Sheep Creek-1

The Sheep Creek-1 is a silver, lead, and 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: Sheep Creek-1

Commodity

Primary: Silver
Primary: Lead
Primary: Zinc
Secondary: Vanadium

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: Sedimentary exhalative Zn-Pb

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Strong sulfurous alteration.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Sheep Creek-1 occurrence is a discontinuous zone of metal-bearing, sulfur-rich shale and siltstone of the Lower Ordovician to Lower Silurian Post River Formation, a unit of the Dillinger subterrane (Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert, 1997). The observed shale-hosted mineralization contains graptolites that correspond to the Monograptus spiralus zone or of Lower Silurian age. The mineralized zones occur in distinctive areas where a bright yellow sulfur staining is seeping out of pyrite-rich lamina in the black shale lenses and horizons. Within the sulfur-rich zones, disseminated pyrite, and sphalerite are found in 2 to 4 centimeter thick bands. . Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert (1997) regard the Sheep Creek-1 occurrence as a sedimentary exhalitive lead-zinc deposit type; however, it may also be an epigenetic occurrence related to nearby plutonic sources. . Random chip samples reported by Bundtzen, Kline, and Clough (1982) and Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert (1997) from four stratiform horizons contained an average 600 ppm lead, 1,700 ppm zinc, 1,000 ppm vanadium, and 2.7 grams/tonne silver. Smith and Albanese (1985) reported a single sample (#2526) from the Sheep Creek-1 occurrence contained 720 ppm lead, 37.1 grams/tonne silver, and 472 ppm antimony.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The reporter first recognized the shale-hosted mineralization in 1981 (Bundtzen, Kline, and Clough, 1982). Random chip samples reported by Bundtzen, Kline, and Clough (1982) and Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert (1997) from four horizons of shale-hosted mineralization contained an average 600 ppm lead, 1,700 ppm zinc, 1,000 ppm vanadium, and 2.7 grams/tonne silver. Smith and Albanese (1985) reported that a single sample (#2526) from the Sheep Creek-1 occurrence contained 720 ppm lead, 37.1 grams/tonne silver, and 472 ppm antimony.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Sedimentary exhalitive Pb-Zn(?) (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 31a).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Geology): Age = Inferred to be Lower Silurian, based on graptolite identification.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert, 1997

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): Smith, T.E., and Albanese, M.D., 1985, Preliminary prospect examinations in the McGrath B-2, A-3, and A-4 quadrangles, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Public Data File 85-54, 19 pages.

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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