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Bearhole Creek

Occurrence, Inactive

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Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities Cu
Ore minerals chalcopyrite; pyrite
Gangue minerals feldspar; graphite; quartz

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale BG
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale D-4
Latitude 60.9832
Longitude -142.4983
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy This occurrence is on the north side of the valley of 'Bearhole Creek', which is not named on the D-4 and adjacent D-5 quadrangles (Brabb and Miller, 1962) at an elevation of about 4,500 feet and 1.7 miles west-northwest of peak 6560. It is in the SW 1/4 of section 24, T 10 S, R 16 E of the Copper River Meridian. The location is probably accurate to within a half mile. It is locality 1 of Cobb (1972 [MF 373]; 1979 [OF 79-1246]).

Geologic setting

Geologic description

A 20-foot-wide mineralized zone in Mesozoic metasedimentary rocks contains as much as 20 percent pyrite and graphite and traces of chalcopyrite (Brabb and Miller, 1962). The zone contains quartz-feldspar-graphite veins; it is light colored and visible from a distance. Brabb and Miller (1962) observed similar mineralization locally on the south side of Bearhole Creek.
Geologic map unit (-142.500307479378, 60.9827556482035)
Mineral deposit model Shear zone with quartz-feldspar-graphite veins?
Age of mineralization Tertiary? The mineralized zone may trend north-south across Bearhole Creek and crosscut the host metasedimentary rocks. High-grade metamorphism in this area is Early Tertiary in age (Hudson and Plafker, 1982).
Alteration of deposit Light color may indicate oxidation.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration Reconnaissance surface observations have been completed at this locality (Brabb and Miller, 1962).
Indication of production None

Additional comments

This occurrence is within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

References

MRDS Number 10307241

References

Brabb, E.E., and Miller, D.J., 1962, Reconnaissance traverse across the eastern Chugach Mountains, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-341, 1 sheet, scale 1:96,000.
Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Bering Glacier quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-373, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
Cobb, E.H., 1979, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Bering Glacier, Icy Bay, Middleton Island, and Yakutat quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1246, 41 p.
Hudson, T.L., and Plafker, George, 1982, Paleogene metamorphism of an accretionary flysch terrane, eastern Gulf of Alaska: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 93, p. 1280-1290.
Reporters Travis L. Hudson
Last report date 12/12/2001