Placer deposits: Their formation, evaluation, and exploitation, Yukon

The formation of placer deposits has several prerequisites. They include a source for the gold, a mechanism to concentrate it, and time for the concentrating mechanism to work. The source of the gold could be gold-quartz veins, gold-bearing sulphide deposits, or previously formed placer deposits. Concentration of gold in placer deposits occurs through erosion. Concentrations may occur in residual eluvial and deluvial deposits overlying and close to a lode gold source. Most placer deposits have, however, been further concentrated through the action of moving water in streams or on beaches. Typical sites for accumulation of placer gold deposits occur where the rate of flow decreases. Such sites include the inside of meander curves, at decreases in stream gradients, at the confluence of creeks, and where physical obstructions such as irregularities in the bedrock surface, or the surface of the sand and gravel occur. In deposits of meandering streams, gold occurs in distinct pay-streaks at the base of the deposits. In deposits of braided streams, however, the gold occurs erratically throughout the deposits. A variety of sampling methods and other techniques can be used to explore and…

Publisher

Government of Yukon

Resources

2

Catalogue metadata updated

2026-09-09