Lake Aleknagik

The Lake Aleknagik is a mercury 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

Name: Lake Aleknagik

State:  Alaska

County:  na

Elevation:

Commodity: Mercury

Lat, Long: 59.28, -158.70000

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Satelite View

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Satelite image of the Lake Aleknagik

Lake Aleknagik MRDS details

Site Name

Primary: Lake Aleknagik


Commodity

Primary: Mercury


Location

State: Alaska
District: Bristol Bay region


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

Not available


Orebody

Not available


Structure

Not available


Alterations

Not available


Rocks

Not available


Analytical Data

Not available


Materials

Not available


Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Cretaceous or Tertiary. Epigenetic mercury deposits in this region developed after Mesozoic clastic rocks of the area had been deformed and intruded by Cretaceous or Tertiary granitic plutons.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Eakin, 1968

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Eakin (1968) completed a reconnaissance stream-sediment geochemical survey of the Wood River-Tikchik Lakes region. These samples were analyzed for their Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, and Hg content. In general, there are few anomalous sample results for base metals and molybdenum. However, Eakins' results showed many areas of high mercury levels. Of these, the southern Lake Aleknagik area contains the highest concentration of samples with anomalous mercury contents. For example, six samples along the southeast side of lower Lake Aleknagik were reported to contain greater than 250 ppb Hg, including one with greater than 2,500 ppb Hg. Eakin (1968) cautioned that the analytical technique used for his mercury determinations had potential pitfalls. However, field tests showed the expected anomalous mercury results in areas of known cinnabar deposits (Red Top mine, DI002), and follow-up geochemical studies (Eakin, 1969) roughly duplicated the earlier anomalous mercury results. The Red Top mercury mine (DI002), on Marsh Mountain, is 6 miles east of this location. Although the analytical technique available to Eakin (1968) had its problems, it appears that elevated mercury levels do exist in several areas, especially around the southern end of Lake Aleknagik. Bedrock in the area is mostly interbedded, very fine- to very coarse-grained graywacke, calcareous graywacke, and siltstone. These rocks are probably correlative with Jurassic clastic sedimentary rocks like those in the southeast part of the Hagemeister Island quadrangle (Jk unit of Hoare and Coonrad, 1978; Decker and others, 1994, fig. 1).


References

Reference (Deposit): Hoare, J.M., and Coonrad, W.L., 1978, Geologic map of the Goodnews and Hagemeister Island quadrangles region, southwestern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-9-B, two sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Eakins, G.R., 1969, Supplement to Geochemical Report No. 17, a geochemical investigation of the Wood River-Tikchik Lakes area, southwestern Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Geology, 6 p.

Reference (Deposit): Eakins, G.R., 1968, A geochemical investigation of the Wood River-Tikchik area, southwestern Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals, Geochemical Report 17, 31 p.

Reference (Deposit): Decker, J., Bergman, S.C., Blodgett, R.B., Box, S.E., Bundtzen, T.K., Clough, J.G., Coonrad, W.L., Gilbert, W.G., Miller, M.L., Murphy, J.M., Robinson, M.S., and Wallace, W.K., 1994, Geology of southwestern Alaska, in Plafker, G. and Berg, H.C., eds., The Geology of Alaska: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. G-1, p. 285-310.


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