Sun

The Sun is a zinc, lead, copper, 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

Name: Sun  

State:  Alaska

County:  na

Elevation:

Commodity: Zinc, Lead, Copper, Gold, Silver

Lat, Long: 67.07, -155.04000

Map: View on Google Maps

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.


Satelite image of the Sun

Sun MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Sun
Secondary: Picnic Creek
Secondary: Hot


Commodity

Primary: Zinc
Primary: Lead
Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver


Location

State: Alaska
District: Shungnak


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, kuroko


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Enargite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Muscovite
Gangue: Barite
Gangue: Actinolite
Gangue: Cymrite
Gangue: Tremolite


Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Active?

Comment (Geology): Age = Devonian, based on radiometric and fossil determinations.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Kuroko massive sulfide (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 28a)

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = ferrostilpnomelane

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = ferroan calcite

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = ferroan dolomite

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Drilling and unpublished detailed mapping by industry until the late 1970's.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Zpedski, 1980

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The deposit consists of stratiform, banded, massive to semi-massive sulfides in a series of elongate, SW-plunging, lenticular bodies along three distinct mineral horizons. An upper horizon is Ag-Pb-Zn rich, a middle horizon is Cu-rich, and a lower horizon is Cu-Zn rich. According to Zdepski (1980), the Sun prospect is in a 5000-foot-thick sequence of Devonian felsic to andesitic volcanic, volcaniclastics, and intercalated pelitic sedimentary rocks separated into upper and lower units by calcareous metabasite beds of variable thickness. The upper unit of metarhyolite and related rocks contains all of the identified massive sulfides; the lower unit is dominantly pelitic schist and metarhyolite.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = According to D. Heatwole (oral communication, 1979), the Sun deposit has a gross metal value of about $1.6 billion and the deposit is still open on two sides.


References

Reference (Deposit): Garland, R.E., Eakins, G.R., Trible, T.C., and McClintock, W.W., 1975, Geochemical analysis of rock and stream-sediment samples from Survey Pass A-4, A-5, A-6, B-4, B-5, and B-6 quadrangles: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Open-File Report 67, 4 p, 4 sheets, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Sicherman, H.A., Russell, R.H., and Fikkan, P.R., 1976, The geology and mineralization of the Ambler district, Alaska: Spokane, Wash., Bear Creek Mining Company, 22 p.

Reference (Deposit): Marrs, C.D., 1978, Geology of the Sun massive sulfide deposit, Ambler district, Alaska [abs.]: Northwest Mining Association, 84th Annual Convention, Spokane, Washington, Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1978.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, T.E., Profett, J.M., Heatwole, D.A., and Seklemian, R.W., 1977, Geologic setting of base metal massive sulfide deposits, Ambler district, northwest Alaska [abs.]: Alaska Geological Society Symposium, 6th, Anchorage, April 1977, Abstracts with Program, p. 41-42.

Reference (Deposit): Zdepski, J.M., 1980, Stratigraphy, mineralogy and zonal relations of the Sun massive-sulfide deposit, Ambler district, northwest Alaska: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, M.Sc. thesis, 93 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, T.E., Profett, J.M., and Heatwole, D.A., 1979, Ambler schist belt of northwest Alaska--host terrane for volcanogenic base metal massive sulfide deposits of mid-Paleozoic age [abs.]: Geoscience Forum, 7th, Whitehorse,. Yukon Territory, December 1979, Abstracts, p. 6.

Reference (Deposit): Grybeck, D.J., and Nelson, S.W., 1981, Mineral deposit map of the Survey Pass quadrangle, Brooks Range, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1176-F, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.


The Top Ten Gold Producing States

The Top Ten Gold Producing States

These ten states contributed the most to the gold production that built the West from 1848 through the 1930s. The Top Ten Gold Producing States.