Last Chance

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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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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