204 ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES IN 1906. 
A varying amount of bed rock is taken up, depending on its loose 
ness. Apparently gold occurs in bed rock beyond the depth to 
which it can be profitably extracted. The bed rock appears to be 
chiefly conglomerate, but in some places a plastic clay which may be 
a weathered shale interbedded with the conglomerate has been en- 
countered. Prospectors report that the values are found in the con- 
glomerate but appear to be absent in the clay. The conglomerate 
bed rock is invariably iron stained, where found under the placers. 
Gold has been found in the lower benches of the creek, but the higher 
benches have not been prospected. 
The gold in the creek bed is usually bright colored, but that of the 
benches is dark. Most of the gold is coarse, the largest nugget having 
a value of $30. The value of the gold as reported by the miners is 
$19.09 to $19.30 per ounce, which would make it the highest of all 
found in the Yukon province. Values of 5 to 50 cents to the pan on 
bed rock are reported, but there are no data available for the average 
tenor of the pay streak. 
Though Mineral Creek was staked as early as 1898, actual mining 
did not begin until several years later. In 1906 eighteen men were 
engaged in mining on this creek and more or less work was done on 
seven claims. Most of the work was by " shoveling in" methods, 
but one small hydraulic plant was used for stripping and three steam 
hoists were operated. Most of the mining was done in winter with 
the aid of steam points. The total production for 1906 is estimated 
to have been $18,000, of which four-fifths was taken out in winter. 
