On the beach or up a hidden creek, Gold Beach got its name for the generous amount of gold being panned out the black beach sand that exposes itself all throughout Curry County.
Care to read more about panning for gold?
Ocean beaches along the entire county, but especially North and South of the mouths of the Chetco and Rogue rivers, in black-sand deposits you will placer gold and platinum. All regional streams (gravel bars, benches, terraces), placers formerly worked and still yielding colors and nuggets to the seasonal gold panner.
BEACHES
Gold beach area ocean beach black-sand deposits was once extensively worked for its rich placer gold and platinum showings. Port Oxford the area beach black sand deposits contain placer gold and platinum (fine to very fine). The Sixes River on inside of Cape Blanco, in section 4 of township 32S and range 15W, you will find the Madden Mine which was a large lode gold producer. On north side of Cape Blanco, the beach deposits of black sand on both sides of mouth of the Sixes River contain placer gold and platinum.
CHETCO RIVER
Northeast of Brookings to headwaters of the Chetco River, located at township 38S and range 10W, near center of section 26 you will find the Frazier Mine which was a rich producer of lode gold associated with pyrite. The Golden Eagle Mine was a hydraulic placer gold operation. Near head of Slide Creek the Golden Dream Mine was a large lode gold operation. In the center section 23, the Peck Mine was a good producer of lode gold. Near edge of section 35, the Young Mine had rich pockets of free gold. In section 10, the Hoover Gulch Mine, worked intermittently since 1900 for its lode gold.
ILLINOIS RIVER
The old mines and prospects along the lower Illinois River also had rich gold deposits with a by product of copper.
LOBSTER CREEK
Gold is found throughout Lobster Creek, located 10 miles East of Gold Beach, Or, up the Rogue River. It is actively being worked at a place called "old Diggins'". There are nice nuggets and flour gold dredged up each year. Most places are claimed so permission is required to work these areas.
ROUGE RIVER
The Rogue River gravel bars, benches, terraces from Marial, in the northeast corner of the county to its mouth at Wedderburn has abundant placer gold deposits. Around the Agness area on the Rogue River gravel bars, benches and terraces had rich placer gold deposits. Near Marial, to the southwest by 1 mile, in sections 17 and 20 of township33S and range 10W, you will find the Mule Mountain Group of mines which consisted of, 11 lode mines, 1 placer mine and 1 mill site. If you go to the Northeast 2 miles in the northwest I/4 section 3 and the northeast of section 4, you will find the Mammoth Mine which was a rich lode gold producer. The Marigold Mine was also a rich lode gold in quartz mine. Near Saddle Peaks (reached by rough trail), the Paradise Mine which produced free gold.
SIXES RIVER
Along the South Fork of the Sixes River and at heads of Salmon and Johnson Creeks there are numerous extensive placers that have been worked. If you go east on a dirt road to the head of Rusty Creek you will find the Big Ben Mine which was a rich lode gold producer, with lead and silver. Also in the area is the Combination Mine, which was a rich lode gold producer as well. There is also a BLM mineral withdrawal area setup at the old ghost town of Sixes. This area is set up for recreational mining using pans, sluices, and dredges up to 4" hose diameter.
Pans can be purchased at the
Rogue Outdoor Store in Gold Beach or at the
Chetco Outdoor Store in Brookings.
All of the ocean beaches are great places to search for fossils or unique rocks. Everyone goes home with a treasure!
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