Inspiration Point

Site Name

Primary: Inspiration Point
Secondary: Inspiration Mine

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Commodity

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

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Location

State: Alaska
District: Juneau (Skagway subdistrict)

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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

Not available

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Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
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 replacement
Model Name: Porphyry Cu, skarn-related

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Orebody

Not available

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Structure

Not available

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Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Skarn peripheral to a diorite intrusion.

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Rocks

Role: Host
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age in Years: 48.000000+-
Dating Method: U-Pb (zircon)
Material Analyzed: Zircon
Age Young: Middle Eocene
Age Old: Early Eocene

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Galena

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Comments

Comment (Geology): Age = U-Pb zircon dates of 48 Ma for the Clifton Granite establish a maximum age for the deposit (Clough, 1991 [BOM, v. 2, sec. C); Gilbert and others, 1990).

Comment (Geology): Age = Chron age is for the Clifton Granite.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Probably inactive

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Skarn, contact metasomatic (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 18a or 19a).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Clough, 1991 (BOM, v. 2, sec. C)

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Exploratory work was done annually from about 1926 to 1932 (Berg and Cobb, 1967).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = According to Clough (1989 [BOM, v. 2, sec. C]), the Inspiration Mine was probably discovered in the mid-1920's and was intermittently worked until its abandonment in the late 1930's. An 18-ton trial shipment of ore reportedly assayed 7.65% lead, 6.2% zinc, and 3.05 ounces of silver per ton. Local prospectors apparently restaked the property in 1988. The upper level of workings includes an inclined shaft, a vertical shaft, an open-cut, and a 165-foot adit. There is another adit about 200 feet below the upper level of workings. Mineralization occurs in skarn zones developed along sheared limestone within the Clifton Granite. At this locality, the Clifton Granite is actually a diorite. Mineralization is confined to the skarn zones and is not found in the diorite. This is probably the same as location 52 of Gilbert and others (1990) who described skarn, garnet skarn, diorite, and sheared diorite. Skarn samples contain up to 1,500 ppm copper, 7,200 ppm lead, and 24,000 ppm zinc. U-Pb zircon dates of 48 Ma for the Clifton Granite establish a maximum age for the mineralization (Clough, 1991 [BOM, v. 2, sec. C]; Gilbert and others, 1990).

Comment (Production): Production Notes = According to Clough (1991 [BOM, v. 2, sec. C], the Inspiration Mine was probably discovered in the mid-1920's and was intermittently worked until its abandonment in the late 1930's. An upper level of workings includes an inclined shaft, a vertical shaft, an open-cut, and a 165-foot adit. There is another adit about 200 feet below the upper level of workings. An 18-ton trial shipment of ore reportedly assayed 7.65% lead, 6.2% zinc, and 3.05 ounces of silver per ton. Local prospectors apparently restaked the property in 1988.

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References

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1978, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Mt. Fairweather and Skagway quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-316, 123 p.

Reference (Deposit): Gilbert, W.G., Clough, A.H., Burns, L.E., Kline, J.T., Redman, E.C., and Fogels, E.J., 1990, Reconnaissance geology and geochemistry of the northeast Skagway quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 90-5, 2 sheets, scale 1:125,000.

Reference (Deposit): Gilbert, W.G., Clough, A.H., Burns, L.E., Kline, J.T., Redman, E.C., and Fogels, E.J., 1990, Reconnaissance geology and geochemistry of the northeast Skagway Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 90-5, 2 sheets, scale 1:125,000.

Reference (Deposit): Clough, A.H., 1991?, Bureau of Mines mineral investigations in the Juneau mining district, Alaska, 1984-1988, v. 2, Detailed mine, prospect, and mineral occurrence descriptions, section E, Coast Range subarea: U.S. Bureau of Mines of Mines Special Publication, 44 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797, p. 1-50.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Skagway quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-424, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Herbert, C.F., and Race, W.H., 1964, Geochemical investigations of selected areas in southeastern Alaska, 1964: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geochemical Report 1, 75 p.

Reference (Deposit): Berg, H.C., 1984, Regional geologic summary, metallogenesis, and mineral resources of southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 84-572, 298 p., 1 plate, scale approx. 1:600,000.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64.

Reference (Deposit): Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous Lode Deposits of Alaska. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p.

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