Unnamed Occurrence (ARDF - CA014; on Weather Ridge), Fairhaven Mining District, Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Unnamed Occurrence (ARDF - CA014; on Weather Ridge)	- not defined -
Fairhaven Mining District	Mining District
Northwest Arctic Borough	Borough
Alaska	State
USA	Country

This site is one of numerous occurrences of argentiferous galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite in an 18-mile-long, 2- to 5-mile-wide altered zone in andesite surrounding the hook-shaped Quartz Creek quartz monzonite pluton. The alteration zone extends N 15 W across the drainage basins of Quartz Creek and the Kiwalik River.
Location: This occurrence is at an elevation of about 1,450 feet at the southeast end of Weather Ridge. This site is in section 28, T. 1 N., R. 13 W., of the Kateel River Meridian. The location is accurate to within 0.3 mile radius. Cobb, 1972 (MF-389), location 11; Miller and Elliott (1969), sample location 34, figure 2.
Geology: This occurrence is located adjacent to the mid-Cretaceous Quartz Creek pluton, a hook-shaped, quartz monzonite body. The pluton is surrounded by a N 15 W-trending alteration zone about 18 miles long and 2 to 5 miles wide. The alteration zone is in Jurassic-Cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks and is marked by quartz veins and possibly tourmaline. Fine-grained dikes of varying composition cut the andesites near the pluton. Dikes near the Quartz Creek pluton are locally mineralized. At this occurrence, galena, sphalerite, and pyrite are disseminated in quartz veins cutting altered andesite. A sample of a sulfide-bearing quartz vein (Miller and Elliott, 1969, location 34) contained: 150 ppm Ag (4.35 ounces Ag per ton), greater than 2% Pb, greater than 1% Zn, trace Au, and 500 ppm Cu.
Workings: The area was first identified and mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey in the late 1960's (Miller and Elliott, 1969). It subsequently has been examined by various exploration companies. In the mid 1970's an exploration program including some drilling was completed by Greatland Exploration, Anchorage, Alaska.
Age: Mid-Cretaceous or younger.
Alteration: Quartz and tourmaline?

Commodities (Major) - Ag, Pb, Zn; (Minor) - Au, Cu
Development Status: None
Deposit Model: Sulfides in altered andesite.

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	CA014

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References