Bowser Creek-Headwaters

The Bowser Creek-Headwaters is a zinc, copper, lead, 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: Bowser Creek-Headwaters

Commodity

Primary: Zinc
Primary: Copper
Primary: Lead
Primary: Silver
Secondary: Arsenic
Secondary: Gold
Secondary: Cobalt

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: Polymetallic veins

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: Massive pyrrhotite is heavily oxidized to ferricrete gossan.

Rocks

Role: Host
Age Type: Host Rock
Age in Years: 60.400000+-
Dating Method: K-Ar
Material Analyzed: quartz porphyry
Age Young: Tertiary

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Sphalerite
Ore: Pyrrhotite
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Arsenopyrite
Gangue: Siderite
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Calcite

Comments

Comment (Geology): Age = Chronological age is for the hosdt rock.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Bundtzen and others, 1988

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = No surface exploration excavations have been undertaken at the prospect. Reed and Elliott (1968, C 559) reported scattered values of up to 4,280 grams/tonne silver, 0.08 grams/tonne gold, 3.00 percent arsenic, 3.00 percent copper, 200 ppm cobalt, 10.00 percent zinc, and 10.00 percent lead. The average metallic content of four chip samples taken by Bundtzen and others (1988) across the sulfide-bearing veins was 37.5 grams/tonne silver, 0.29 percent copper, 0.14 percent lead, and 4.00 percent zinc. Other elevated metal concentrations include 469 ppm arsenic, 0.12 percent cadmium, and 169 ppm cobalt noted by Bundtzen and others (1988).

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

Comment (Geology): Age = Inferred to be Tertiary, based on a K-Ar age of 60.4 Ma from host quartz porphyry intrusion.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Bowser Creek-Headwaters prospect consists of disseminated to massive, sulfide mineralization in discrete, northwest-trending, steeply dipping, quartz-carbonate veins and vein breccias cutting quartz porphyry of the Bowser Creek composite pluton. The quartz porphyry phase, which has been radiometrically dated a 60.4 Ma; it intrudes the Early to mid-Paleozoic Dillinger subterrane (Bundtzen and others, 1988; Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert, 1997). A prospect map has been published by Bundtzen and others (1988). Sulfide minerals include massive sphalerite and pyrrhotite, with lesser amounts of galena, chalcopyrite, and arsenopyrite. Pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite clearly crosscut previously deposited galena, sphalerite, and pyrite. Reed and Elliott (1968, C 559) reported scattered values of up to 4,820 grams/tonne silver, 0.08 grams/tonne gold, 3.00 percent arsenic, 3.00 percent copper, 200 ppm cobalt, 10.00 percent zinc, and 10.00 percent lead. The average of four chip samples taken by Bundtzen and others (1988) across the sulfide-bearing vein system was 35.7 grams/tonne silver, 0.29 percent copper, 0.14 percent lead, and 4.00 percent zinc, but no detectable gold. Other elevated metal concentrations include 469 ppm arsenic, 0.12 percent cadmium, and 169 ppm cobalt (Bundtzen and others, 1988).

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Part of a larger mineral center related to the Bowser Creek composite pluton; see Bowser Creek-Main (MG068) and Bowser Creek-Northeast (MG067) prospects.

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): Bundtzen, T.K., Kline, J.T., Smith, T.E., and Albanese, M.D., 1988, Geology of the McGrath A-2 quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Professional Report 91, 18 p., 1sheet, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Reed, B.L. and Elliott, R.L., 1968, Geochemical anomalies and metalliferous deposits between Windy Fork and Post River, southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 596, 22 pages.

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