Unnamed (North Crillon Glacier)

The Unnamed (North Crillon Glacier) is a copper and nickel 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 (North Crillon Glacier)

Commodity

Primary: Copper
Primary: Nickel
Secondary: Iron
Secondary: Cobalt
Secondary: Titanium
Secondary: PGE

Location

State: Alaska
District: Yakutat

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: Duluth Cu-Ni-PGE

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Alteration Text: Conspicuous iron-stained zones that resulted from oxidation of iron-rich minerals in the oxide-sulfide segregations.

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chalcopyrite
Ore: Ilmenite
Ore: Magnetite
Ore: Pentlandite
Ore: Pyrrhotite

Comments

Comment (Reference): Primary Reference = Kimball and others, 1978

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The deposit is in the Crillon-LaPerouse layered mafic-ultramafic pluton near its northwest contact with schistose rocks of probable Mesozoic age. The Crillon-LaPerouse body is the largest of four complexes within Glacier Bay National Park and it hosts the Brady Glacier nickel-copper deposit (MF003--Brew and others, 1978). Disseminated to semi-massive sulfide minerals occur in layered gabbro on the south side of North Crillon Glacier. Conspicuous iron-stained zones estimated to be about 20 feet thick occur in the gabbro body and appear to be continuous for thousands of feet. They are separated by from 30 to 100s of feet of less-stained gabbro. Surface access was gained to one zone that contained a 1-2 foot thick vein of pyrrhotite with some chalcopyrite and ilmenite (Kimball and others, 1978, p. C106-107). The samples contained as much as 3000 ppm nickel, 980 ppm copper, and 0.7 ppm platinum. In the same area, Kennedy and Walton (1946) reported a 5-foot thick zone traceable for thousands of teet that contained as much as 60 percent ilmenite and some sulfides; the same authors (p. 71) report that the weathered metal-rich outcrops are bright red. Kimball and others (1978) note the similarity of mineralization with that reported on the north wall of South Crillon Glacier about one and one-half miles to the south, suggesting similar mineralization in heavily stained but inaccessible zones between the two occurrences.

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Sulfide/oxide segregations in a layered mafic complex. Occurrences are of the type associated with 'Synorogenic layered mafic complexes of Tertiary age, southeastern Alaska' of Foley and others (1997, p. 441-443).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The area is extremely steep, and access to the rock exposures from the glaciers is across bergschrunds. A 1 to 2 foot thick zone rich in pyrrhotite was sampled by Kimball and others (1978) at about 30 foot intervals. Nickel content was as much as 3000 ppm, copper was 980 ppm, and cobalt (probably erroneously called chromium in table C-26B) was as much as to 300 ppm. Trace amounts of platinum and palladium were found in one sample. Kennedy and Walton (1946) reported one 5-foot thick layer in the same approximate area that contained 60 percent ilmenite.

Comment (Deposit): Other Comments = Zones possibly project southerly to occurrences on the north side of South Crillon Glacier, and north across North Crillon Glacier to other similar occurrences. The possible continuity of deposits suggests that Brady Glacier-type nickel-copper deposits could exist in the northwest part of the Crillon-La Perouse layered complex. The site is in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

Comment (Geology): Age = Tertiary.

References

Reference (Deposit): MacKevett, E.M., Jr., Brew, D.A., Hawley, C.C., Huff, L.C., and Smith, J.G., 1971, Mineral resources of Glacier Bay National Monument, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 632, 90 p., 12 plates, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources of the Mount Fairweather quadrangle, AK: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Study Map MF-436, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Kimball, A.L., Still, J.C., and Rataj, J.L., 1978, Mineral resources, in Brew, D. A., and others, Mineral resources of the Glacier Bay National Monument wilderness study area, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-494, p. C1-C375.

Reference (Deposit): Rossman, Darwin, 1963, Geology and petrology of two stocks of layered gabbro in the Fairweather Range, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1121-F, p. F1-F50.

Reference (Deposit): Foley, J.Y., Light, T.D., Nelson, S.W., and Harris, R.A., 1997, Mineral occurrences associated with mafic-ultramafic and related alkaline complexes in Alaska: Economic Geology, Monograph 9, p. 396-449.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 508.

Reference (Deposit): Kennedy, G.C. and Walton, M.S., Jr., 1946, Geology and associated mineral deposits of some ultrabasic rocks in southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 947-D, p. 65-84.

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