Spirit Mountain

The Spirit Mountain is a nickel, copper, and cobalt mine located in Alaska at an elevation of 4,101 feet.

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: Spirit Mountain

Commodity

Primary: Nickel
Primary: Copper
Primary: Cobalt

Location

State: Alaska

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
Discovery Year: 1907
Discovery Method: Geophysical Anomaly
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: N

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Not available

Orebody

Form: POD/LENS

Structure

Type: R
Description: Reg.Trends: Slightly North Of West With Local Variations Up To 40 Deg.

Type: L
Description: Several Eastward Trending Sill-Like Bodies Intrude Carboniferous Limestones.

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Nickel-Bearing Sulphides Occur In Highly Altered Coarse-Grained Peridotite

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Mississippian

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock Unit
Age Young: Holocene

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Bravoite
Ore: Pentlandite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Chalcopyrite

Comments

Comment (Reserve-Resource): BECAUSE OF SMALL SIZE AND DIFFICULT ACCESSIBILITY OF THE DEPOSIT, IT PROBABLY CANNOT BE MINED PROFITABLY. IF FURTHER PROSPECTING IS ATTEMPTED THE MOST PROMISING LOCATION IS ALONG THE FOOTWALL OF THE LARGER BODY NEAR THE MASSIVE-SULFIDE LENSES. CORNWALL, H.R., 1966, INDICATES A SULFIDE DEPOSIT OF LESS THAN 10,000 TONS OF CONTAINED NICKEL

Comment (Location): LAND STATUS VALUE CALCULATED 6-94 USING GIS OVERLAY ANALYSIS WITH BLM 1:2,500,000 SCALE OWNERSHIP STATUS MAP (1991); 1:250000 QUADRANGLE INFORMATION IS A 1900 - 1945 MAP

Comment (Development): ECON.COM: TONNAGE TOO SMALL TO BE MINED PROFITABLY EVEN IF PRICE OF NICKEL SHOULD RISE.

Comment (Deposit): NICKEL DEPOSIT IS ON GLACIER-STEEPENED WEST WALL OF CANYON CREEK VALLEY

Comment (Geology): DEPOSIT PROBABLY OF MAGMATIC ORIGIN. ; REG.COM: SEQUENCE OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS IS FAULTED AND INTENSELY FOLDED.

Comment (Deposit): DEPOSIT PROBABLY OF MAGMATIC ORIGIN. LIQUID SULFIDES SEGREGATED FROM SILICATE MAGMA DURING ITS CRYSTALLIZATION, ONE PART FORMING MASSIVE SULFIDE IN THE LOWER SECTION OF THE INTRUSIVE, AND THE OTHER PART REMAINING DISSEMINATED THROUGH THE INTRUSIVE. : UPDATE BY GLENN L. SHAFFER, 1/75

References

Reference (Deposit): 1911 RECON U.S.G.S., MOFFITT DESCRIBED DEPOSIT.

Reference (Deposit): 1917 RECON U.S.G.S., OVERBECK EXAMINED DEPOSIT.

Reference (Deposit): 1942 RECON U.S.G.S., KINGSTON AND MILLER SPENT 5 WEEKS.

Reference (Reserve-Resource): CORNWALL, H.R., 1966, U.S.G.S. BULL. 1223, P.39, MAP P.10-11

Reference (Deposit): CORNWALL, H. R., U.S.G.S. BULL. 1223, P. 39

Reference (Deposit): KINGSTON, J. AND MILLER, D. J., U.S.G.S. BULL. 943-C., P. 49

Reference (Deposit): OVERBECK, R. M., U.S.G.S. BULL. 712, P. 91

Reference (Deposit): BUDDINGTON, A.F., 1924, ALASKAN NICKEL MINERALS: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, V.19, NO.6, P.521-541

Reference (Deposit): 1907 DIREXPL SEVERAL TEST PITS, TWO TUNNELS DUG.

Reference (Deposit): 1907 GEOCHEM SAMPLE ANALYSIS DISCLOSED PRESENCE OF NI

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