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USGS2016

Mineral deposits and metallogeny of Alaska

Alaska, the largest State within the United States, and mainly located north of latitude 60°, is an important part of the Circum-Arctic region. Alaska is a richly endowed region with a long and complex geologic history. The mining history is short by world standards but nevertheless there are a number of world-class deposits in Alaska, of which Red Dog and Pebble are among the largest of their respective types in the world. Alaska is a collection of geologic terranes or regions having distinct histories, most of which were tectonically assembled in the period from 400 million years to 50 million years ago (late Paleozoic through early Tertiary). They now occur as numerous fault-bounded blocks in the northernmost part of the North American Cordillera on the western margin of the Laurentian craton. These terranes are comprised of rocks ranging in age from Paleoproterozoic to Recent.

Alaska↗

USGS2007

Metallogeny of the nikolai large igneous province (LIP) in southern alaska and its influence on the mineral potential of the talkeetna mountains

Recent geologic mapping has identified areas of extrusive basalts of the Middle to Late Triassic Nikolai Greenstone within the Wrangellia terrane that extend at least 80 km southwest of their previously known extent. Abundant dolerite sills of similar composition intrude Paleozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphy below the Nikolai throughout the central Talkeetna Mountains. The Talkeetna Mountains, therefore, have newly identified potential for copper, nickel, and platinum-group elements (PGEs) as disseminated, net-textured, or massive magmatic sulfide deposits hosted in mafic and ultramafic sill-form complexes related to emplacement of the Nikolai. Because of their potential high grades, similar magmatic sulfide targets have been the focus of increasing mineral exploration activity over the last decade in the Amphitheater Mountains and central Alaska Range, 100-200 km to the northeast. The Nikolai Greenstone, associated intrusions, and their metamorphosed equivalents also have potential to host stratabound disseminated "basaltic copper" deposits. Sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks overlying the Nikolai have the potential to host stratabound, disseminated, or massive "reduced-facies" type Cu-Ag deposits. Ultramafic rocks have been identified only in the extreme northeastern Talkeetna Mountains to date. However, coincident gravity and magnetic highs along the leading (northwestern) edge of and within Wrangellia in the Talkeetna and Clearwater Mountains suggest several areas that are highly prospective for ultramafic rocks related to extrusion of Nikolai lavas. In particular, the distribution, geometry, and composition of sills within the pre-Nikolai stratigraphy and the structural and tectonic controls on intrusive versus extrusive rock distribution deserve serious examination. Copyright ?? 2007 The Geological Society of America.

Special Paper of the Geological Society of America↗

USGS2000

Alaska resource data file, Chignik quadrangle

Descriptions of the mineral occurrences can be found in the report. See U.S. Geological Survey (1996) for a description of the information content of each field in the records. The data presented here are maintained as part of a statewide database on mines, prospects and mineral occurrences throughout Alaska.

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Alaska resource data file: McCarthy quadrangle

Descriptions of the mineral occurrences shown on the accompanying figure follow. See U.S. Geological Survey (1996) for a description of the information content of each field in the records. The data presented here are maintained as part of a statewide database on mines, prospects and mineral occurrences throughout Alaska.

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Alaska resource data file: Nabesna quadrangle

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Alaska resource data file: Wiseman quadrangle

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Alaska resource data file: Juneau quadrangle

Alaska↗

USGS1998

Alaska resource data file: McCarthy quadrangle

Alaska↗

USGS1976

Mineral deposits and occurrences in the McCarthy Quadrangle, Alaska

The McCarthy quadrangle contains numerous and diverse mineral deposits in various geologic settings. Copper is the dominant mineral commodity, both historically and in terms of potential future production. Gold and silver are the only other metals that have been produced. The metalliferous deposits are concentrated in a northwest-trending belt along the southern flank of the Wrangell Mountains, and, to a lesser extent, in a similar belt along the northeast flank of the range. Both belts have upper Paleozoic (Skolai Group) basements, abundant Mesozoic rocks, and some Tertiary intrusive rocks. They are marked by numerous faults, mainly northwest-striking. Mineral deposits are uncommon elsewhere in the quadrangle, especially in large tracks underlain by Wrangell Lava and in smaller areas underlain by the Kaskawulsh Group of Kindle (1953). Both the Wrangell Lava and the Kaskawulsh underlie rugged mountainous regions with extensive snow and ice cover, and could conceivably contain undetected concealed deposits. The metallic, nonmetallic, and energy resources of the quadrangle are described sequentially. Copper, gold, and silver, because of their importance, are described early in the section on metal commodities; descriptions of the other metals follows in alphabetic sequence. Locations of the deposits and relative supplementary data for individual deposits are given in the accompanying map and table.

Alaska↗

USGS2011

Geophysical, geochemical, and mineralogical data from the Pebble Cu-Au-Mo porphyry deposit area, southwest Alaska: Contributions to assessment techniques for concealed mineral resources

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey began a multidisciplinary study in southwest Alaska to investigate the setting and detectability of mineral deposits in concealed volcanic and glacial terranes. The study area hosts the world-class Pebble porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit, and through collaboration with the Pebble Limited Partnership, a range of geophysical and geochemical investigations was carried out in proximity to the deposit. The deposit is almost entirely concealed by tundra, glacial deposits, and post-mineralization volcanic rocks. The discovery of mineral resources beneath cover is becoming more important because most of the mineral resources at the surface have already been discovered. Research is needed to identify ways in which to assess for concealed mineral resources. This report presents the uninterpreted geophysical measurements and geochemical and mineralogical analytical data from samples collected during the summer field seasons from 2007 to 2010, and makes the data available in a single Geographic Information System (GIS) database.

Alaska↗

USGS1975

Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in Northern Alaska

These summaries of references are designed to aid in library research on metallic and nonmetallic (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) mineral occurrences in 11 quadrangles in northern Alaska. All references to published and open-filed reports of the Geological Survey, to most published and open-filed reports of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, and to most published reports of the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and its predecessor State and Territorial agencies released before January 1, 1975. are summarized. Occasionally reports from other sources have been included; in such instances references have been summarized in greater detail than those to the kinds of reports listed above. Certain, mainly statistical reports such as the annual Minerals Yearbook of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and the biennial and annual reports of the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and its predecessor State and Territorial agencies are not included. This report is divided into three parts: a section made up of summaries of references arranged alphabetically first by quadrangle and second by occurrence name; a section that lists synonyms for names in the first section, claim names, and the names of operators and owners of mines and prospects; and a section that lists, by author, all references summarized in the first section.

Alaska↗

USGS1952

Heavy-mineral analysis of sedimentary rocks of northern Alaska

The Navy Oil Unit of the United States Geological Survey has been investigating the geology of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4, northern Alaska. As part of this program, heavy-mineral samples were prepared from cores of the test wells and core holes and studied to determine stratigraphic correlations. Using the following criteria: (1) presence of diagnostic minerals or mineral suites; (2) relative abundance of specific minerals; (3) degree of rounding of mineral grains; (4) distinction as to grain form; eight heavy-mineral zones have been recognized in Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Quaternary sedimentary rocks. Correlations based on these zones are shown. Source areas and rocks are discussed in relation to geologic history and genesis of the Mesozoic and Quaternary sedimentary rocks.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1987

Preliminary geologic map of the Mount Katmai Quadrangle and portions of the Afognak and Naknek quadrangles, Alaska

This geologic map is the first in a series of maps dealing with geology and mineral resources of the Mt. Katmai area, Alaska. This map series is the result of the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Mineral Resources Assessment Program (AMRAP). Subsequent maps in this series will treat fossils, geochronology, detailed Quaternary deposits (both unconsolidated and volcanic), and mineral resources.

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Alaska resource data file: Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle

Alaska↗

USGS1903

The mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska

The Tenth Census, taken in 1880, gives the number of white inhabitants of the Territory of Alaska as 430. In the decade from 1880 to 1890 this number had increased to 4,298, and in the following decade, that between 1890 and 1900, a further increase to 30,493 is recorded. The Director of the Mint in his report for 1891 gives the value of the yield of the Territory in precious metals as $772,197. By 1900 these figures were increased to $8,265,772. These statistics of the growth in population and in mineral output of Alaska serve as an index to the general increase in the importance and· commercial value of the Territory as an integral part of the domain of the United States. The larger part of this growth began with the discovery, late in the autumn of 1896, of the placer deposits of Klondike River in Canadian Yukon territory. Soon after this discovery there was a great influx of prospectors, miners, and, business men to all parts of Alaska, but particularly to the regions tributary to the Yukon, and with this increase in population came a proportional increase in transportation facilities and business interests.

Alaska↗

USGS1980

Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Big Delta and Tanacross quadrangles, Alaska

These summaries of data on metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral occurrences and lists of selected references to them in Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (and predecessor State and Territorial agencies) reports and maps released before Jan. 1, 1980, are designed to aid in library research on the mineral resources of the Big Delta and Tanacross quadrangles, Alaska. The references are selected in the sense that mainly statistical reports such as the annual Minerals Yearbook of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and many annual and biennial reports of the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and its predecessor agencies are not included. Also not included are data on many claims about which little more than their locations is known (for example, localities 16 to 22 in Menzie and Foster, 1979 (OF 78-529 D), p. 31). These omissions should not be interpreted as a judgement that the claims are not on valid mineral occurrences, but only that there are insufficient data to describe any mineral deposit that might be present. Geochemical anomalies determined by analysis of rock and stream—sediment samples in which no metallic mineral was identified are also omitted. This report is divided into three parts: a section made up of summaries of data and reference lists arranged alphabetically by occurrence name for each quadrangle; a second section that lists, by quadrangle, synonyms for names in the first section, the names of owners and operators of mines and prospects, and claim names; and a final section that for each quadrangle lists alphabetically by author all references mentioned in the first section and in these introductory paragraphs.

Alaska↗

USGS1980

Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Blying Sound and Seward quadrangles, Alaska

These summaries of data on metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral occurrences and lists of selected references to them in Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (and predecessor State and Territorial agencies) reports and maps and a very few journal articles are designed to aid in library research on the mineral resources of the Blying Sound and Seward quadrangles, Alaska. The references listed are selected in the sense that mainly statistical reports such as the annual Minerals Yearbook of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and many annual and biennial reports of the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and its predecessor agencies are not included. Also not included are data on many claims about which little more than their locations is known (for example, localities 206 and 208 in Tysdal, 1978 (MF-880A)). These omissions should not be interpreted as a judgement that the claims are not on valid mineral occurrences, but only that there are insufficient data to describe any mineral deposit that might be present. Geochemical anomalies determined by analyses of rock and stream—sediment samples in which no metallic mineral was identified are also omitted. This report is divided into three parts: a section made up of summaries of data and reference lists arranged alphabetically by occurrence name for each quadrangle; a second section that lists, by quadrangle, synonyms for names in the first section, the names of owners and operators of mines and prospects, and claim names; and a final section that for each quadrangle lists alphabetically by author all references mentioned in the first section and in these introductory paragraphs.

Alaska↗

USGS1980

Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles, Alaska

These summaries of data on metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral occurrences and lists of selected references to them in Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines, and State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (and predecessor State and Territorial agencies) reports and maps released before Jan. 1, 1980, and two nongovernmental reports are designed to aid in library research on the mineral resources of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles, Alaska. The references listed are selected in the sense that mainly statistical reports such as the annual Minerals Yearbook of the U.S. Bureau of Mines and many annual and biennial reports of the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and its predecessor agencies are not included. Also not included are data on many claims about which little more than their locations is known (for example, localities 42 to 50 in Elliott and others, 1978 (OF 7873)). These omissions should not be interpreted as a judgement that the claims are not on valid mineral occurrences, but only that there are insufficient data to describe any mineral deposit that might be present. Geochemical anomalies determined by analysis of rock and stream—sediment samples in which no metallic mineral was identified are also omitted.

Alaska↗