Nixon Fork - Crystal

The Nixon Fork - Crystal is a gold and silver 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: Nixon Fork - Crystal
Secondary: Garnet Extension

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Copper
Secondary: Bismuth
Secondary: Tungsten

Location

State: Alaska
District: McGrath

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Skarn Cu

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Extensive oxidation of primary sulfides.

Rocks

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Quartz Monzonite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Scheelite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Bismuth
Gangue: Magnetite
Gangue: Epidote

Comments

Comment (Commodity): Ore Material = Auriferous pyrite

Comment (Geology): Age = Age is probably Late Cretaceous, based on isotopic age (71.0 Ma) of associated monzonite (Moll and others, 1981).

Comment (Production): Production Notes = Production included with Nixon Fork Mine (MD062).

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Copper-gold skarn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model no. 18b)

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = See Nixon Fork Mine (MD062).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Nixon Fork - Crystal and Garnet Extension mines consist of locally gold-rich, contact metamorphic deposits in Paleozoic limestone, generally within a few feet of quartz monzonite contact. Although most ores are locally enriched by oxidation, the Crystal and Garnet Extension were distinguished from other ore bodies in the Nixon Fork Mine area by preservation of primary gold-bearing sulfide oe bodies. The deposits consist of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and bornite in a gangue of calcite, siderite, and zeolites. Hence the Crystal and Garnet extension deposits are considered unoxidized extensions of the Nixon Fork lode system (MD062). Age is probably Late Cretaceous, based on isotopic age (71.0 Ma) of associated monzonite (Moll and others, 1981). Assay data is summarized with the Nixon Fork mine (MD062).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Mertie, 1936

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The Nixon Fork Crystal and Garnet mines were discovered at the same time as the main Nixon Fork Deposit (MD062) in 1917 or 1918. The small but rich gold-skarn deposits were developed mainly by inclined shafts with branching levels.

Comment (Commodity): Ore Material = Bismuth (native)

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

References

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1936, Mineral deposits of the Ruby-Kuskokwim region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-C, 115-245.

Reference (Deposit): Martin, G.C., 1922, Gold lodes in the Upper Kuskokwim region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864D, p. 149-161.

Reference (Deposit): Herreid, G.H., 1966, Geology and geochemistry of the Nixon Fork area, Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geologic Report 22, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:40,000.

Reference (Deposit): Freeman, Larry, 1996, A progress report on the Nixon Fork underground gold mine, McGrath-McKinley district, Alaska [abs]: Abstract preprint of the 15th Biennial Conference on Alaskan Mining, Alaska Miners Association, Fairbanks, Alaska, p. 36.

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