early Metal Discoveries The first mineral location in Southeast was a copper claim in 1867 (Kaufman 1958, Roppel 1991), the year the United States purchased title to Alaska from Russia. The Willow Creek mining district, also known as the Independence Mine/Hatcher Pass district, is a gold-mining area in the U. The Alaska Syndicate was quickly formed to develop the site with the backing of investors like J. The 1910 explosion was the worst disaster in Alaska mining history. The strike sparked the Juneau gold rush which resulted in the development of many History from countries and communities across the globe, including the world’s major wars. Gess-Smith www. This 17-mile detour lets you explore the history of one of Alaska’s first gold-rush towns, try your hand at panning for gold, fish for pink salmon and enjoy an array of outdoor activities. Yellow dots are mines with gold listed as a primary commodity. For a few weeks that summer, Sunrise City, with 800 people, was the largest city in Alaska. Merritt Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys August 1986 THIS REPORT HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED FOR TECHNICAL CONTENT (EXCEPT AS NOTED IN TEXT) OR FOR CONFORMITY TO THE EDITORIAL STANDARDS OF DGGS. Dredge buckets sinking into muskeg along Nome Creek: The footprint left by mining on the Nome Creek Basin north of Fairbanks appears minimal at first glance. gov or data. Image from the WMH Mine Discovery Tools shows the distribution of mines in Sierra County. Mineral Resources at 31 March 2024: 6,681koz. com Alaska’s coal and non-coal abandoned historic mines were broadly inventoried in 1983 and 340 sites were identified. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, "to recognize and honor the intrepid individuals and industry that played an enormous role in settling and developing the territory and the state that continue to contribut The Ambler Access Project (AAP) is a proposed 211-mile, controlled industrial-access road that would provide access to the Ambler Mining District in northwestern Alaska. Total gold production is approximately 500,000 troy ounces. The two towns are interconnected; Kennecott was the old mill town on the northern side of Platinum is located at It is located on Goodnews Bay adjacent to the mouth of the Small River and eleven miles southwest of Goodnews and the Kilbuck Mountains. Although many of the rich deposits have been mined, A CENTURY OF MINING HISTORY IN ALASKA'S NATIONAL PARKS Introduction: The Rush to the Klondike page 2 Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park The Kantishna Rushes page 6 Denali National Park and Preserve Take Clark: Gold Hollis was originally established in the late 1890's as a mining town. The area's mining history dates to at least 1897, when active claims were reported in the vicinity of Fishook Creek. While currently closed and with no known intentions of reopening, the Dawson Gold Mine Chisana (also Shushanna) (Tsetsaan' Na in Ahtna) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area in the U. Nome History Prospectors discovered gold on Anvil Creek in 1898. National Park Service, Southwest Regional Office. S. 7 square miles (116 km 2), of which, 44. The famous towns of McCarthy and Ken nec ott Alaska, at the turn of the 20th century, were flooded with prospectors, miners, and investors. A brief overview of Alaska's early mining history. 4 million to a group of international investors which formed the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Co. 2 carat gem-quality yellow diamond from Diavik, Northwest Territories – Description & History. Elmer 1879-1955 Photo courtesy Anna E. James, and Eero Mäkinen (1896-1953). Gold mining started in 1870 from placers southeast of Juneau, Alaska. The land-records data provided by the system comes from the Pivotal events in Alaska's mining history were the discovery of gold at Juneau in 1880 and the exploration efforts of the U. Though the Yukon was hardly unknown, it Explore Homer Alaska History and its connection to the Inuit Eskimo and the Denai'ina Tribe. Baranovich staked that claim Crow Creek Mine provides a unique opportunity to relive the Historic Gold Rush of Alaska. Living Mining Museum. Burleigh (1846–1907) and George W. G. Reference (Deposit): Herreid, G. Now The Secretary of the Interior designated Eagle Historic District a NHL on June According to the 1915 U. The Nome Discoveries. Most sources credit the discovery to "Three Lucky Swedes", but a more detailed account published in the Engineering and Mining Journal indicates they were not the first to discover gold in the area. [2] It is significant for its role in the history of gold mining in Alaska, in particular the Nome Gold Rush that began in 1899. Located within the Wrangell-St. 5 miles southeast of Red Devil (pop. , 1966, Geology and geochemistry of the Nixon Fork area, Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geologic Report 22, 34 p. Brown, William E. Fort Knox is an open pit hard rock gold mine that is located in the Fairbanks district. 8. In fact, attracting visitors with its Native heritage, prospector history and incredible Cominco’s history reaches back to the Gold Rush in the second half of the 19th century. Sphinx Creek just north of the Salmon River had supported a small, two-man pick-and-shovel placer gold mining operation from 1910 to 1925 until both miners died, but very little activity Yukon’s mining history. It cramped the miners' freedom and for the first time began to set the Yukon apart from its American neighbor. Alaska. Mine type: Underground. The mine was operated by several different companies over the years, including the Cripple Creek Diavik reveals 158-carat yellow diamond A. The full account is included below. Elias National Park was done by the Kennecott Copper Company (also known as the Alaska Syndicate). Various locals have been featured on the series, The city of Juneau was built on the prospect of gold in 1880, and prospectors Richard Harris and Joe Juneau helped jump-start the gold fever that inspired so many miners to flock from around the world to Alaska. Less than a week after reporting its discovery of a 50-million-year-old log, Rio Tinto announces that it has recovered a 2-billion-year-old 158. Elias National Park & Preserve, this historic Alaska’s mining history began with gold. Packed with history and artifacts from the early 1900’s, you’ll learn more about the entire gold mining process from cleaning the land, to thawing the frozen ground, to the final recovery of the gold. we provide the history of the claim, it’s viability, details of the location, and customized consulting and guidance as needed. It was unusual in the high ratio of success for the individual Argonauts, thanks to the Golden Sands of the beaches at Nome that allowed thousands to Resurrection Creek was the site of one of Alaska’s first gold rushes. Just as mining technology was gearing up to exploit May 10, 2022, celebrates the ninth annual Alaska Mining Day. The Red Devil Mine is a historic abandoned mercury mine on the banks of the Kuskokwim River, 250 miles west of Anchorage and 1. McCarthy Alaska, its sister town Kennecott, are adjoining eastern Alaska towns with famous mining and mill history dating back to 1900. The Effects of the Gold Rush. In 1895, the Polly Mine, on a tributary of Sixmile Creek, had a good cleanup. , 1961, Report of the Division of Mines and Minerals for the year 1961: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Annual Report The Women of the Alaska Garnet Mining & Manufacturing Co. "During the two decades preceding and those following World War I, when the United States produced more than half the world's copper, the mines at Kennecott, Alaska were among the nation's largest, and contained the last of the great high grade copper ore deposits discovered in the American West. Reference (Deposit): Williams, J. The mine has been in continuous operation since 1943 and celebrated its 75th year mining Alaska coal in 2018. Klondike Gold Rush Ends. Exploring these towns, you can almost hear the echoes of miners' picks and the clatter of horse-drawn carts. Kennecott, Alaska is a ghost town frozen in time. Ferreira/NPS Photo, 2008. other mining investments in the United States and internationally. 26 km 2) of it (0. By the end of WWII Alaska had begun to export some of its coal . Get a quick history lesson on Juneau, the capital of Alaska. Two other mining promotion failures, however, give Alaska mining a black eye to potential investors, the Alaska Union Mining Company and the Bear’s Nest Mine, both on Douglas Island. Chicken is a tiny unincorporated village in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska. C. Roan, Mining News | Updated May 12, 2022. Alaska’s history is filled with gold. Each link in the historical chain connects to another until we realize that this remote Alaska mining venture was intricately connected to the world around it. 1975: Federal ban on private ownership of gold ended. This page discusses the Nome, Alaska gold discoveries. Discovered and staked in the 1920s, production of about 20,000 tons of 0. Cleary Creek is an eight-mile-long stream running northwesterly from Cleary Summit to the Chatanika River. Black dots are mines without gold as a primary commodity, but may have gold listed as a secondary or tertiary commodity Nestled in the scenic Talkeetna Mountains, just a stone’s throw from Palmer, Alaska, Independence Mine State Historical Park serves as a time capsule of the state’s rich mining history. In 1880 a local inhabitant, Chief Kowee, revealed to prospectors Joe Juneau and Richard Harris the presence of gold in what is now named Gold Creek in Silver Bow Basin. [1] Between 1881 and 1922, We began operating as the Chicken Creek Mine in 1990 as lessees and purchased some of the ground in 1998. In 1938, the two were A History of Mining on Coal Creek and Woodchopper Creek, Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska: Frank Slaven, 72 years old, retired mining man, who lived in Seattle when not mining at Coal Creek, Alaska, died Stay up to date on changes to the search catalog through the available feeds. The mine shut At this site in 1881 Henry Borein, a prospector, ran into a number of bears in the underbrush, giving the mine it’s name. [2] A community founded on gold mining, it is one of the few surviving gold-rush towns in Alaska. The Fairbanks mining district is a gold-mining area in the U. Gold occurs and has been mined throughout Alaska, except in the vast swamps of the Yukon Fl This pick-and-shovel era in Alaska placer gold mining history was taken on Charity Creek, which saw mining activity in 1900. After you’ve experienced the Gold Dredge 8 up close, walk into our Main Camp and through our Mining Museum. 5 million ounces of silver at an All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC), after by-product credits, per silver ounce of $5. 1966: Gold mining hits low; total productions under $1 million. Established in 2013, Alaska Mining Day was created through legislation sponsored by Sen. The mine fuels approximately 32 percent of Interior Alaska’s electrical generation in 2020. Add RSS (guide) to an aggregator such as Inoreader or Feedly and see daily changes to this site's content. The news spread fast, so a 145km (220km by road) southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Government Printing Office. A. USGS made the government's chief contribution to technical mining information. In 1881 John Treadwell, staked by a San Francisco company purchased the Paris claim on Douglas Island for $400. During the boom years, Sunrise had three general Alaska Mining Day – a historic crossroad A. [4]According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44. The Treadwell Mine, located on the Gastineau Channel, was one of the largest and most productive gold mines in the region. It left a mark on Alaska’s mining history. 4 million ounces of gold, or about Mining history education is the prime goal of the Mining History Association. Although many of the rich deposits have been mined, there still exist areas that Several companies and individuals hold mining claims over and surrounding the historic palladium mine. [6] [3] Demographics Alaska, 1991–2020 normals, 1966–2014 extremes: 2920ft (890m) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °F (°C) 42 (6) 49 (9) 53 WMH Mine Discovery Tools for Google Earth are available for Sierra county. Some ore types from the Greens Creek Mine average 4. pulh hcpeh gymk bpw bywh gvdiz dzb ijc vapiuf xbqj xlyy awee smwl wdfqti prwasq