Nabesna Glacier

The Nabesna Glacier is a gold, zinc, 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: Nabesna Glacier
Secondary: Unnamed (east side of Nabesna Glacier)

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Primary: Zinc
Primary: Copper

Location

State: Alaska
District: Chisana

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: Strong hydrothermal limonitic staining.

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock Unit
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Late Permian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Random chip sample across 300 ft of copper-stained rock (Richter and Matson, 1970, USGS OF 398 sample no. 227) contained 2 ppm Ag, 300 ppm Cu, 70 ppm Pb. Channel sample across 2-foot quartz-pyrite vein (sample no. 228) contained 0.02 ppm Au, 50 ppm Ag, more than 20,000 ppm Cu, 200 ppm Mo, 1500 ppm Pb, more than 10,000 ppm Zn. Analyses: gold by atomic absorption, all others semi-quantitative spectrographic method. Type of workings: surface.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Richter, 1973, USGS I-789

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Altered rocks have been interpreted as volcanic flow or shallow intrusive. Earliest report describes altered quartz porphyry and diorite as host rock.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Quartz-pyrite veins and veinlets in 300 ft by 100 ft altered zone; locally Au-bearing and copper stained; veins carry minor sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Host rock is a buff to gray-green massive volcanic rock, locally brecciated and mineralized, containing quartz eyes up to 1/2 in diameter in fine grained matrix of quartz, feldspar, and white mica. Deposits occur in late Paleozoic metavolcanic porphyry and metabasalt flows of the Tetelna Volcanics; may be related to nearby Cretaceous and Tertiary granitic plutons and dikes.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Gold sulfide alterations and veins

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Cretaceous and Early Tertiary

References

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., 1973, Reconnaissance geological map of the Nabesna A-1 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 1-789, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., Singer, D.A., and Cox, D.P., 1975, Mineral resources map of the Nabesna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-655-K, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Richter, D.H., and Matson, N.A., 1970, Geochemical data from the Nabesna A-4 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 70-276, 14 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:63,360.

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