Powdermilk

The Powdermilk is a zinc, lead, 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

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Site Name

Primary: Powdermilk

Commodity

Primary: Zinc
Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Cadmium
Secondary: Barium-Barite

Location

State: Alaska
District: Kiana

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: Mississippi Valley, S.E. Missouri Pb-Zn

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Surficial weathering consists of rare iron oxide staining and local clay alteration.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Barite

Comments

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The U.S. Geological Survey did reconnaissance mapping, took 39 soil samples along a sample line, and collected additional rock and pan concentrate samples from the area (Zayatz and others, 1988).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Southeast Missouri Pb-Zn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 32a).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Powdermilk deposit consists of disseminations and clots (under 2.5 centimeter diameter) of sphalerite, galena, and rare pyrite in Devonian light-gray dolostone (Schmidt and Allegro, 1988). The sphalerite is coarsely crystalline, locally zoned, and medium to dark brown and red. Barite forms veins in the dolostone. Soil samples from the western river bank exposure contain as much as 1600 ppm Pb, 420 ppm Zn and 7.2 ppm Ag. Rock samples from the more oxidized, eastern creek exposure contain as much as 280 ppm Pb, 230 ppm Zn and 21 ppm Ag. Rock samples contain as much as 20% sphalerite, 8% galena and 5% pyrite.? the host dolostone strikes NE and dips nearly vertically at the prospect. Synformal structure is suggested. Some gray limestone occurs east of the prospect. The Powdermilk deposit is similar to southeast Missouri Pb-Zn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 32a) in host rock and mineralization. The sulfides are epigenetic with respect to the host dolostone. Mineralization may be structurally controlled by the synform (Schmidt and Folger, 1986).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Schmidt and Folger, 1986

Comment (Geology): Age = Devonian

References

Reference (Deposit): Schmidt, J.M., and Folger, P.F., 1986, Lead-zinc-silver mineralization in Paleozoic dolostones, Powdermilk prospect, Baird Mountains B-4 quadrangle: in Bartsch-Winkler, S., and Reed, K.M., eds., Geologic studies in Alaska by the USGS during 1985: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 978, p. 19-21.

Reference (Deposit): Schmidt, J.M., and Allegro, G.L., 1988, Map showing mineral occurrences and indicators in the Baird Mountains quadrangle, northwestern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1992, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Zayatz, M.R., Thompson, W.B., Bailey, E.A., Sutley, S.J., Folger, P.F., Karl, S.M., and Schmidt, J.M., 1988, Analytical results and sample locality maps of mineralized and unmineralized rock samples from the Baird Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-256-A, 159 p., 2 plates, scale 1:250,000.

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