Independence

Site Name

Primary: Independence

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Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Secondary: Zinc

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Location

State: Alaska
District: Fairhaven

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Land Status

Not available

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Holdings

Not available

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Workings

Not available

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Ownership

Not available

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Production

Year: 1922
Time Period: 1921-1922

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Deposit

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

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Physiography

Not available

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

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Orebody

Not available

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Structure

Not available

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: The deposit is oxidized and an early description (Levensaler, 1941) notes that siderite bodies replace limestone (marble).

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Rocks

Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian
Age Old: Late Cambrian

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Tetrahedrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Galena
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Pyrite
Gangue: Limonite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Actinolite

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Comments

Comment (Production): Production Notes = Two high-graded ore shipments have been documented (Levensaler, 1941). A shipment of thirty three tons was received at the Selby smelter on October 28, 1921 that contained 33.25 ounces/ton Ag, 29.9 % Pb, 4.8 % Zn, 5.8 % silica, 20.8 % Fe, and 0 % arsenic and antimony. On December 10, 1922, 1.75 tons were received at the Bunker Hill smelter that contained 29.4 ounces/ton Ag, 33.5 % Pb, 6.3 % Zn, and 12.3 % Fe.

Comment (Geology): Age = If the deposit is epigenetic, it is probably Cretaceous as epigenetic mineralization in metamorphic rocks of Seward Peninsula is primarily of this age. If the deposit is stratabound, it may be the same age as the sedimentary host rocks which are Paleozoic (Ordovician to Devonian).

Comment (Geology): Age = Host rocks which are Devonian - Ordovician.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Descriptions vary widely with respect to ore mineralogy, grade, and ore body dimensions.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = This deposit is localized along a north-south trending marble-schist contact that is faulted and sheared. The contact dips steeply west and the marble is in the hanging wall. Mineralization has been traced laterally along this contact zone for 6,200 feet, and vertically to depths of 136 feet. On the 40 foot level, galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite, and some pyrite are primarily in footwall schist although siderite bodies are reported to replace marble locally and ore minerals to in turn replace siderite and marble (Levensaler, 1941). On the 140 foot level, at least part of the schist is described as calcareous (Levelsaler, 1941). The mode of ore mineral occurrence in the underground workings has not been discribed but boulders of limonitic galena and lead carbonates up to 2 feet in diameter are present on surface dumps. The ore minerals may be in veins and stringers that pinch and swell, in disseminations, or as irregular replacements. Four ore zones were identified and sampled on the 40 foot level and one on the 140 foot level. On the 40 foot level, the four ore zones include: (1) a 10-wide by 75-foot long zone averaging 6.8 % Pb and 10 ounces/ton Ag; (2) a 20-foot wide by 38-foot long zone averaging 7 % Pb and 10 ounces/ton Ag; (3) a 7-foot wide by 75-foot long zone averaging 6 % Pb and 6.4 ounces/ton Ag; and (4) a 10-foot wide by 25-foot long zone averaging 6 % Pb, and 6.3 opunces/ton Ag. On the 140 foot level, the one exposed ore zone was 5-feet wide and 35-feet long and averaged 3.4 % Pb and 2.5 ounces/ton Ag. The fourth ore zone on the 40 foot level was open at the south end of the drift. Although this deposit has historically been thought of as epigenetic, there is a possiblity that it is stratabound. The faulted and deformed high grade mineralization is apparently discontinuous both laterally and vertically. Bedrock is extensively covered by tundra but what is exposed in the area is part of a Lower Paleozoic metasedimentary assemblage (Till and others, 1986). Bedrock to the east of Independence Creek and northwest of Kiwalik Mountain may contain felsic metavolcanic rocks. Felsic metavolcanic rocks are associated with massive sulfide prospects, one near upper Minas Creek (BN119) and one at Big Bar (BN083) southeast of Kiwalik Mountain.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Massive to disseminated sulfide minerals along a deformed and faulted marble-schist contact. Polymetallic veins ? (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c ?)

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Levensaler, 1941

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = Very little production has occurred and the deposit(s) is intact.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Exploration and production workings include surface dozer trenches, three shafts, and two levels of short drifts. The main shaft, 136 feet deep, was sunk on outcropping mineralization near the Kugruk River (about 250 feet elevation). Two drifts driven from this shaft included one at 36 feet depth (referred to as the 40 foot level) that trended southerly for 260 feet and northerly for 15 feet along structure and another at 136 feet depth (referred to as the 140 foot level) that trended southerly for 205 feet and northerly for 45 feet along structure. A 30 foot-deep exploration shaft (Galena Homestake claim) was dug 5,000 feet south (and 300 feet higher) of the main shaft. Another exploration shaft (Valley Galena claim) was dug 1,200 feet north of the main shaft on the west side of Kugruk River.

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = manganese oxides

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References

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-417, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-429, 123 p.

Reference (Deposit): Till, A.B., Dumoulin, J.A., Gamble, B. ., Kaufman, D.S., and Carroll, P.I., 1986, Preliminary geologic map and fossil data, Soloman, Bendeleben, and southern Kotzebue quadrangles, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-276, 10 p., 3 plates, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Levensaler, L.H., 1941 (?), Kugruk Galena Mines, Fairhaven mining district, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Unpublished report for property owners, 4 p. , two level plans, and two cross sections.

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