Bee Creek

The Bee Creek is a copper mine located in Alaska at an elevation of 1,001 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

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Site Name

Primary: Bee Creek
Secondary: Bee Creek Prospect
Secondary: Dry Creek

Commodity

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

Location

State: Alaska

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Owner Name: Metallica Resources Inc

Owner Name: NEW GOLD INC
Percent: 65.00
Home Office: 666 Burrard Street Suite 3110 Vancouver BC V6C 2X8 Canada
Info Year: 2009

Owner Name: FULL METAL MINERALS LTD
Percent: 35.00
Home Office: 409 Granville Street Suite 1500 Vancouver BC V6C 1T2 Canada
Info Year: 2009
Years: 2006 -

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Deposit Type: Porphyry Cu
Operation Type: Unknown
Mining Method: Unknown
Discovery Year: 1975
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant: Y

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Porphyry Cu
Model Name: Porphyry Cu-Mo

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Type: L
Structure: Deposit Is Truncated On The North By A N-Dipping, Low Angle Thrust Fault

Type: R
Structure: Associated E-Ne Faults And Shear Zones

Type: R
Structure: Steep To Overturned Se Limb And Shallow-Dipping Nw Limb

Type: R
Structure: Prospect Is Near The Axis Of An Overturned Ne-Trending Anticline

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Intense Biotitic Alteration

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Local Carbonate-Actinolite Assemblage In Arkose

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Small Area Of Quartz-Magnetite Alteration

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Potassic Zone Contains Pervasive Secondary Biotite

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Local Argillic Alteration In Inner Portions Of The Prospect

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Discontinuous Sericite Zone Superimposed On Potassic/Propylitic Zones

Alteration Type: L
Alteration: Potassic Core Zone Surrounded By Propylitic Periphery

Rocks

Name: Diorite
Role: Associated
Age Type: Associated Rock
Age Young: Pliocene

Analytical Data

Analytical Data: AVERAGE VALUES FOR 4 OTHER DRILL HOLES ON THE ORDER OF 500-1200 PPM CU, 5-28 PPM MO WITH BACKGROUND BASE AND PRECIOUS METAL CONTENT: SURFACE VALUES FOR AU RANGE FROM 0.04-0.18 PPM
Analytical Data: MAXIMUM AVERAGE VALUES OF 0.25% CU, 0.01% MO AND 0.06 PPM AU IN 500 FT DRILL HOLE-B2

Materials

Ore: Galena
Ore: Chrysocolla
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Molybdenite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Gangue: Gypsum
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Sericite
Gangue: Biotite

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Sulfide System Covers 2.5 By 3 Km Area Centered On Small Intrusive Complex; 1800 Ft Of Known Vertical Extent; Extensive Hairline Stockwork Fractures Containing Chalcopyrite And Minor Molybdenite, And Disseminated Biotite Replacements Are Concentrated Within Favorable Units (Arkosic Ss And Grit) Of Naknek Formation Overlapping The Margin Of Central Quartz Diorite Stock; Metallization Decreases Within Intrusive; Maximum Cu Mineralization Is Associated With Strong Biotite Alteration Or Areas Overprinted With Sericite Veinlets; Sulfide Zoning: Pyritic Halo Of 3-10 Volume % Sulfides, With Pyrite Chalcopyrite Ratio On The Order Of 5-10/1 Grades Into Inner Cu-Bearing Core Area Of 1-3 Volume % Sulfides With Pyrite: Chalcopyrite Ratio Of 2-3/1; Magnetite Occurs In Small Veinlets And Disseminations Locally

Comment (Geology): Intrusion Of Naknek Formation By Tonalite Body Caused Intese Contact Metamorphism Resulting In Peripheral "Hybrid" Zones Along Intrusive Contact; "Hybrid" Zones Consist Of Composite Rocks With Both Sedimentary And Igneous Features; Metallization And Alteration Are Concentrated In Favorable Lithologies Within Composite Rocks External To The Intrusion; Prospect Is Cut By Post-Mineralization Dacite Intrusion Which Gives K/Ar Age Of 2.15 +/- .15 M.Y. (Hornblende); Late Stage Gypsum Veining At Prospect Increases At Depth Within Sediments. Naknek Formation; Arkosic Sandstone, Quartzite, Minor Grit And Intraformational Breccia. Hosted In Arkosic Sandstone With Weakly Carbonitic Matrix; Minor Grit.

Comment (Location): Drill Hole B-2, Bear Creek Mining Co.; USGS Ofr 80-543; Plate 3; Bee Creek Sulfide System Covers Most Of Sec. 26, 27, 34 And 35, T.42s, R.58w Land Status Value Calculated 6-94 Using Gis Overlay Analysis With Blm 1:2,500,000 Scale Ownership Status Map (1991).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): From ARDF record CG007 At the Bee Creek prospect, sandstone, siltstone, argillite, and conglomerate of the Jurassic Naknek Formation have been intruded by a small dacite stock, which is surrounded by a sulfide system and alteration halo covering approximately 2 square miles (Fields, 1977). The intrusive is mainly dacite, but quartz diorite, andesite, and quartz porphyry have also been reported. The intrusive is part of a nearly east-west trending linear belt extending from Weasel Mountain (ARDF CG008) on the east to Cathedral Creek (ARDF CG001) on the west. The Bee Creek prospect was explored by Bear Creek Mining Company in 1975 and 1976 and by Resource Associates of Alaska in 1979 and 1981. The prospect is marked by a geochemical and color anomalies. Clusters of arsenic, copper, gold, lead, silver, and zinc anomalies surround the deposit. The main mineralized area is in a steep cirque basin that varies from 500 to 1,500 feet in elevation. Work by Resource Associates of Alaska (Anderson and others, 1979) suggest that mineralization may extend southwest into the McKinsey Valley. The mineralization is mainly at the border of the dacite stock in arkose, conglomerate, and quartzite. Resource Associates of Alaska (Anderson and others, 1979) claim that the hornfelsed sediments near the contact contain the best mineralization and that the mineralization decreases towards the core of the intrusive. The age of the mineralization is between 3.2 and 3.8 million years (Wilson, 1980). The deposit is a porphyry copper. Chalcopyrite and pyrite occur in a stockwork of hairline fractures containing quartz-sulfide veinlets throughout an area about 2,000 feet in diameter. Disseminated chalcopyrite and pyrite occur in biotitized hornfels and these sulfides replace mafic minerals in the dacite. Molybdenite is finely disseminated in quartz veinlets, in gypsum veinlets, and in clots of chalcopyrite. Pyrite forms a halo on the periphery of the system. Some magnetite veins have been reported; they appear to be early in the mineralization sequence and contain no sulfides. Veins containing lead and zinc values are peripheral to the copper zone. Within the copper zone, richer surface samples contained 500 to 2,000 parts per million (ppm) copper, 0.04 to 0.18 ppm gold, 20 to 220 ppm molybdenum, and 0.4 to 0.18 ppm silver (Fields, 1977). Secondary biotite is widely distributed both within and beyond the chalcopyrite zone. It replaces mafic minerals and forms fine-grained aggregates both in the pluton and in the surrounding sediments. The biotite zone centers on the stock and extends irregularly southward over an area of 1,500 by 3,400 feet. Discontinuous zones of sericitic alteration are peripheral to the biotite zone and are locally superimposed on the potassic and propylitic alteration. Propylitic alteration of chlorite and epidote forms an outer alteration zone. A strong zone of argillic alteration located between the phyllic and propylitic zones also has been reported (Butherus and others, 1981). Bear Creek drilled 5 holes in the copper zone in 1975-76. Four holes averaged 500-1200 ppm copper and 5-28 ppm molybdenum. The best hole averaged 0.25 percent copper, 0.01 percent molybdenum, and 0.06 ppm gold over 500 feet. In 1979 Resource Associates of Alaska discovered two areas of polymetallic quartz veins. Samples of this material contained up to 5700 ppm copper, 4.4 ppm gold, 1.18 percent lead, 530 ppm molybdenum, 4.2 ounces silver per ton, and 1.62 percent zinc (Anderson and others, 1979). A resource of 4.5 to 9 million tonnes grading 0.25 percent copper and 0.01 percent molybdenum has been estimated (Young and others, 1997).

Comment (Commodity): Low but anomalous amounts of Au present

Comment (Development): Five shallow diamond drill holes completed in 1975, up to 0.25% Cu, 0.011% Mo and 0.062 g/t Au over 152 meters. IP geophysics suggests higher grade porphyry-hosted sulfide mineralization at depth. (Newgold website) http://www.newgold.com/MediaCentre/NewGoldNews/PressReleaseDetail/2006/FullMetalandMetallicaCommenceExplorationinSouthwestAlaska/default.aspx

Comment (Geology): Copper-gold-molybdenum geochemical anomaly, in a dioritic porphyry stock, in a magnetic high measuring approximately two kilometers in diameter. (Full Metal Minerals website) http://www.fullmetalminerals.com/s/alaskapeninsula.asp

Comment (Geology): From ARDF record CG007 The alteration at this prospect appears to be the classic porphyry type with a potassic core grading outward through phyllic, argillic, and propylitic alteration zones although these may not all be developed fully. The best copper mineralization is in the potassic zone.

Comment (Geology): From ARDF record CG007 Full Metal Minerals and Metallica Resources drilled 2 holes on the Bee Creek porphyry in 2006 that totaled 1,000 meters (Full Metal Minerals, 2008, Alaska Peninsula; Metallica Resources, 2008). They interpret the deposit as a multiphase dioritic intrusion within a coincident copper-gold-molybdenum anomaly centered on a magnetic high about 2 kilometers in diameter. Notable intercepts in the two holes were: 1) 34 meters that contained 0.26 percent copper and 0.085 gram of gold per ton, 2) 118 meters that contained 0.32 percent copper and 0.212 gram of gold per ton, and 3) 40 meters that contained 0.51 percent copper and 0.212 gram of gold per ton. The holes were mostly in sedimentary rocks cut by numerous intermediate to felsic dikes. The copper mineralization is mostly in hornfelsed sedimentary rocks; some is in altered diorite as stockworks of quartz-magnetite-chalcopyrite veinlets.

Comment (Development): From ARDF record CG007 In 1975-76 Bear Creek Mining Company did detailed mapping and sampling and drilled 5 holes totaling 1,865 feet. Resource Associates of Alaska explored the deposit in 1979 and 1981. Additional mapping and sampling was done by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1980 and 1981. Full Metal Minerals and Metallica Resources drilled 2 holes on the Bee Creek porphyry in 2006 that totaled 1,000 meters (Full Metal Minerals, 2008, Alaska Peninsula; Metallica Resources, 2008).

References

Reference (Deposit): Full Metal Minerals, 2008 (Alaska Peninsula): http://www.fullmetalminerals.com/s/alaskapeninsula.asp (as of March 4, 2008).
URL: http://www.fullmetalminerals.com/s/alaskapeninsula.asp

Reference (Deposit): Johnson, K.M., 1978, The United States Geological Survey in Alaska; accomplishments during 1977: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 772-B, p. B-1 - B-115.
Pages: B-63

Reference (Deposit): Wilson, F.H., and Cox, D.P., 1983, Geochronology, geochemistry, and tectonic environment of porphyry mineralization in the central Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-783, 24 p.
Pages: 1, 3-11, 13

Reference (Deposit): Butherus, D.L., White, D.C., Smith, W.H., Radford, G., Sandberg, R.J., and Pray, J.C., 1981, Exploration and evaluation of precious metal potential of Bristol Bay Native Corporation Lands, southwest Alaska, 1981, Vol. 1: Prepared for NERCO by Resource Associates of Alaska, 90 p. (Report held by Alaska Earth Sciences, Inc. Anchorage, Alaska.)

Reference (Reserve-Resource): Cox, D.P., Detra, D.E., and Detterman, R.L., 1981, Mineral resource maps of the Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF- 1053-K, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Metallica Resources Inc., 2008; Exploration - Southwest Alaska: http://www.metal-res.com/projects/exploration/southwest_alaska/ (as of March 4, 2008).
URL: http://www.metal-res.com/projects/exploration/southwest_alaska/

Reference (Deposit): Metals Economics Group (MEG) website: http://services.metalseconomics.com/minesearch/Default.aspx#profile&projAid=100413
URL: http://www.metalseconomics.com/

Reference (Deposit): Cox, D.P., Detra, D.E., and Detterman, R.L., 1981, Mineral resource maps of the Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF- 1053-K, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Anderson, G.D., Fitch, G.M., Lappie, D.W., Lindberg, P.A., and Fankhauser, R.E., 1979, Exploration and evaluation of Bristol Bay Native Corporation Lands, Vol. II, Book 1: Prepared for Houston Oil and Minerals Company by Resource Associates of Alaska, 78 p. (Report held by Alaska Earth Sciences, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska.)

Reference (Other Database): Cox, D.P., Detra, D.E., and Detterman, R.L., 1981, Mineral resource maps of the Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF- 1053-K, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Young, L.E., St. George, P., and Bouley, B., 1997, Porphyry copper deposits in relation to the magmatic history and palinspastic restoration of Alaska, in Goldfarb, R.J., and Miller, L.D., eds., Mineral deposits of Alaska: Economic Geology Monograph 9.
Pages: 306-333

Reference (Deposit): Wilson, F.H., 1980, Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonics and age of porphyry copper prospects, Chignik and Sutwik Island quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-543, 94 p., 5 sheets, scales 1:250,000 and 1 inch = 1,000 feet.
Pages: p. II, 35-37, Plates

Reference (Deposit): Nokleberg, W.J., Bundtzen, T.K., Berg, H.C., Brew, D.A., Grybeck, D.J., Robinson, M.S., Smith, T.E., and Yeend, W., 1987, Significant metalliferous lode deposits and placer districts of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1786, 104 p., 2 plates, scale 1:5,000,000.

Reference (Deposit): Fields, E.D., 1977, 1976 Annual Report, Alaska Search; Chignik Area, Bristol Bay Region: Bear Creek Mining Co., Unpublished Report, P. 1-2, 8-18

Reference (Development): "Full Metal and Metallica Commence Exploration in Southwest Alaska." Full Metal Minerals. June 12, 2006. April 8, 2008. http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Full-Metal-Minerals-Ltd-TSX-VENTURE-FMM-598989.html
URL: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Full-Metal-Minerals-Ltd-TSX-VENTURE-FMM-598989.html

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