Port Heiden (ARDF #CG003) Fe, Ti

Port Heiden

Occurrence, Active

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Fe; Ti
Other commodities	Au
Ore minerals	gold; ilmenite; magnetite

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	CG
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	D-4
Latitude	56.7918
Longitude	-159.0709
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	This occurrence site consists of 20 miles of beach placers on the northwest coast of the Alaska Peninsula between the Seal Islands and Port Heiden. The coordinates are at about the center of this section of beach near the center of section 24, T. 35 S., R. 62 W., of the Seward Meridian. The location is accurate.

Geologic setting

Geologic description This occurrence consists of beach placer deposits of ilmenite and titaniferous magnetite in narrow spits and bars along the outer shores of low-lying mud flats. The beaches are sandy gravel, often loosely packed. Berryhill (1963) collected twenty-four auger samples along 20 miles of beach. They were screened, tabled, and run through a magnetic separator. In the magnetic fraction, the iron content varied from 2.2 to 103.6 pounds per cubic yard, and the titanium oxide content varied from 0.6 to 21.9 pounds. In the non-magnetic fraction, the titanium oxide content varied from 0 to 1.2 pounds per cubic yard. A trace of flour gold was present in 5 samples. Through at least 2006 and 2007, 7th Sea Holding Company LLC was actively exploring the property (7th Sea Holding Company, 2012) and they had acquired 34 miles of claims and private properties in the area. They identified a 'resource' of 8 billion tonnes of magnetite sands and 3 billion tonnes of explored probable reserves'. The project that they planned to develop in 2007 'has an average raw iron ore grade of 58 percent'. In 2010, Advanced Exploration Inc. (2010) optioned the property from 7th Sea and in May 2011, they announced that they had begun an aerial survey (Advanced Exploration, 2011 [Airborne]). In December, 2011, they terminated the agreement (Advanced Exploration Inc., 2011 [Corporate update].
Geologic map unit	(-159.072968739061, 56.791012760353)
Mineral deposit model	Magnetite beach sands.
Age of mineralization	Quaternary.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	The U.S. Bureau of Mines studied and sampled the property in the early 1960s. Through at least 2006 and 2007, 7th Sea Holding Company LLC was actively exploring the property (7th Sea Holding Company, 2012) and they had acquired 34 miles of claims and private properties in the area. Advanced Exploration Inc. (2010) optioned the property from 7th Sea and in May 2011, they announced that they had begun an aerial survey (Advanced Exploration, 2011 [Airborne]). In December, 2011, they terminated the agreement (Advanced Exploration Inc., 2011 [Corporate update].
Indication of production	None
Reserve estimates	Through at least 2006 and 2007, 7th Sea Holding Company LLC was actively exploring the property (7th Sea Holding Company, 2012) and they had acquired 34 miles of claims and private properties in the area. They identified a 'resource' of 8 billion tonnes of magnetite sands and 3 billion tonnes of explored probable reserves'. The project that they planned to develop in 2007 'has an average raw iron ore grade of 58 percent'.
Additional comments This site is located on state land, part of which is in the Port Heiden Critical Habitat Area.

References

MRDS Number	A012454
References Berryhill, R.V., 1963, Reconnaissance of beach sands, Bristol Bay, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6214, 48 p. Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.
Reporters	S.H. Pilcher (Anchorage); D.J. Grybeck (Contractor, USGS)
Last report date	4/1/2012