LOCATION

COUNTY:Chilton County

STATE:Alabama

The Southwestern part of the Alabama belt includes portions of Chilton County. The rock exposures that are limited on the south west by the overlap of the Upper Cretaceous Formation (Tuscaloosa Formation). Nuggets weighing up to 4 ounces have been reported from Blue Creek, a short tributary of the Coosa River in the southeastern part of the county.

Clanton

West of Clanton 13 miles on the small tributary of Mulberry Creek, The Franklin (Jemison) Mine, small pits in schists and quartz, site of a 10 stamp mill operated until 1923. On the south bank of the creek exposing Hillabee Schist, The B.T. Childers Prospect with pyrite and copper minerals. Also along Mulberry Creek, about 2 miles below Honeycutts Mill for some distance above, the Mulberry Creek Placers, productive in the early days. All the tributaries contain placer gold.

Verbena

In the Verbena area all the streams and creeks surrounding the corners of Chilton, Coosa and Elmore Counties contain placer gold. On Blue Creek, the Rippatoe placers, discovered in 1835 to become a famous property with mining continuing vigorously until 1855. The gold gravels extend about 1 mile in a valley and not more than 200 yards wide. Fine gold and Nuggets are reported. On Rocky Creek, there are also some rich placer workings, but it has been worked and reworked often. Large nuggets have been recovered from these sites.