Shungnak District — Northwestern Alaska Region Alaska County

Source: Tom Ashworth's Prospectors Cache (tomashworth.com / Tom Ashworth). Author: Tom Ashworth. Original page: northwestern_alaska_ak.shtml. Area: Shungnak District. Map coordinates are an approximate county/area centroid — not a precise claim site. The district is located in the Kobuk River Valley, between latitude 66�50' and 67�10' N, longitude 156�50' and 157�25' W. It is on the Shungnak USGS quadrangle. The total production from 1898-1955 was 10,000-15,000 ounces. Almost all of the placer gold produced by this district came from the drainage area of the Cosmos Hills above the valley of the Kobuk River. Most the production was from Dahl Creek. There were many area placer workings in and about the community. Along Wesley Creek, 6 miles west of the Dahl Creek Tremollite mine, near the head of the creek, there were some very rich placers. North of Shungnak 10 miles is the location of the Aurora Mountain, Riley Creek and Ruby Creek lode gold mines. Northeast of Shungnak 40 miles, the Shishakshinovik Pass Mine, produced lode gold. West of Shungnak 50 miles, in the valley of Ambler River there were very many rich placer workings. California and Lynx Creeks were also rich in placer gold.