Big River

The Big River is a copper 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: Big River

Commodity

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

Location

State: Alaska
District: Bristol Bay

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: Porphyry Cu-Mo
Model Name: Porphyry Cu (North America)
Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: The intrusive rock at this site exhibits argillic and quartz-sericite alteration associated with abundant quartz veining.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Samples were collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = At this site quartz-sulfide veins and disseminated sulfides occur in an altered Tertiary plug exposed in a creek drainage. Pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and molybdenite are present in quartz veins up to 6 centimeters in width. Metal values run to greater than 20,000 ppm copper, and up to 2000 ppm zinc, 200 ppm lead, 200 ppm silver, 200 ppm cobalt, 100 ppm molybdenite, and 1.1 ppm gold (Church and others, 1994, table 15). Bedrock in this general area consists of sedimentary units of the Kaguyak Formation (Late Cretaceous) and sill-like and crosscutting Tertiary intrusive bodies of tonalite and granodiorite.? This site occurs within a broad zone of geochemical anomalies located southwest of Fourpeaked Mountain and northeast of the mouth of Big River. Within this zone many silt samples are anomalous in arsenic, cobalt, copper, lead, and zinc (Church and others, 1994). Panned concentrates contain arsenopyrite, barite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, scheelite, sphalerite, and wulfenite. the site is also within a smaller zone of silts which are anomalous in boron, molybdenum, and tungsten.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Church and others, 1994

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Site is located in Katmai National Park.

Comment (Deposit): Model Number = 22c, 17, 21a

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Polymetallic vein, concealed porphyry copper or porphyry copper-molybdenum (Cox and Singer, 1986; models 22c, 17, 21a).

Comment (Geology): Age = The mineralization is associated with a small Late Tertiary stock.

References

Reference (Deposit): Church, S.E., Riehle, J.R, Magoon, L.D, and Campbell, D.L., 1992, Mineral and energy resource assessment maps of the Mount Katmai, Naknek, and western Afognak quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF 2021-F, 22 p. 2 map sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Riehle, J.R., Dettermen, R.L., Yount, M.E., and Miller, J.W., 1993, Geologic map of the Mount Katmai quadrangle and adjacent parts of the Naknek and Afognak quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-2204, 1 map sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Church, S.E., Riehle, J.R., and Goldfarb, R.J., 1994, Interpretation of exploration geochemical data for the Mount Katmai quadrangle, and adjacent parts of the Afognak and Naknek quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2020, 67 p., 3 map sheets, scale 1:250,000.

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