Soda Creek

The Soda Creek 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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Site Name

Primary: Soda Creek

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: White dolomite; secondary carbonate solution breccias.

Rocks

Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age Young: Late Silurian

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Smithsonite
Gangue: Dolomite

Comments

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The Soda Creek prospects were discovered by WGM Inc. and Patino Ltd. during exploration for base metals in the late 1970s (Schmidt, 1997). From 1976 to1982, surface sampling and limited trenching was completed on the property. Intermittant exploration work was continued by Pasminco Ltd. until about 1989 (Schmidt, 1997). One grab sample at the South Soda Creek prospect contained 26.6 percent zinc and 0.11 percent lead. Other grab samples contained from 370 ppm to 18.10 percent zinc, 2-to-35 ppm cadmium, and 7-to-250 ppm lead. At the North Soda Creek showing, a channel sample along a 37 foot (11.2 m) long trench yielded 0.50 percent zinc, but no lead or cadmium (Schmidt, 1997).

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Two small carbonate hosted zinc/lead deposits approximately 1,500 feet (457 m) apart are structurally controlled along fractures and solution breccia zones in an interbedded carbonate unit that is probably equivalent to the Paradise Creek Formation of Dutro and Patton (1982). The South Soda Creek prospect consists of a linear zone up to 3 feet (0.9 m) wide and up to 30 feet (9.1 m) long in strongly mineralized rubble that is largely composed of solution breccias of several types (Schmidt, 1997). The North Soda Creek deposit consists of smithsonite-bearing gossan in a 2,000 square foot area on a steep, north-facing dip slope. The smithsonite appears to be introduced along a 10 foot (3 m) thick brecciated zone in massive micrite limestone. Mineralization does not extend laterally for more than 200 feet (61 m). Solution breccias occur at both prospecting sites. Rocks hosting the mineralization are inferred to be Late Silurian in age, based on fossils at the site; however, the specific age of the mineralization is unknown. . From 1976 to1982, surface sampling and limited trenching was completed on the property. One grab sample at the South Soda Creek prospect contained 26.6 percent zinc and 0.11 percent lead. Other grab samples contained from 370 ppm to 18.10 percent zinc, 2 to 35 ppm cadmium, and 7 to 250 ppm lead. At the North Soda Creek showing, a channel sample along a 37 foot (11.2 m) long trench yielded 0.50 percent zinc, but no lead or cadmium (Schmidt, 1997).

Comment (Commodity): Gangue = iron ferricrete

Comment (Geology): Age = Host is inferred to be Late Silurian in age, based on fossils at site; however, the age of the mineralization is unknown.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Southeast Missouri Lead-Zinc (Cox and Singer, 1986; model no. 32a)

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = See also Reef Ridge (MD055), Asmyrahha (MD080), Atoll (MD053), Big Gate (MD050), Hillside (MD049), and Bear Pass (MD044) prospects in Medfra quadrangle.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Schmidt, 1997

References

Reference (Deposit): Fisher, D.G., and Juilliand, J.D., 1986, Mineral deposit types and their characteristics: U.S. Bureau of Land Management Technical Bulletin 3031-1, 134 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): 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): 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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