Heckla

The Heckla is a zinc, molybdenum, silver, lead, and copper mine located in Alaska.

About the MRDS Data:

All mine locations were obtained from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System. The locations and other information in this database have not been verified for accuracy. It should be assumed that all mines are on private property.

Mine Info

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Site Name

Primary: Heckla
Secondary: Greenpoint

Commodity

Primary: Zinc
Primary: Molybdenum
Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Copper
Secondary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Hyder

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Wallrocks adjacent to veins are impregnated with sulfide minerals. Local iron staining. Local oxidation and formation of secondary copper and lead minerals.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Digenite
Ore: Covellite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Anglesite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Molybdenite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Geology): Age = Lead-isotope studies of the galena at the Heckla prospect (Maas, 1995, p. 229-248) indicate that the deposit is Eocene in age, contemporaneous with emplacement of the Hyder Quartz Monzonite.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Early exploration consisted of a small amount of stripping and excavation of several small, shallow opencuts. Locator of Greenpoint group staked in 1970 explored property by geologic mapping, sampling, some ground geophysics, and shallow diamond drilling.? Early reports describe a picked sample that yielded 0.08 oz of Au and 54.3 oz of Ag per ton, 21.6% Pb, 32.1% Zn, and 4.1% Cu. Channel samples collected by U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1972 contained up to 9% Pb, 8.5% Zn, 1% Cu, and 15% Mo; assays also showed up to 20 oz of Ag and 0.23 oz Au per ton.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The country rocks in the area of the Heckla prospect are mainly pelitic hornfels of the Jurassic or older Mesozoic Hazelton Group. Near the prospect, graywacke hornfels is cut by dikes of diorite or andesite that may be apophyses of Triassic Texas Creek Granodiorite, and by felsic dikes that may be apophyses of Eocene Hyder Quartz Monzonite (Berg and others, 1977, p. 15-18, 22-23, 96-97; Smith, 1977; Koch, 1996).? the mineral deposit (Berg, and others, 1977, p. 96-100) consists of five principal quartz fissure veins up to about 4 feet thick. The veins cut graywacke hornfels and minor calcareous schist and contain pyrite, galena, and molybdenite, locally abundant sphalerite and pyrrhotite, sporadic chalcopyrite and a little malachite, and microscopic traces of covellite and digenite. Small amounts of anglesite are in some of the more oxidized zones. Some of the quartz is vuggy and locally iron stained. The wallrock adjacent to the main (Heckla) vein is sheared, altered, and impregnated with sulfides over a width of about 3 feet. ? Channel samples of the veins collected in 1972 by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (Berg, 1977, p. 98-99) contain up to 9% Pb, 8.5% Zn, 1% Cu, and 15% Mo; assays also show up to 20 oz of Ag and 0.23 oz of Au per ton. Moffit (1927, p. 30) reports that a one-ton test shipment was made in 1925 by 'Hummel, Blasher, and Moss,' which Buddington (1929, p. 102) indicates came from the Heckla prospect. Buddington (p. 101-102) also reports that a picked sample yielded 0.08 oz of Au and 54.3 oz of Ag per ton, 21.6% Pb, 32.1% Zn, and 4.1% Cu.? Lead-isotope studies of the galena at the Heckla prospect (Maas, 1995, p. 229-248) indicate that the deposit is Eocene in age, contemporaneous with emplacement of the Hyder Quartz Monzonite.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Production): Production Notes = One-ton test shipment made in 1925.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Berg and others, 1977

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Five claims staked in 1925. Prospect covered by 12-claim Greenpoint group staked in 1970.? Site is in Misty Fiords National Monument.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Polymetallic veins

References

Reference (Deposit): Moffit, F.H., 1927, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1925: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 792-A, p. 1-39.

Reference (Deposit): Berg, H.C., Elliott, R.L., Smith, J.G., Pittman, T.L., and Kimball, A. L., 1977, Mineral resources of the Granite Fiords wilderness study area, Alaska, with a section on aeromagnetic data by Andrew Griscom: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1403, 151 p.

Reference (Deposit): Elliott, R.L., and Koch, R.D., 1981, Mines, prospects, and selected metalliferous mineral occurrences in the Bradfield Canal quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-728-B, 23 p., 1 sheet, scales 1:250,000 and 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, J.G., 1977, Geology of the Ketchikan D-1 and Bradfield Canal A-1 quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1425, 49 p.

Reference (Deposit): Buddington, A.F., 1929, Geology of Hyder and vicinity, southeastern Alaska, with a reconnaissance of Chickamin River: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 807, 124 p.

Reference (Deposit): Koch, R.D., 1996, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Bradfield Canal quadrangle, southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-728-A, 35 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Maas, K.M., Bittenbender, P E., and Still, J.C., 1995, Mineral investigations in the Ketchikan mining district, southeastern Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 11-95, 606 p.

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