Tarasof Point

The Tarasof Point is a copper, molybdenum, silver, and 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: Tarasof Point

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Molybdenum
Primary: Silver
Primary: Gold

Location

State: Alaska
District: Aleutians

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Epithermal vein, generic
Model Name: Porphyry Cu

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: The core of the occurrence shows intense silicification and on the periphery, the development of chlorite and epidote indicate propylitic alteration. Leaching is complete in the area of interest.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Chlorite
Gangue: Epidote
Gangue: Limonite

Comments

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Reconnaissance mapping and multiple soil samples were used to evaluate the color anomaly. Samples showed up to 260 ppm copper, 28 ppm molybdenum, 2.6 ppm silver, and 0.24 ppm gold.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Cenozoic

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Christie, 1974

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Copper porphyry, epithermal gold vein

Comment (Deposit): Model Number = 17, 25

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = the mode of occurrence suggests an epithermal gold vein model should be considered as a possible model for this system.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The occurrence is defined by multiple color anomalies surrounding breccia pipes emplaced through a pendant(?) of volcanic rocks of the Unalaska Formation (see Drewes and others, 1961) between exposures of diorite plutons. The color anomalies occur in two 1,000 ft (300 m) by 3,000 ft (915 m) areas. Late mineral quartz-feldspar porphyry and crowded feldspar porphyry dikes cut the breccia pipes. The breccia pipes may have originally contained up to 15 to 20 percent sulfides, which are now totally leached. Copper may have been present, as traces of chalcopyrite occur in the adjacent diorite plutons. Alteration and the amount of pyrite appear to decrease abruptly away from areas of breccia. According to Christie (1974), fracturing is very important (in localizing alteration?). Within the breccia pipes, there is intense silicification and peripheral to this, secondary chlorite and epidote are developed. The occurrence is capped by highly altered rocks distinguished by the development of limonite.

References

Reference (Deposit): Drewes, Harold, Fraser, G.D., Snyder, G.L., and Barnett, H.F., Jr., 1961, Geology of Unalaska Island and adjacent insular shelf, Aleutian Islands, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1028-S, p. 583-676.

Reference (Deposit): Christie, J.S., 1974, Aleut-Quintana-Duval 1974 joint venture, final report: Unpublished Quintana Minerals Corporation report, 24 p., 3 appendices, 2 maps. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

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.