Butte

The Butte is a tungsten, lead, silver, and gold 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

Satelite View

MRDS mine locations are often very general, and in some cases are incorrect. Some mine remains have been covered or removed by modern industrial activity or by development of things like housing. The satellite view offers a quick glimpse as to whether the MRDS location corresponds to visible mine remains.

Site Name

Primary: Butte
Secondary: Brigadier
Secondary: Hyder Butte

Commodity

Primary: Tungsten
Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Primary: 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: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Scheelite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): THE COUNTRY ROCK IN THE AREA OF THIS PROSPECT IS THE TRIASSIC TEXAS CREEK GRANODIORITE, WHICH UNDERLIES AND LOCALLY INTRUDES PELITIC METASEDIMENTARY AND SUBORDINATE ANDESITIC (GREENSTONE) METAVOLCANIC STRATA OF THE JURASSIC OR OLDER MESOZOIC HAZELTON GROUP; AND THE EOCENE HYDER QUARTZ MONZONITE, WHICH INTRUDES THE HAZELTON AND TEXAS CREEK ROCKS (SMITH, 1977, KOCH, 1996). THE DEPOSIT (BUDDINGTON, 1929, P. 81) CONSISTS OF QUARTZ FISSURE VEINS IN GRANODIORITE THAT CONTAIN GALENA AND PYRITE. THERE ARE TWO MAIN VEINS, EACH 10 INCHES TO 3 FEET THICK, THAT HAVE BEEN TRACED IN OUTCROP FOR 400-500 FEET. EARLY ASSAYS OF TWO SAMPLES SHOWED 11.4-14.1% PB, AND 0.24-0.6 OZ AU AND 10.2-20.6 OZ AG PER TON. BYERS AND SAINSBURY (1956, P. 140) REPORT THAT THE VEINS ALSO CONTAIN RARE GRAINS OF SCHEELITE. MAAS AND OTHERS (1995, P. 254) SUGGEST THAT THE AGE OF THE BRIGADIER DEPOSIT IS EOCENE, BASED ON SIMILARITIES IN MINERALOGY, STRUCTURAL SETTING, AND HOSTROCK, TO ISOTOPICALLY DATED EOCENE

Comment (Deposit): THE PROSPECT PROBABLY WAS ORIGINALLY STAKED IN THE EARLY 1920'S. EARLY REPORTS DESCRIBING THE BRIGADIER PROPERTY ALSO REFER TO THE BUTTE (BUDDINGTON, 1929, P. 81) AND HYDER BUTTE (COBB, 1978, P. 13, 92) CLAIMS.

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSITS IN THE HYDER DISTRICT (SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, BC086). IF SO, THE AGE OF THE DEPOSIT IS CONTEMPORANEOUS WITH EMPLACEMENT OF THE HYDER QUARTZ MONZONITE.

Comment (Workings): PROSPECT WAS EXPLORED BY OPENCUTS AND A 25-FOOT SHAFT, PROBABLY IN THE EARLY 1920'S. EARLY ASSAYS OF TWO SAMPLES OF SULFIDE-BEARING QUARTZ VEINS SHOWED 11.4-14.1% PB, AND 0.24-0.6 OZ AU AND 10.2-20.6 OZ AG PER TON.

Comment (Geology): MAAS AND OTHERS (1995, P. 254) SUGGEST THAT THE AGE OF THE BRIGADIER DEPOSIT IS EOCENE, BASED ON SIMILARITIES IN MINERALOGY, STRUCTURAL SETTING, AND HOSTROCK, TO ISOTOPICALLY DATED EOCENE DEPOSITS IN THE HYDER DISTRICT (SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, BC086). IF SO, THE AGE OF THE DEPOSIT IS CONTEMPORANEOUS WITH EMPLACEMENT OF THE HYDER QUARTZ MONZONITE.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Location): THE BRIGADIER PROSPECT IS IN SECTION 35 NEAR ITS WESTERN BOUNDARY AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 650 FEET ON A WEST-FACING MOUNTAINSIDE OVERLOOKING THE SALMON RIVER ABOUT 0.7 MILE BELOW ITS CONFLUENCE WITH TEXAS CREEK. IT IS ABOUT 0.1 MILE EAST OF THE SALMON RIVER ROAD (ELLIOTT AND KOCH, 1981, P. 18, LOC. 73). THE LOCATION IS ACCURATE WITHIN ABOUT 0.2 MILE. ALSO SEE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FIELD, BELOW.

References

Reference (Deposit): Smith, J.G., 1977, Geology of the Ketchikan D1 and Bradfield Canal A-1 quadrangles, southeastern 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): Byers, F. M., and Sainsbury, C. L., 1956, Tungsten deposits of the Hyder district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1024-F, p. 123-140."

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.

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

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): Cobb, E. H., 1978, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Bradfield Canal quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-922, 98 p."

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