Prince William Sound Region Alaska

Prince William Sound is on the southern coast of Alaska east of the Kenai Peninsula and is mapped on the Valdez and Cordova USGS quadrangles. This is the famed area where the oil tanker "Exxon Valdez" ran aground and caused the worst environmental catastrophe in United States History, by spilling some 10 million gallons of crude oil. Within the restricted area between the Chugach Mountains on the north and the waters of the sound lie the notable gold and copper mining centers of Port Wells, Port Valdez and Ellamar. Between 1894, when placer gold was discovered near Valdez, through 1956, a total of 137,600 ounces of gold was produced from lode and placer sources.

Cordova District

On the Cordova USGS quadrangle is the Cordova district. North of Cordova 5 miles is the Wilson Point Mine, which produced lode gold. East southeast of Cordova 20 miles is the lode gold mines of the Bear Creek Mining Company, Lucky Strike Mining Company and McKinley Lake Mining Company.

Ellamar District

On the Cordova USGS quadrangle is the Ellamar district. In the Ellamar district you can find many old lode mines.

Latouche Island District

On the Blying Sound quadrangle you can find many old lode mines here.

Passage Canal District

You can find numerous old mines that produced lode gold.

Unakwik District

You can find may old mines that produced lode gold.

Valdez District

In the Valdez district there were many old lode mines.