Unnamed Occurrence (ARDF - CA032; on Quartz Creek), Fairhaven Mining District, Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Unnamed Occurrence (ARDF - CA032; on Quartz Creek)	- 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 zone of altered andesite surrounding the Quartz Creek quartz monzonite pluton. The altered zone trends N 15 W, across the drainage basins of Quartz Creek and the Kiwalik River, parallel to prominent lineaments in the area.
Location: This occurrence is at an elevation of about 400 feet on the north side of Quartz Creek, approximately 8 miles upstream from its junction with Kiwalik River. The map site is in the SE1/4 of section 11, T. 2 N., R. 14 W., of the Kateel River Meridian. Cobb, 1972 (MF-389), location 3 and Miller and Elliott (1969), figure 2, location 2 and 3.
Geology: The country rocks in the area of this occurrence include the Upper Cretaceous Quartz Creek pluton, and Jurassic-Cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks that are cut by fine-grained dikes less than 30 feet thick. The dikes contain quartz and calcite veins carrying disseminated pyrite, arsenopyrite, argentiferous galena, and sphalerite. The veins occur near the contact with quartz monzonite of the Quartz Creek pluton. Analyses of grab samples by Miller and Elliot (1969) gave the following results: location 2A contained 70 ppm Cu and 700 ppm Pb; location 3B contained 20 ppm Ag, 300 ppm Cu, greater than 2% Pb, and greater than 1 % Zn. The mineral occurrences in the Quartz Creek area are generally anomalous in boron and tin.
Workings: The area has been mapped and examined by the U.S. Geological Survey and various exploration companies.
Age: Late Cretaceous.
Alteration: Hydrothermal.

Commodities (Major) - Ag, Pb, Zn; (Minor) - Au
Development Status: Undetermined
Deposit Model: Sulfides in quartz and calcite veins that cut andesite.

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	CA032

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References