<P> Mining occurred on the Hammond River, a tributary of the Koyukuk River, from about 1900 to at least 2000 . Exact production is unknown, but is estimated at about 80,000 ounces . </P> <P> A rich, deep channel was struck beneath the Hammond River in 1912, and during the following 4 years, over 48,000 oz gold were produced, including a 138.8 - oz nugget . (Pringel, 1921; T.K. Bundtzen, written communication, 1999) Much of the gold was coarse: the third (146 troy oz .), fourth (139 troy oz .), 14th (61 troy ounces), and 17th (55 troy ounces) largest gold nuggets in Alaska were found on the Hammond River between Discovery claim and Vermont Creek a distance of 4 miles . Only the richest ground was possible to mine as the Hammond River was one of the most remote placer districts in North America until 1975 when the Dalton Highway for the Alaskan Pipeline project was completed . Historically the Hammond River is one of the largest gold producers in the Koyukuk district . Gold was discovered on the Hammond River, just above the lower canyon mouth, about 2 miles upstream from the Koyukuk River . In the early years, attempts were made to mine the modern stream gravels . At the mouth of Swift Creek a wing dam was built to divert the river for mining, but numerous cobbles and small boulders made the venture unprofitable . Approximately 500 ounces was recovered with pick and shovels in Summer of 1902 . Later, shafts sunk 66 feet to bedrock at the discovery site were reported to show the presence of gold in paying quantities . The majority of the gold production on the Hammond came out of the deep channel as early miners were unable to deal with the water and cobbles in the present river channel . </P> <P> The Hammond River contains deep channel, bench, and modern stream placers . Much of the Hammond River gold is of the coarse nugget variety . Several nuggets weighing from 45 to 59 oz were found in the early days . In 1914 a 138.8 oz nugget (fourth largest in Alaska) was found in a mud - filled crack on bedrock near Gold Bottom Gulch (Engineering and Mining Journal, 1915, p. 1021; T. Bundzten, personal communication, 1999). </P> <P> In 1914, on No. 4 Above, Hammond River (Goldbottom Gulch), J.C. Kinney and partners picked up nuggets from bedrock valued at about $20,000; one nugget, the second largest ever found in Alaska, was worth $2600 . The rest of the dump when sluiced yielded a little less than the value of the "pickings ." (Engineering and Mining Journal, 1914, p. 1062 Vol. 98 No. 24 . (Gold at $20.00 per ounce .) </P>

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