Unnamed (in the canyon of Sheep Creek)

The Unnamed (in the canyon of Sheep Creek) is a copper 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: Unnamed (in the canyon of Sheep Creek)

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Secondary: Iron
Secondary: Silver

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: Occurrence
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Strong silicification and sericite zones.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Marcasite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = This description

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Polymetallic veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c).

Comment (Geology): Age = Mineralization is undated.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = This occurrence is a highly sulfidized, alteration zone in a rhyodacite unit of the Paleocene to Eocene, Sheep Creek Volcanic Field (Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert, 1997). A very distinct, ferricrete gossan occurs in a cliff wall on the east side of Sheep Creek; the incompetent, mineralized walls have partially caved into the creek channel. The mineralization consists of disseminated to massive pyrite-quartz veins and stockworks up to 2 meters in width. Strike lengths were not determined. The mineralized area averages about 25 percent pyrite. Grab samples of massive pyrite-quartz veins contained an average 15.5 percent iron, 255 ppm copper, and 0.45 ppm silver (T.K. Bundtzen and G.M. Laird, written communication, 1998).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The reporter investigated the site in 1981. Grab samples that contained massive pyrite-quartz stockwork veins yielded an average 255 ppm copper, 15.5 percent iron, and 0.45 ppm silver (T.K. Bundtzen and G.M. Laird, written communication, 1998).

References

Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T.K., Harris, E.E., and Gilbert, W.G., 1997, Geologic Map of the eastern McGrath quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 97-14, 34 pages, one sheet, scale 1:125,000.

Reference (Deposit): Solie, D.N., Bundtzen, T.K., and Gilbert, W.G., 1991, K-Ar ages of igneous rocks in the McGrath quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Public Data File Report 160, 17 pages, one sheet, 1:250,000 scale.

Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T.K., Kline, J.T., and Clough, J.G., 1982, Preliminary geologic map of the McGrath B-2 quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Open-File report 149, 22 pages, one sheet, scale 1:63,360.

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