Iron Mask

The Iron Mask is a copper and zinc 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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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: Iron Mask

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Zinc

Location

State: Alaska
District: Seward

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: Massive sulfide, Cyprus

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Silicification.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The host rock is a Lower Cretaceous diabase (Tysdal and Case, 1979) that has been brecciated and recemented by quartz and sulfide mineralization. The breccia is composed of fine-grained, diabase fragments which range in size from less than a fourth of an inch to several inches in size. The matrix material is a greenish cement. The original breccia is probably a flow breccia mixed with tuffaceous material that has been slightly broken and rehealed with quartz, and pyrite with a little calcite and chalcopyrite (Martin and others, 1915). The breccia is about 12 feet wide at this location and an sample across this zone showed 1.1% copper (Grant and Higgins, 1909, p. 104-105).

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Cyprus massive sulfide (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 24a).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Grant and Higgins, 1909

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = None report.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = A small adit above the high tide line assayed 1.1% copper (Grant and Higgins, 1909, p. 104-105).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Probably Upper Cretaceous; massive sulfide.

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = On the 1:250,000-scale map the island is called Fox Island while on the 1:63,000-scale map is Renard Island.

References

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metalic mineral resources map of the Blying Sound quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-440, 1 sheet, scale 1:150,000.

Reference (Deposit): Tysdal, R.G., 1978, Mines, prospects, and occurrences map of the Seward and Blying Sound quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-880-A, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Grant, U.S., and Higgins, D.F., Jr., 1909, Notes on geology and mineral prospects in the vicinity of Seward, Kenai Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379-C, p. 98-107.

Reference (Deposit): MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1977, Map showing metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous mineral deposits in the eastern part of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-169-A, 99 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.

Reference (Deposit): Tysdal, R.G., and Case, J.E., 1979, Geologic map of the Seward and Blying Sound quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1150, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H. and Tysdal, R.G., 1980, Summaries of data on and list of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Blying Sound and Seward quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-621, 276 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metalic mineral resources map of the Blying Sound quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Stuudies Map MF-440, 1 sheet, scale 1:150,000.

Reference (Deposit): Martin G.C., Johnson, B.L., and Grant, U.S., 1915, Geology and mineral resources of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 587, 243 p.

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