COOS COUNTY, OREGON

LOCATION

COUNTY:Coos County

STATE:Oregon

Beach

Near the town of Bandon the ocean beach black sand deposits produced rich placers and they are still being worked today at a profit. These beach sands produced platinum and gold. East of Bandon the elevated marine terraces as high as 170 feet have been worked for the ancient black sand deposits and are said to be rich. North of Bandon, all the way to Cape Arago, in the black sand deposits there is very fine placer gold and platinum. If you go north of Bandon by 10 miles in township 27S and range 14W in section 10 you will find the Seven Devils Mine. It was worked for gold and platinum in the early days and for chromium for 1942-43. In Coos Bay on the ocean beachs North and South of the Coquille River produce Platinum and Gold in the black sand deposits. Near the town of Powers in Sections 19 and 30 of township 33S and Range 20E you will find the Independence Mine which was a large lode mine.

Coquille River

In the regional streambed, bench and terrace gravels around Myrtle Point you can find placer gold in the Coquille River. Along the South Fork of the Coquille River, on Poverty Gulch, you will find the Coarse Gold Mine. North of Poverty Gulch you will find the Salmon Mountain Mine.

Cow Creek

Near the had of Eden Valley on the upper west fork of Cow Creek there were many large placer operation that had rich gold deposits.

Cut Creek

If you go North of Bandon 6 miles you will find Cut Creek. It can be found by taking Seven Devils Road. This was the location of the Pioneer Mine, which consisted of an ancient elevated beach terrace black sand deposit that was sluiced until around 1915 and still occasionally worked for its placer gold content. Also in this location is the Eagle Mine.

Sweat Creek

Sweat Creek is located in section 36 of township 31S and range 10W and was a substantial producer of gold and platinum in placer deposits.

Whiskey Run Creek

Reported By: Sherman Wallis

At the turn of the century Whiskey Run Creek was the sceene of a very large chinese placer operation. Today the beach sands and the creek itself have a lot of fine gold. Whiskey Run Creek is located about 6 mile North West of Bandon on Hwy 101.