Tapisaghak River

Site Name

Primary: Tapisaghak River

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Commodity

Primary: Tin

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Location

State: Alaska
District: Bering Sea

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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: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

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Physiography

Not available

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Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Sn greisen
Model Name: Sn 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: Specific data for bedrock in these drainages are not available but quartz monzonite (granite) and alaskite from this pluton are reported to be intensely altered to sericite, chlorite, and some epidote (Csejtey, Patton, and Miller 1971, p. D73). Float of tourmaline-rich granite samples from unidentified streambeds of eastern St. Lawrence Island have high (but unspecified) tin values (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. 7).

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Rocks

Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age in Years: 104.000000+-3.100000
Dating Method: K-Ar
Material Analyzed: Biotite
Age Young: Early Cretaceous

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Analytical Data

Not available

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Materials

Ore: Cassiterite

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Comments

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Cassiterite-bearing vein or greisen in felsic intrusive rocks. Deposit models 15b or 15c; Sn veins or Sn greisen deposits

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Chron age is for host rock.

Comment (Deposit): Model Number = 15b, 15c

Comment (Geology): Age = Potential tin mineralization in this area would be similar in age to that of the host intrusive rocks. The one K/Ar age from the Kinipaghulghat pluton is for biotite from the monzonite and syenite on the south side of the pluton. This age, 104 +/- 3.1 Ma (Patton and Cesjtey, 1980), may not accurately reflect the age of the more felsic and late-forming intrusions potentially associated with tin mineralization elsewhere in the pluton. However, a mid- to Late Cretaceous age for the potential tin mineralization is indicated.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Patton and Csejtey, 1971 (OFR 71-224)

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Stream sediment samples, particularly from the western headwater tributaries of the Tapisaghat River, contain 10 to 15 ppm tin, up to 5 ppm beryllium, and one contains 200 ppm boron (Patton and Csejtey, 1972).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Tapisaghat River has headwaters that drain the main part of the mid-Cretaceous (104 +/1 3.1 Ma) Kinipaghulghat pluton (Csejtey, Patton, and Miller, 1971; Patton and Csejtey, 1980). This 65 square mile pluton makes up the resistant upland on the east end of St. Lawrence Island. It is a composite intrusion that contains several phases including monzonite, syenite, biotite quartz monzonite, quartz monzonite (granite), and alaskite (Csejtey, Patton, and Miller, 1971, Figure 6). Monzonite and syenite appear to make up discontinuous border phases on the north and south sides of the main pluton. Biotite quartz monzonite makes up the main part of the pluton and has border phases developed against monzonite and syenite. Quartz monzonite (granite) and alaskite forms small intrusive bodies that are emplaced in monzonite, syenite, and biotite quartz monzonite. Two hypabyssal latite to quartz latite intrusions are intruded in the northeast part of the pluton. Stream sediment samples, particularly from the western headwater tributaries of the Tapisaghat River, contain 10 to 15 ppm tin, up to 5 ppm beryllium, and one contains 200 ppm boron (Patton and Csejtey, 1972). Bedrock in the area of these anomalies includes small (about 1/2 mile across) alaskite intrusions into monzonite, syenite, and biotite quartz monzonite (Csejtey, Patton, and Miller, 1971, Figure 6). Specific data for bedrock in these drainages are not available but quartz monzonite (granite) and alaskite from this pluton are reported to be intensely altered to sericite, chlorite, and some epidote (Csejtey, Patton, and Miller 1971, p. D73). Float of tourmaline-rich granite samples from unidentified streambeds of eastern St. Lawrence Island have high (but unspecified) tin values (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. 7).

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References

Reference (Deposit): Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1971, Preliminary geologic investigations of eastern St. Lawrence Island, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 71-224, 52 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1980, Summaries of data and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in fifteen quadrangles in southwestern and west-central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-909, 103 p.

Reference (Deposit): Csejtey, Bela, Jr., Patton, W.W., Jr., and Miller, T.P., 1971, Cretaceous plutonic rocks of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, a preliminary report: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 750-D, p. D68-D76.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Saint Lawrence quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-465, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1972, Analyses of stream sediment and rock samples from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, 1966-1971: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 72-293, 78 p.

Reference (Deposit): Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1980, Geologic map of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-1203, scale 1:250,000.

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