Platypus Mountain

The Platypus Mountain is a copper, gold, and silver 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: Platypus Mountain

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Gold
Primary: Silver

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
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Massive sulfide, Cyprus

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Chloritization of felsic tuff and exhalite.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Malachite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Chalcocite
Ore: Azurite
Gangue: Chlorite

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Platypus Mountain occurrence is in a thin unit of felsic tuff and exhalite within a 5000-meter-thick section dominated by mafic volcanic flows, tuffs, and breccia. The section also contains subordinate, weakly metamorphosed siltstone, claystone, and marble. The rocks are probable late Paleozoic in age. They are possibly correlative with the Pennsylvanian to Permian, Tetelna Formation and probably are correlative with the country rocks at the KFC occurrence (GU001). Prospecting in the area is handicapped by extensive Quaternary gravel which mantles many of the hills. Chalcopyrite, partly oxidized to azurite and malachite, occurs in stringers within a chloritic, rhyolite(?) flow-breccia at this occurrence (Arehart, 1982). Samples of the breccia contain as much as 4,100 ppm copper, 1.5 ppm silver, and 620 ppb gold. Semi-massive pyrite occurs in a cherty exhalite unit adjacent to the flow-breccia. Lenses and stringers of chalcocite, partly oxidized to malachite and azurite, are associated with the predominant mafic rocks. The pyritic, cherty, exhalite unit which hosts the flow-breccia extends east-west for about two miles.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

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

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Arehart (1982) reported numerous copper occurrences in intermediate and mafic volcanics near the Platypus Mountain occurrence. Additional information can be obtained from Ahtna Minerals in Anchorage, Alaska.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Arehart, 1982

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The Platypus Mountain occurrence was discovered in 1981 by a Noranda Exploration company team (Arehart, 1982). A gridded, soil survey and a CEM geophysical survey were completed on the prospect. The lands are mainly covered by selections of Ahtna Inc., a regional Native corporation.

Comment (Geology): Age = Diagenetic or epigenetic remobilization of copper and associated metals in a volcanic pile of Pennsylvanian and Permian age. Remobilization of copper may have occurred during green-schist metamorphism in the Jurassic.

References

Reference (Deposit): Arehart, G.B., 1982, Reconnaissance geology/geochemistry of the Alphabet Hills, Gulkana Quadrangle, Alaska: Noranda Exploration, 4 p., maps and appendices. (Report held by Ahtna Minerals Co., Anchorage, Alaska).

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