Sheri; Big Creek Prospect, Melozitna Mining District, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Sheri; Big Creek Prospect	Prospect
Melozitna Mining District	Mining District
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

This site is the Sheri, U.S. BLM MILS location 0020470009 (Oddenino and others, 1995; Interagency Minerals Coordinating Group, 2004).
Location: The Sheri prospect is south of Big Creek above its junction with the Melozitna River. At least 72 mining claims were located at this site in 1977 and 84 claims were worked on in 1979 (Kardex file 047-015; unpublished record, Alaska Division of Mining, Land & Water). The claims covered all or parts of sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, and 36, T. 2 S., R. 20 E., Kateel River Meridian; all or parts of sections 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33, T. 2 S., R. 21 E.; and all or part of section 6, T. 3 S., R. 21 E. For this record, the site is located at the approximate center of the claim block at hill 1529, which is about 0.4 mile north of the center of section 31, T. 2 S., R. 21 E. The location is accurate.
Geology: The rocks in the vicinity of this prospect are Permian to Jurassic spilitic basalt and diabase largely metamorphosed to greenstone; and Lower Cretaceous, poorly-sorted conglomerate with pebble- to cobble-size clasts chiefly of mafic igneous rocks and variously-colored chert (Patton and others, 1977). The rocks generally are mildly thermally metamorphosed. A small intrusion of Upper Cretaceous dacite, and andesite porphyry flows and crystal tuff crops out about 3 miles northeast of the prospect area, and the western contact of the Lower Cretaceous, quartz monzonite Melozitna pluton is 3 miles to the east. The quartz monzonite probably accounts for the thermal metamorphism of the rocks in the Big Creek area. The Cotter Corporation began work in the Big Creek area on May 23, 1977 with an airborne spectrometer survey and the staking 3 prospecting sites (Kardex file 047-015; unpublished record, Alaska Division of Mining, Land & Water). The prospecting sites were selected on the basis of a review of publicly released NURE data (Jim Paschis, oral commun., 2004). Seventy-two state mineral claims were subsequently staked concurrently with ground radiometric surveys and geochemical sampling. Staking was completed by June 9, 1977. A track etch (Alpha) survey was then conducted as well as geological mapping and measuring of section. Exploration in 1977 ended on June 29 after 38 days of work by 4 Cotter geologists and 2 Cotter field assistants, and an additional 18 days by 2 surveyors. Total expenditures on the Sheri claim group in 1977 totaled more than $120,000. The Cotter Corporation continued work on the Sheri claim group in 1978. On September 1, 1978 Cotter geologists recovered the 250 etch cups distributed over the claims in 1977 (Kardex file 047-015; unpublished record, Alaska Division of Mining, Land & Water), and Paul DeRenne and Dave Park reviewed the field data and alpha track anomalies (Jim Paschis, oral commun., 2004). Four geologists worked in the area for 14 days, and 12 additional state mining claims were staked. Geological work included mapping traverses and geochemical sampling that included 21 stream-sediment samples, 2 rock chip samples, and 1 water sample. Total expenditures on the Sheri claim group in 1978 totaled more than $27,000. Affidavits of annual labor were filed for the 23 Sheri claims by the Cotter Corporation in April 1980 (unpublished Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of the Recorder records). The claims were in good standing through 1980. There is no record of activity on this claim group after 1980.
Workings: The Cotter Corporation began work in the Big Creek area on May 23, 1977 with an airborne spectrometer survey and the staking 3 prospecting sites (Kardex file 047-015; unpublished record, Alaska Division of Mining, Land & Water). The prospecting sites were selected on the basis of a review of publicly released NURE data (Jim Paschis, oral commun., 2004). Seventy-two state mineral claims were subsequently staked concurrently with ground radiometric surveys and geochemical sampling. Staking was completed by June 9, 1977. A track etch (Alpha) survey was then conducted as well as geological mapping and measuring of section. Exploration in 1977 ended on June 29 after 38 days of work by 4 Cotter geologists and 2 Cotter field assistants, and an additional 18 days by 2 surveyors. Total expenditures on the Sheri claim group in 1977 totaled more than $120,000. The Cotter Corporation continued work on the Sheri claim group in 1978. On September 1, 1978 Cotter geologists recovered the 250 etch cups distributed over the claims in 1977 (Kardex file 047-015; unpublished record, Alaska Division of Mining, Land & Water), and Paul DeRenne and Dave Park reviewed the field data and alpha track anomalies (Jim Paschis, oral commun., 2004). Four geologists worked in the area for 14 days, and 12 additional state mining claims were staked. Geological work included mapping traverses and geochemical sampling that included 21 stream-sediment samples, 2 rock chip samples, and 1 water sample. Total expenditures on the Sheri claim group in 1978 totaled more than $27,000. Affidavits of annual labor were filed for the 23 Sheri claims by the Cotter Corporation in April 1980 (unpublished Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of the Recorder records). The claims were in good standing through 1980. There is no record of activity on this claim group after 1980.

Commodities (Major) - U
Development Status: None
Deposit Model: Unknown, possibly Volcanogenic U (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 25f)

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Link to USGS - Alaska:	MZ013

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References