Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water

The Nixon Fork Mine is an underground cut-and-fill, shrinkage, and sub-level open stoping operation using gravity and flotation processes to recover copper concentrate, and carbon-in-leach to recover gold. The mine is located in west-central Alaska, 32 miles northeast of McGrath and 8 miles north of Medfra, on Bureau of Land Management and Doyon Ltd. Native Corporation lands. Access to the mine is via air.

The project is operated by Mystery Creek Resources, Inc. (MCRI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Titan Resources, LTD. The major Nixon Fork Mine facilities include the Nixon Fork underground Mystery Mine and Crystal Mine, surface mill, tailings storage facility, dry stack tailings facility, administrative and camp facilities and a 4,200-foot long airstrip. Power is supplied by on-site diesel generators. The Nixon Fork Mine went into temporary closure status in June 2013. On August 24, 2016, Mystery Creek Resources, Inc. submitted notification to restart the project.

The Nixon Fork Mine is an existing underground lode gold mine located 32 miles northeast of McGrath, Alaska.  The area surrounding the present day Nixon Fork Mine was first staked in 1917 and limited underground mining occurred sporadically between 1917 and the early 1950’s.  The Nixon Fork Mine as it exists today was permitted and developed by Nevada Goldfields, Inc. in 1995 and operated until 1999. 

Nevada Goldfields constructed a 4,200-foot Hercules airstrip, expanded the road system, and constructed a new mill, shop, 50-person camp, tailings impoundment, and water supply system.  The mining rate was approximately 150 tons per day and a froth-flotation milling process was used to produce a gold and copper concentrate that was shipped off-site for final processing.  Mining and milling operations ceased when Nevada Goldfields parent corporation and its subsidiaries were voluntarily placed into bankruptcy.  The trustee of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court relinquished rights to the mining leases and legally abandoned ownership of the facilities and equipment at the site.  The facilities and equipment were transferred to the federal mining claimant Mespelt & Almasy Mining Company.  Mystery Creek Resources, Inc. leased the property, facilities and equipment from Almasy in 2003 and submitted a Plan of Operations to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management that envisioned a phased return to full production at the mine. Mystery Creek Resources was authorized by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to re-commission the surface and underground facilities and to conduct mineral exploration activities and general site clean-up.

Temporary Closure Plan (PDF)

ISSUED May 15, 2012

DNR Nixon Fork Mine
Reclamation Plan Approval (A20125562) (PDF)
Reclamation Plan Approval Extension (A20125562) (PDF)

DEC Nixon Fork Mine
Waste Management Permit No. 2012DB0001 (PDF)

Response to Comments Document (PDF)

Archived Public Notice
Including support documents.

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• Certificate of Approval to Operate a Dam (PDF) - September 20, 2016

• ADNR Reclamation Plan Approval (A20065562) (PDF) – January 25, 2006
• Reclamation Plan Amendment #1 Approval (A20065562) (PDF) – August 31, 2011
• Reclamation Plan Approval Administrative Extension letter (PDF) – March 2, 2012
• Reclamation Plan Approval Administrative Extension letter (PDF) – December 1, 2011
• Reclamation Plan Approval Administrative Extension letter (PDF) – December 20, 2010

• ADEC Waste Management Permit 2003-DB0055, Nixon Fork Mine (PDF) – January 25, 2006
• Administrative Permit Continuance letter (PDF) – December 10, 2010

Joint Public Notice of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation relating to proposed activities at Nixon Fork Mine (PDF) – October 21, 2005

Documents submitted by Mystery Creek Resources, Inc. in support of project authorizations:

• Nixon Fork Mine Environmental Assessment (AK-040-04-EA-022) (PDF) – October 2005
• Nixon Fork Mine Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan, Volume I (PDF) – August 2005
• Nixon Fork Mine Plan of Operations and Reclamation Plan, Volume II (PDF) – August 2005
• Letter from Mystery Creek Resources regarding Reclamation Plan and Cost Estimate (PDF) – October 20, 2005
• Reclamation Plan and Cost Estimate Nixon Fork Mine Project (PDF) - September 2005 (Revised October 20, 2005)
• Mystery Creek Resources Nixon Fork Mine Monitoring Plan (PDF) – September 7, 2005

2012 Annual Report

Nixon Fork Mine 2012 Annual Monitoring Report (PDF) (posted 3/20/2013)

• Appendix A. Figures (PDF)
• Appendix B. Baseline Water Quality Monitoring (PDF)
• Appendix C. Surface Water Quality Graphs (PDF)
• Appendix D. Geochemical Operational Monitoring (PDF)
• Appendix E. Visual Monitoring Records (PDF)
• Appendix F. SPCC Monitoring (PDF)
• Appendix G. Thermistor and Monitoring Well Records (PDF)
• Appendix H. Land Application Disposals (PDF)
• Appendix I. SGS Analytical lab Reports (PDF)
• Appendix J. Annual Water Usage (PDF)

2011 Annual Report

Nixon Fork Mine Annual  Monitoring Summary 2011 (PDF)