Amethyst

The Amethyst is a gold 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: Amethyst

Commodity

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

Location

State: Alaska
District: Alaska Peninsula

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 Text: The host rocks exhibit weak to strong propylitic and argillic alteration. The propylitic alteration is accompanied by 2 to 5 percent disseminated pyrite.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Galena
Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Quartz

Comments

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = This prospect is located on land patented by, or interim-conveyed to, the Aleut Corporation.

Comment (Geology): Age = Eocene or younger.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The northeast-striking Amethyst vein at its westernmost end is located approximately 200 feet south of the Altair vein (PM091); however, it has a more northerly strike, and farther to the northeast it intersects both the Altair (PM091) and the Ankle Creek (PM090) veins (Peterson and others, 1982, figure 11). The Amethyst vein has been traced for approximately 2,000 feet on strike. The vein is a braided system, generally 15 to 20 feet in width, composed of numerous quartz veins of varying widths. Individual veins in the system branch, interweave, pinch, and swell (Trujillo and others, 1982). It exhibits evidence of crushing, brecciation, and partial rehealing. Vein quartz generally makes up 20 to 50 percent of the system. Sulfide minerlas include pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite. The host rocks are propylitized and argillized, pyritic andesite flows and tuffs of the late Eocene to early Oligocene Popof volcanic rocks (Wilson and others, 1995). An ore shoot at the intersection of the Amethyst and Ankle Creek veins has been drilled and trenched It is approximately 300 feet long, 12 feet wide, and extends to a depth of 100 feet. Ore intercepts of three core holes include 16.3 feet grading 0.20 ounce of gold and 0.6 ounce of silver per ton, 31 feet grading 0.20 ounce of gold and 0.4 ounce of silver per ton, and 10 feet grading 0.08 ounce of gold and 0.6 ounce of silver per ton (Anderson and others, 1980). The assays also show up to 1,120 ppm copper, 2,300 ppm lead, 670 ppm zinc, 1,100 ppm arsenic, and 0.64 ppm mercury. Trench samples include 12 feet grading 0.105 ounce of gold and 0.17 ounce of silver per ton, 12 feet grading 0.242 ounce of gold and 0.68 ounce of silver per ton, and 12 feet grading 0.335 ounce of gold and 1.56 ounces of silver per ton (Trujillo and others, 1981). The resource is estimated to be 30,000 tons of ore grading 0.23 ounce of gold and 0.8 ounce of silver per ton. Other trenches and drill holes along the system indicate anomalous, but not sub-ore-grade precious metal values.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = During the period 1980 to 1982 Resource Associates of Alaska and UNC Teton Exploration Drilling Company mapped and sampled the prospect conducted VLF-EM, IP, and magnetometer surveys, core drilled 11 holes for a total of 4,446 feet, and cut 11 trenches. One ore shoot was outlined and evaluated at 30,000 tons grading 0.23 ounce of gold and 0.8 ounce of silver per ton (Trujillo and others, 1981). In 1986 Battle Mountain Exploration Company carried out orientation soil, magnetometer, and VLF surveys over the prospect.

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Epithermal gold vein

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = An ore shoot on the prospect contains an estimated 30,000 tons grading 0.23 ounce of gold and 0.8 ounce of silver per ton.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Trujillo and others, 1981

References

Reference (Deposit): Anderson, G.L., Butherus, D.L., Fankhauser, R.E., Pray, J.C., Lindberg, P.A., and Hoffman, B.L., 1980, Exploration and evaluation of lands leased from Aleut Native Corporation 1980; Resource Associates of Alaska Report, 84 p, 16 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

Reference (Deposit): Trujillo, R.S., Anderson, G., MacLeod, T., Hendrick, K., Farnham, S., Peterson, J., 1981. Exploration and evaluation of the Unga-Popof-Korovan Islands portion of lands leased from Aleut Native Corporation: Resource Associates of Alaska report, 70 p., 38 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

Reference (Deposit): Peterson, R.J., Lemmers, J., Handverger, P., Gallagher, J., Pilcher, R., East, J., Macleod, T., Bartels. E., 1982, Geology and precious metals potential Unga, Popof, and Korovin Islands, Shumagin Group, Aleutian Chain, Alaska: UNC Teton Exploration Drilling Company report, 127 p., 5 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

Reference (Deposit): Wilson, F.H., Detterman, R.L., Miller, J. W., and Case, J.E., 1995, Geologic map of the Port Moller, Stepovak Bay, and Simeonof Island quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-2272, 1 map sheet, scale 1:250,000.

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