Gulch Creek No. 1 Occurrence, Hope Mining District, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Gulch Creek No. 1 Occurrence	Occurrence
Hope Mining District	Mining District
Kenai Peninsula Borough	Borough
Alaska	State
USA	Country

The U.S. Bureau of Mines reported that other quartz veins occur in the area, but because of time limitations and precipitous terrane, they did not sample them (Hoekzema and Sherman, 1983). The Bureau recommended additional exploration.
Location: This occurrence is located in the SE1/4 section 20, T. 8 N., R. 1 E., of the Seward Meridian. It is at an elevation of 3,700 to 4,200 feet, on a ridge above the head of a small, northwest-flowing tributary to Gulch Creek. This is location S-281 of Jansons and others (1984). The location is accurate to within a quarter of a mile.
Geology: This occurrence consists of two narrow quartz veins, averaging 3 inches wide, that strike N35-50W and dip 40-55NE. The veins contain arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, stibnite, and gold. One vein can be traced along strike for 200 feet (Jansons and others, 1984). The veins are hosted in complexly folded and faulted, interbedded, locally iron-stained, slightly metamorphosed, silty to sandy graywacke, pebble conglomerate, and minor slate of the Valdez Group of Late Cretaceous age (Nelson and others, 1985). Several barren-appearing stockwork-type quartz veins also occur in the area. Twelve samples collected in 1981 by the U.S. Bureau of Mines assayed from a trace to 0.18 ounce of gold per ton and from a trace to 22.5 ounces of silver per ton. Other metal values, including arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and antimony, ranged from none detected to 4,600 ppm (Hoekzema and Sherman, 1983).
Workings: The U.S. Bureau of Mines discovered the occurrence in 1981. They collected 12 samples that assayed from a trace to 0.18 ounce of gold per ton and from a trace to 22.5 ounces of silver per ton (Jansons and others, 1984). Other metals values tested for included arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and antimony. Antimony values ranged from a trace to 0.23 percent (Jansons and others, 1984).
Age: Cretaceous or younger; the veins cut rocks of the Valdez Group of Late Cretaceous age.
Alteration: Local iron staining.
Reserves: The U.S. Bureau of Mines estimated reserves of 200 tons of ore containing 0.1 ounce of gold per ton and 20 ounces of silver per ton (Jansons and others, 1984).

Commodities (Major) - Ag, Au; (Minor) - Cu, Pb, Sb, Zn
Development Status: None
Deposit Model: Low-sulfide Au-quartz veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 36a)

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	SR033

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References