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

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: 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.

The Top Ten Gold Producing States

These ten states contributed the most to the gold production that built the West from 1848 through the 1930s. The Top Ten Gold Producing States.