114 ALASKAN M1NEEAL RESOURCES IN 1904. [bull. 259. 
There has been much speculation by the miners as to the source of 
the bench gravels. The position of the benches seems to show rela- 
tionship with Minook Creek. The material of the gravels is such 
as is found in place in the upper valley. Bowlders of quartzite brec- 
cia are common in the gravels, and a towering mass of this rusty 
rock occurs near the trail on Minook about li miles above the mouth 
of Slate Creek. The bench gravels have been found on the south 
side of Florida Creek, but have not been traced beyond that point. 
Although fragments of the bench can be traced still farther toward 
the head of the creek, the opportunity for the preservation of high 
gravels in this portion of the valley has been limited. 
Ruby Creek. — Ruby and Slate creeks enter Minook Creek through 
narrow valleys from the west. Rub}^ Creek drains an area composed 
partly of garnetiferous quartz-mica-schists. The gravels are about 10] 
feet thick and there is little muck. No pay has been found farther than 
li miles above the mouth. Silver nuggets are occasionally found and 
garnet is an abundant associate of the gold. It is not known whether 
the occurrence here is related to older gravels. Preparations were] 
being made to work the ground by hydraulicking. A head of 154 feet] 
was said to be obtainable and an elevator was to be used in connection 
with a "giant." 
Slate Creek. — Slate Creek, which drains an area tying 2 miles farther 
south, is about 4 miles long and flows in a narrow valley. There ia 
said to be always at least a sluice head of water, and the grade in the 
lower portion is about 150 feet to the mile. The bed rock, near the 
mouth, includes dark shaly limestone, green and purple shales, and 
cherty beds. All these have been much folded and strike northwest. 
The main rock of the valle} r is a dark graphitic schist, which breaks- 
up into pencil -like fragments and contains many quartz seams.* 
Ground has been worked to a depth of 26 feet. Over a width of 5(1 
feet in this valley gold has been found in as much as 3 feet of gravel 
and to a depth of 1^ feet in bed rock. An $8 piece is the coarsest 
found up to the present time. Silver is a common associate and an 
8-ounce nugget has been found. Copper is said to occur. The absence' 
of garnets indicates that the schists on Ruby Creek do not extend into 
this valley. The gold has probably been derived from quartz stringers 
in the bed rock. 
Minook Creek. — Gold has been found on several claims along Minook 
Creek itself, but conditions are unfavorable for working the ground^ 
in a small wa}^, and thus far no extensive systematic work has been 
undertaken. It is proposed, however, to work some of these gravels 
on a large scale by hydraulicking during the season of 1905. 
Quail Creek, of Troublesome. — Prospecting was in progress on Quail 
Creek, a tributary of Troublesome Creek from the west, and at other- 
localities within this area. The distance of these localities from Ram- 
