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Gold Placer Mining and Stream Ecosystems of Interior Alaska

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Freshwaters of Alaska

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 119))

Abstract

Placer mining is primarily practiced in Alaska as a type of open pit mining that targets alluvial deposits called placers, which may be deeply buried under soil and gravel (overburden). Placer deposits of precious metals, including gold, occur when a lode or vein weathers and fragments and is moved by flowing water into an alluvial deposit. As the alluvium is reworked and sorted by water flows, the heavy precious-metal ore tends to move downward until it is stopped by the bedrock. Sometimes the placer deposit is in an active stream channel, but often the alluvia are ancient and buried.

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Authors
  1. Jacqueline D. LaPerriere
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  2. James B. Reynolds
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7220, USA

    Alexander M. Milner

  2. Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 707 A Street, Anchorage, AK, 99501, USA

    Alexander M. Milner

  3. Department of Biology and Wildlife and Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-6100, USA

    Mark W. Oswood

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© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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LaPerriere, J.D., Reynolds, J.B. (1997). Gold Placer Mining and Stream Ecosystems of Interior Alaska. In: Milner, A.M., Oswood, M.W. (eds) Freshwaters of Alaska. Ecological Studies, vol 119. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0677-4_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0677-4_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-6866-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-0677-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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