Unnamed (on south fork of Quartz Creek)

The Unnamed (on south fork of Quartz Creek) is a zinc, 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: Unnamed (on south fork of Quartz Creek)

Commodity

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

Location

State: Alaska
District: Fairhaven

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Occurrence
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: Quartz, tourmaline, and sericite alteration along closely-spaced fracture zones.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Arsenopyrite
Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Gold
Ore: Pyrite
Ore: Sphalerite
Gangue: Calcite
Gangue: Feldspar
Gangue: Quartz
Gangue: Tourmaline

Comments

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The hook-shaped, Late Cretaceous Quartz Creek quartz monzonite pluton is surrounded by a quartz-sericite-tourmaline altered zone in Jurassic-Cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks. Sulfide-bearing tourmaline-quartz rock in altered quartz monzonite contains disseminated grains and masses of galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite. Several gossans up to 4 feet wide in the quartz monzonite contain visible galena. Calcite veins cutting a fine-grained felsic intrusion contain pyrite, galena, and sphalerite. The following analytical results are from Miller and Elliott (1969). Location 11: 7 ppm Ag, greater than 1% As, 500 ppm Co, 300 ppm Cu, 1% Pb, and 200 ppm Zn. Location 12: 7 ppm Ag, greater than 1% As, 300 ppm Cr, 150 ppm Cu, 0.7% Pb, and 700 ppm Zn. Location 18C: 50 ppm Ag, greater than 500 ppm Cd, 2,000 ppm Cu, greater than 2% Pb, and greater than 1% Zn. Locations 19 A and B: up to 200 ppm Ag (5.8 ounces Ag per ton), up to 300 ppm Cd, up to 1,000 ppm Cu, greater than 2% Pb, and greater than 1% Zn. Location 21: 150 ppm Ag, 700 ppm Cu, 15 ppm Mo, greater than 2% Pb, and greater than 1% Zn.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Sulfides in altered quartz monzonite and andesite.

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Miller and Elliott, 1969

Comment (Geology): Age = Late Cretaceous.

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = This site is one of numerous occurrences of argentiferous galena, sphalerite, pyrite and arsenopyrite in an 18-mile-long, 2- to 5-mile-wide zone of altered andesite surrounding the Quartz Creek quartz monzonite pluton. The altered zone trends N 15 W, across the drainage basins of Quartz Creek and the Kiwalik River, parallel to prominent lineaments in the area.

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The area has been mapped and examined by the U.S. Geological Survey and various exploration companies.

References

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Candle Quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-389, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Candle, Holy Cross, Norton Bay, Nulato, and Unalakleet quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-866, 102 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.

Reference (Deposit): Miller, T.P., and Elliott, R.L., 1969, Metalliferous deposits near Granite Mountain, eastern Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 614, 19 p.

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