The Saddle is a zinc 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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Saddle MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Saddle
Commodity
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Lead
Location
State: Alaska
District: McGrath
Land Status
Not available
Holdings
Not available
Workings
Not available
Ownership
Not available
Production
Not available
Deposit
Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Prospect
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:
Physiography
Not available
Mineral Deposit Model
Model Name: Mississippi Valley, S.E. Missouri Pb-Zn
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Smithsonite and sulfide species altered to ferricrete by groundwater.
Rocks
Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Silurian
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Smithsonite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Dolomite
Comments
Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Saddle prospect is underlain by a continuous sequence of laminated to thinly bedded, light to dark gray dolomite of the Lower to Middle Silurian Paradise Fork Formation (Dutro and Patton, 1982). Host units strike N 80 to 85 West and dip 55 degrees South. The bedded sequence hosting the smithsonite mineralization is underlain on the north and south by dolomitic shale beds of the Middle to Upper Telsitna Formation (Dutro and Patton, 1982). Mineralization occurs in a 10 foot ( 3m) wide by 20 feet (6 m) long Amphipora-bearing horizon of bedded dolomite containing smithsonite, secondary dolomite, ferricrete, and secondary calcite in solution breccia. Host rock age is Silurian, based on Amphipora sp. found in ore zone of Paradise Fork Formation (Blodgett, 1982). The age of the mineralization is unknown. . Soil sampling from surface exploration indicates a weak to moderate zinc anomaly extending in an east-west direction for about 1,200 feet (366 m). Three grab samples in the smithsonite-bearing solution breccia zone averaged 15.79 percent zinc with no appreciable lead (Schmidt, 1997).
Comment (Commodity): Gangue = ferricrete
Comment (Commodity): Gangue = secondary calcite
Comment (Geology): Age = Host rock age is Silurian, based on Amphipora found in ore zone of Paradise Fork Formation (Blodgett, 1982). The age of the mineralization is unknown.
Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Schmidt, 1997
Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The Saddle prospect was discovered by WGM Inc. and Patino Ltd. during exploration for base metasls in the late 1970s. Intermittant exploration work was continued by Pasminco Ltd. until about 1989 (Schmidt, 1997). Soil sampling from surface exploration indicates a weak to moderate zinc anomaly extending in an east-west direction for about 1,200 feet (366 m). Three grab samples in the smithsonite-bearing solution breccia zone average 15.79 percent zinc and no appreciable lead (Schmidt, 1997).
Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive
Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = See Soda Creek (MD056), Reef Ridge (MD055), Midway (MD046) and Bear Pass (MD044) prospects in Medfra Quadrangle.
Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Appalachian zinc (Cox and Singer ,1986; model no. 32b) or Mississippi Valley Type
References
Reference (Deposit): Dutro, T.T. Jr., and Patton,W.W. Jr., 1982, New Paleozoic Formations in the northern Kuskokwim Mountains, west-central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1529-H, p. H13-H22.
Reference (Deposit): Blodgett, R.B., 1982, Stratigraphy of Reef Ridge project area: WGM Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, Reef Ridge Project area, Block 10, Doyon region: 34 pages.
Reference (Deposit): Anderson, G.M., and Macqueen, R.W., 1988, Mississippi Valley Type lead-zinc deposits, in Roberts, R.G., and Sheahan, P.A., eds., Ore deposit models: Geoscience Canada Reprint Series 3, Ottawa, Canada, p. 79-90.
Reference (Deposit): Schmidt, J.M., 1997, Shale-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag and barite deposits of Alaska, in Goldfarb, R.J., and Miller, L.D., eds., Mineral Deposits of Alaska, 1997: Economic Geology Monograph 9, p. 35-65.
Reference (Deposit): Patton, W.W., Jr., Moll, E.J., Dutro, J.T., Jr., Silberman, M.L., and Chapman, R.M., 1980, Preliminary geologic map of Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-811-A, 1 sheet, scale l:250,000.
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