Worcester

The Worcester 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: Worcester

Commodity

Primary: Copper

Location

State: Alaska
District: Kougarok

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

Not available

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Type: L
Alteration Text: The development of silica-rich rocks at the base of marble overlying metapelitic rocks, by whatever process, characterizes the deposit.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Malachite
Ore: Azurite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = Silica-rich rocks are present at the base of a marble assemblage overlying schist. Small amounts of copper-bearing sulfide minerals are present in vertical joints and secondary copper staining is present. The occurrence has been explored by two short adits. Because of the presence of observed mineralization and early exploration workings here, this location rather than the locality 1 mile to the north (Cobb and Sainsbury, 1972) is considered the Worcester prospect of Mertie (1918). .Sainsbury and others (1969, p. 37) report spectrographic analyses for four samples from this locality. A selected high-grade sample contained 7.1% copper and 7,000 ppm zinc. Traces of gold and mercury were also reported in these analyses. This occurrence is similar in setting and character to the Ward mine (TE071) north of Kougarok Mountain. The summary characterization of this type of Seward Peninsula mineral deposit by Sainsbury (1975, p. 90-94) contains inconsistencies with some descriptions of these deposits. Their origin is uncertain and other possibilities should be considered. One possiblity is that the silica-rich rocks are quartzites and that there is a stratigraphic control to the Ward deposit and similar occurrences elsewhere on Seward Peininsula. Quarzite at the base of the regional carbonate assemblage is recognized elsewhere in the Kougarok Mountain area (Puchner, 1986, p. 1777).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Sainsbury and others, 1969

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = Not defined

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = Two short adits and surface pits are present.

Comment (Geology): Ore Material = some copper-bearing sulfides

Comment (Geology): Age = Paleozoic ; the silica-rich rocks are apparently metamorphosed and would therefore predate mid-Mesozoic deformation and metamorphism in the region. The associated marbles are probably Paleozoic in age. However, the relation of copper metallization to the genesis of the silica-rich rocks is not clear.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Silica-rich rock with minor copper-bearing mineralization at the base of a marble assemblage overlying schist

References

Reference (Deposit): Sainsbury, C.L., 1975, Geology, ore deposits, and mineral potential of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 73-75, 108 p., 3 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., and Sainsbury, C.L., 1972, Metallic mineral resource map of the Teller quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-426, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Sainsbury, C.L., Kachadoorian, Reuban, Hudson, Travis, Smith, T.E., Richards, T.R., and Todd, W.E., 1969, Reconnaissance geologic maps and sample data, Teller A-1, A-2, A-3, B-1, B-2, B-3, C-1, and Bendeleben A-6, B-6, C-6, D-5, and D-6 quadrangles. Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 377, 49 p., 12 sheets, scale 1:63,360.

Reference (Deposit): Puchner, C.C., 1986, Geology, alteration, and mineralization of the Kougarok Sn deposit, Seward Peninsula, Alaska; Discussion reply: Economic Geology, v. 82, p. 2201-2204.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Teller quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-587, 130 p.

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1918, Lode mining and prospecting on Seward Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662-H, p. 425-449.

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