Comet Mine

The Comet Mine is a 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: Comet Mine

Commodity

Primary: Gold
Tertiary: Lead
Tertiary: Copper

Location

State: Alaska
District: Juneau/Berner'S Bay

Land Status

Land ownership: National Forest
Note: the land ownership field only identifies whether the area the mine is in is generally on public lands like Forest Service or BLM land, or if it is in an area that is generally private property. It does not definitively identify property status, nor does it indicate claim status or whether an area is open to prospecting. Always respect private property.

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Type: Surface/Underground

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Year First Production: 1894
Year Last Production: 1901
Discovery Year: 1891
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N
Deposit Size: S

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Description: Comet Vein Cut Off By Fault To The N; Extension Not Found

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

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

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Pliocene

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: ORE AVERAGED LESS THAN 0.5 OZ/TON AU, USGS BULL 1246, P. 160

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Feldspar
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Location): LOCATION IS PRINTED ON JUNEAU D-4 QUAD., 1: 63360 TOPOGRAPHIC SERIES LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991).

Comment (Reserve-Resource): METZ AND WIEBMER, 1977 UNPUB. REPORT

Comment (Commodity): SPECTACULAR POCKETS OF NATIVE GOLD HAVE BEEN FOUND IN COMET VEIN; ABOUT 87% FREE-MILLING

Comment (Production): 86% OF TOTAL PRODUCTION FROM BERNER'S BAY AREA WAS FROM COMET AND JUALIN MINES; COMET PRODUCED ABOUT 22,250 FINE OZ AU FROM 50,000 TONS OF ORE MINED, 1894-1901; MILL RECOVERY WAS 87% BY AMALGAMATION AND 5% IN CONCENTRATES; METZ AND WIEBMER, 1977 UNPUB. REPORT AND USGS OFR 84-572, P. 158, NO. 18

Comment (Development): MINING 1894-1901; CLOSED DOWN DUE TO LITIGATION, 1901; CONSOLIDATED WITH KENSINGTON, 1915; SEE WORKINGS COMMENTS

Comment (Workings): MORE THAN 1 MI OF UNDERGROUND WORKINGS ON 10 LEVELS, EACH FROM 300 TO 500 FT LONG; COMET VEIN STOPED FROM 600 FT LEVEL TO SURFACE, MINED OUT; WORKINGS INACCESSIBLE

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT IS IN DIORITE NEAR, BUT NORMAL TO, CONTACT WITH SLATE AND SLATE AND GRAYWALKE OF THE BERNERS FORMATION

Comment (Deposit): SEE ALSO: KENSINGTON, JUALIN ; INFO.SRC : 1 PUB LIT; 2 UNPUB REPT

Comment (Deposit): 2 QUARTZ VEINS ABOUT 50 FT APART; MOST PRODUCTION WAS FROM COMET VEIN, 300-500 FT LONG; AVERAGED 2 TO 3 FT IN WIDTH AT THE SURFACE, BUT WAS UP TO 9 FT THICK IN WORKINGS; VEINS CARRY PYRITE, CHALCOPYRITE, GALENA AND FREE GOLD

References

Reference (Deposit): USGS 18TH ANNUAL REPORT, PART 3, P. 76-77

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 287, P. 136-137

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 284, P. 32

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 446, P. 42-43

Reference (Deposit): USGS BULL 1246, P. 160

Reference (Deposit): METZ, PAUL A. AND WIEBMER, JOHN D., 1977, M.I.R.L. SUMMARY FILE REPORT; EUREKA, KENSINGTON, COMET, JOHNSON AND JUALIN MINE, BERNER'S BAY, JUNEAU DISTRICT, ALASKA: UNPUBLISHED REPORT TO USBM, FIELD OPERATIONS CENTER, JUNEAU, AK.

Reference (Deposit): USGS OFR 85-717, NO. J098

Reference (Other Database): BAG-OFR-85-717-098

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