The Last Chance is a lead, gold, and antimony 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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Last Chance MRDS details
Site Name
Primary: Last Chance
Commodity
Primary: Lead
Primary: Gold
Primary: Antimony
Secondary: Silver
Location
State: Alaska
District: Nome
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: Low-sulfide Au-quartz vein
Orebody
Not available
Structure
Not available
Alterations
Not available
Rocks
Not available
Analytical Data
Not available
Materials
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Stibnite
Gangue: Ankerite
Gangue: Quartz
Comments
Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Last Chance prospect consists of an adit driven south-southwest on the Penny River fault or a splay of the fault. The prospect was first reported by Smith (1908, p. 345). Mertie (1918 [B 662-I, p. 446]) also mentions it ,but it appears unlikely that the prospect was visited by the U.S. Geological Survey at that time. The vein at the prospect was variously reported as 4 or 5 feet wide. It contained galena, pyrite, and stibnite with quartz and ankerite. Gold and silver were reported in assays, but the presence of native gold is uncertain. A 70-foot adit was driven on the vein. It is inferred from the lack of further development that the gold content of the vein was low, but there is abundant quartz float at the prospect. Sainsbury and others (1972 [OFR 72-321]) show placer gold mine workings to be present on Last Chance Creek for about 1 mile downstream from near this prospect. The prospect was relocated by a Kennecott Exploration Company in 1990; it is similar to the nearby Christophosen prospect (NM143). Country rock at the prospect is the chlorite-rich metaturbidite and marble unit of Bundtzen and others (1994).
Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The prospect was discovered by G. Christophosen, who was apparently very active in the area before 1915 (see also NM141 and NM143). A 70-foot adit was driven on the vein. It is inferred from the lack of further development that the gold content of the vein was low,but there is abundant quartz float at the prospect. The vein is in a strong structure.
Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Low-sulfide Au-quartz veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 36a).
Comment (Exploration): Status = Probably inactive
Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Mertie, 1918
Comment (Geology): Age = Mid-Cretaceous or younger; host structure crosscuts rocks metamorphosed in the mid-Cretaceous.
References
Reference (Deposit): Bundtzen, T.K., Reger, R.D., Laird, G.M., Pinney, D.S., Clautice, K.H., Liss, S.A., and Cruse, G.R., 1994, Progress report on the geology and mineral resources of the Nome mining district: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Public Data-File 94-39, 21 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:63,360.
Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1978, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Nome quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File report 78-93, 213 p.
Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Nome quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-463, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.
Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1908, Investigations of mineral deposits of Seward Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345, p. 206-250.
Reference (Deposit): Sainsbury, C.L., Hudson, T.L., Ewing, Rodney, and Marsh, W.R., 1972, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Nome C-2 quadrangle, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 72-321, 13 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:63,360.
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