Kenai Chrome

The Kenai Chrome is a chromium 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: Kenai Chrome
Secondary: Star #4
Secondary: Chrome Queen

Commodity

Primary: Chromium
Secondary: Nickel

Location

State: Alaska
District: Homer

Land Status

Not available

Holdings

Not available

Workings

Not available

Ownership

Not available

Production

Not available

Deposit

Record Type: Site
Operation Category: Past Producer
Operation Type: Unknown
Years of Production:
Organization:
Significant:

Physiography

Not available

Mineral Deposit Model

Model Name: Podiform chromite (major)

Orebody

Not available

Structure

Not available

Alterations

Not available

Rocks

Not available

Analytical Data

Not available

Materials

Ore: Chromite

Comments

Comment (Geology): Age = Mesozoic; based on the age of the ultramafic body that hosts the deposit.

Comment (Geology): Geologic Description = The Red Mountain ultramafic complex covers about 7 square miles and is part of the informally named Border Ranges ultramafic and mafic complex of Burns (1985). The Jurassic Border Ranges complex is thought to be the dismembered basal section of an island arc complex (Burns, 1985) which extends from the tip of the Kenai Peninsula to east of Sutton, Alaska. The dunite body is a klippe thrust over the Cretaceous McHugh Complex graywackes and slates. The margin of the Red Mountain klippe is serpentized and the gross overall structure of the klippe is an elongated basin. The Kenai Chrome mine is located on the Star No. 4 claim at an elevation of 2,600 feet on the north side of the ultramafic body. The chromite seams can be traced for almost 1,000 feet but it is less than a foot thick for over half this distance (Guild, 1941). The main ore body was 625 feet long and had a maxium thickness of 9.8 feet. The strike of the layering is N10W and the dip varies from 35 to 70W except where minor folding has caused variations. Several small faults strike more or less at right angle to the chromite banding. The Cr/Fe ratio of the chromite generally varies from 2.6 to 3.6; at least 90% of the chromite is with these limits (Gill, 1922).

Comment (Deposit): Model Name = Podiform chromite (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 8b)

Comment (Production): Production Notes = About 26,000 million tons of ore containing from 38 to 43% chromic oxide were produced between 1943 and 1958 (Foley, 1992).

Comment (Workings): Workings / Exploration = The area was discovered about 1910 to 1915 , and some minor development and production occurring in 1920 (Brooks, 1922). During WW II, the Bureau of Mines drilled over thirty diamond drill holes to evaluate the deposits. In 1942 through 1944, production from the Chrome Queen mine totaled 6,650 tons of 40 to 42% chromic oxide ore. Star No.4 produced 15,000 tons at 46% chromic oxide about 1954, from 490 feet of underground workings. Ore from the Star No. 4 averaged 40 to 46% chromic oxide. On-going exploration continued through the late 1980's. Anaconda Minerals drilled 6 diamond drill holes about 1982 and 83 which tested the Horseshoe Stringer Zone and the Turner Stringer Zone ( Bill Ellis, 1999, personal communcation). Anaconda Minerals also flew regional airborne geophysic over the body in the early 1980's.

Comment (Reserve-Resource): Reserves = About 26,000 million tons of ore containing from 38 to 43% Cr2O3 were produced between 1943 and 1958. The remaining reserve are estimates to be 1.5 million tons of contained chromic oxide in 33 deposits (Foley, 1992). About 88,000 million tons chromic oxide are contained in 20 relative high-grade deposits with more than 20 percent chromite. The bulk of the reserves, 1.35 million tons are in three low -grade deposits that contain 5 to 6 percent chromic oxide (Foley, 1992). These are the Turner Stringer Zone, (1.13 million metric tons chromic oxide), the Star Stringer Zone (189,000 metric tons chromic oxide) and the Horseshoe Stringer Zone (26,000 metric tons chromic oxide) (Foley, 1992).

Comment (Exploration): Status = Inactive

References

Reference (Deposit): Moxham, R.M., and Nelson, A.E., 1952, Reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in the southern Cook Inlet region, Alaska, 1949: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 207, 7 p., 1 plate, scale 1:500,000.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-81.

Reference (Deposit): Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1919, Chromite deposits in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692-D, p. 265-267.

Reference (Deposit): Grant, U.S., and Higgins, D.F., Jr., 1910, Preliminary report on the mineral resources of the southern part of Kenai Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 442-D, p. 166-178.

Reference (Deposit): MacKevett, E.M., Jr., Singer, D.A., and Holloway, C.D., 1978, Maps and tables describing metalliferous mineral resource potential of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-1-E, 12 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:1,000,000.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1979, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than minerals fuels and construction materials) in the Seldovia quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 80-87, 47 p.

Reference (Deposit): Foley, J.Y., 1992, Ophiolite and other ultramafic metallogenic provinces in Alaska (west of the 141th meridian): U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 92-20-B 65 p.

Reference (Deposit): Foley, J.Y., and Barker, J.C., 1985, Chromite deposits along the Border Ranges fault, part 1, Field investigations and descriptions of chromite deposits: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8990, 58 p.

Reference (Deposit): Burns, L.E., 1985, The Border Range ultramafic and mafic complex, southcentral Alaska: Cumlative fractionates of island-arc volcanics: Canadian Journal of Earth Science, v. 22, p.1020-1038.

Reference (Deposit): Bird, M.L., 1978, Electron-microprobe study of chromatites associated with alpine ultramafic complexes and some genetic implications: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-119, 53 p.

Reference (Deposit): Toth, M.I., 1981, Petrology, geochemistry, and origin of the Red Mountain ultramafic body near Seldovia, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-0514, 92 p.

Reference (Deposit): Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic minerals resources map of the Seldovia quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-397, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Reference (Deposit): Forbes, R.B., 1974, Garnet-clinopyroxenite from Red Mountain pluton, Alaska: Geological Society of America Bulletin v. 85, p. 285-292.

Reference (Deposit): Rutledge, F.A., 1946, Exploration of Red Mountain chromite deposits, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 3885, 26 p.

Reference (Deposit): Twenhofel, W.S., 1953, Potential Alaskan mineral resources for proposed electrochemical and electrometallurgical industries in the upper Lynn Canal area, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 252, 14 p.

Reference (Deposit): Williams, J.A., 1954, Magnetic exploration of the Red Mountain chromite deposit, Kenai, Peninsula: Alaska Territorial Department of Mines Prospect Evaluation 104-3, 22 p.

Reference (Deposit): Wells, R.R. , Sterling, F.T., Erspamer, E.G., and Stickney, W.A., 1957, Laboratory concentrates of chromite ore, Red Mountain district, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 5377, 22 p.

Reference (Deposit): Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous Lode Deposits of Alaska. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1934, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1932: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 857-A, p. 1-91.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1936, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1934: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 868-A, p. 1-91.

Reference (Deposit): Guild, P.W., 1942, Chromite deposits of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 931-G, p. 139-175.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1938, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1936: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 897-A, p. 1-107.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-82.

Reference (Deposit): Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95.

Reference (Deposit): Gill, A.C., 1922, Chromite of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 742, 52 p.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1918, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1916: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 662, 469 p.

Reference (Deposit): Gill, A.C., 1920, Preliminary report on the chromite of Kenai Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 712, p. 99-129.

Reference (Deposit): Brooks, A.H., 1921, The future of Alaska mining, in Martin G.C. and others, Mineral resources of Alaska, 1917: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 714, p. 5-57.

Reference (Deposit): Martin, G.C., 1920, The Alaska mining industry in 1918: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 712-A, p. 1-52.

Reference (Deposit): Martin G.C., Johnson, B.L., and Grant, U.S., 1915, Geology and mineral resources of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 587, 243 p.

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