Alaska-Pioneer-Sourdough, Steinmetz, d Alaska Commercial Co.

The Alaska-Pioneer-Sourdough, Steinmetz, d Alaska Commercial Co. is a lead, zinc, and 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: Alaska-Pioneer-Sourdough, Steinmetz, d Alaska Commercial Co.

Commodity

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

Location

State: Alaska
District: Prince William Sound

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

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

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Massive sulfide, Cyprus

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Specularite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Marcasite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Bornite
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Production): Production Notes = 720 lbs. copper from 70 tons of ore shipped in 1905 (Grant, 1906).

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Jansons and others, 1984

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = 500 tons @ 2.27% Cu inferred reserves (Jansons and others, 1984).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The first discovery of copper (1897) in Prince William Sound was made in this area (Schrader, 1900). Capps and Johnson (1915) reported several adits, open cuts and a shaft. Early copper values reportedly were 11.4% to 12.5% Cu (Grant, 1906). Jansons and others (1984) report that a grab sample from the area contained 7.9% Cu. Chip samples contained 0.2%-3.9% Cu, along with a trace to 0.11 oz Au/ton.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The mineral deposits at this site are in sheared mafic volcanic rocks of the Tertiary Orca Group (Nelson and others, 1985). They consist of 2-inch- to 4-ft.-wide lenses of massive sulfide accompanied by quartz gangue. Metalliferous minerals include arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, marcasite, pyrite, and specularite. Early copper values reportedly were 11.4% to 12.5% Cu (Grant, 1906). Jansons and others (1984) report that a grab sample from the area contained 7.9% Cu. Chip samples contained 0.2%-3.9% Cu, along with a trace to 0.11 oz Au/ton.

Comment (Geology): Age = Probably Tertiary based on the age of the host rock.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Cyprus massive sulfide (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 24a)

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Crowe and others (1992; 1993) and Sainsbury (1993) discuss the genesis of the volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in this area.. Chugach Alaska Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska has control of these lands.

References

Reference (Deposit): Schrader, F.C., 1900, A reconnaissance of a part of Prince William Sound and the Copper River district, Alaska, in 1898: U.S. Geological Survey 20th Annual Report, Part 7, p. 341-423.

Reference (Deposit): Nelson, S.W., Dumoulin, J. A., and Miller, M.L., 1985, Geologic map of the Chugach National Forest, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1645-B, 16 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Crowe, D.E., Nelson, S.W., Brown, P.E., Shanks III, W.C., and Valley, J.W., 1993, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound, south-central Alaska-A reply: Economic Geology, v. 88, p. 1285-1288.

Reference (Deposit): Sainsbury, C.L., 1993, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound, south-central Alaska, A discussion: Economic Geology, v. 88, p. 1284-1285.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Cordova quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-392, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Grant, U.S., 1906, Copper and other mineral resources of Prince William Sound: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, p. 78-87.

Reference (Deposit): Capps, S.R., and Johnson, B.L., 1915, The Ellamar district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 605, 125 p.

Reference (Deposit): Jansons, Uldis, Hoekzema, R.B., Kurtak, J.M., and Fechner, S.A., 1984, Mineral occurrences in the Chugach National Forest, Southcentral Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 5-84, 218 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Crowe, D.E., Nelson, S.W., Brown, P.E., Shanks III, W.C., and Valley, J.W., 1992, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound, south-central Alaska: Economic Geology, v. 87, p. 1722-1746.

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