Alaska-Pioneer-Sourdough, Steinmetz, and Alaska Commercial Co. (ARDF #CV018) Cu, Pb, Zn

Alaska-Pioneer-Sourdough, Steinmetz, and Alaska Commercial Co.

Mine, Inactive

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Cu; Pb; Zn
Other commodities	Ag; Au
Ore minerals	arsenopyrite; bornite; chalcopyrite; marcasite; pyrite; specularite
Gangue minerals	quartz

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	CV
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	D-7
Latitude	60.855
Longitude	-146.543
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	This site represents a mine and several prospects on the north side of inner Landlocked Bay. The map site is at an elevation of about 500 feet on a south-facing bluff above the bay. It is in the SW1/4 sec. 6, T. 12 S., R. 7 W., of the Copper River Meridian. The site is accurately located to within 1000 ft. This location is a combination of sites C-72, C-75, and C-80 of Jansons and others (1984), and site #14 of Cobb (1972: MF-392).

Geologic setting

Geologic description The mineral deposits at this site are in sheared mafic volcanic rocks of the Tertiary Orca Group (Nelson and others, 1985). They consist of 2-inch- to 4-ft.-wide lenses of massive sulfide accompanied by quartz gangue. Metalliferous minerals include arsenopyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, marcasite, pyrite, and specularite. Early copper values reportedly were 11.4% to 12.5% Cu (Grant, 1906). Jansons and others (1984) report that a grab sample from the area contained 7.9% Cu. Chip samples contained 0.2%-3.9% Cu, along with a trace to 0.11 oz Au/ton.
Geologic map unit	(-146.544993772932, 60.8544515309008)
Mineral deposit model	Cyprus massive sulfide (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 24a)
Mineral deposit model number	24a
Age of mineralization	Probably Tertiary based on the age of the host rock.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	The first discovery of copper (1897) in Prince William Sound was made in this area (Schrader, 1900). Capps and Johnson (1915) reported several adits, open cuts and a shaft. Early copper values reportedly were 11.4% to 12.5% Cu (Grant, 1906). Jansons and others (1984) report that a grab sample from the area contained 7.9% Cu. Chip samples contained 0.2%-3.9% Cu, along with a trace to 0.11 oz Au/ton.
Indication of production	Yes; small
Reserve estimates	500 tons @ 2.27% Cu inferred reserves (Jansons and others, 1984).
Production notes	720 lbs. copper from 70 tons of ore shipped in 1905 (Grant, 1906).
Additional comments Crowe and others (1992; 1993) and Sainsbury (1993) discuss the genesis of the volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in this area. Chugach Alaska Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska has control of these lands.

References

MRDS Number	10307358
References Capps, S.R., and Johnson, B.L., 1915, The Ellamar district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 605, 125 p. Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Cordova quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-392, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. Crowe, D.E., Nelson, S.W., Brown, P.E., Valley, J.W., and Shanks, W.C., III, 1992, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound region, south-central Alaska: Economic Geology, v. 87, no. 7, p. 1722-1746. Crowe, D.E., Nelson, S.W., Brown, P.E., Valley, J.W., and Shanks, W.C., III, 1993, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound, south-central Alaska--Reply: Economic Geology, v. 88, p. 1285-1288. Grant, U.S., 1906, Copper and other mineral resources of Prince William Sound: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 284, p. 78-87. Jansons, Uldis, Hoekzema, R.B., Kurtak, J.M., and Fechner, S.A., 1984, Mineral occurrences in the Chugach National Forest, southcentral Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Mineral Land Assessment 5-84, 218 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000. Nelson, S.W., Dumoulin, J. A., and Miller, M.L., 1985, Geologic map of the Chugach National Forest, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1645-B, 16 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. Sainsbury, C.L., 1993, Geology and geochemistry of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits and related igneous rocks, Prince William Sound, south-central Alaska, A discussion: Economic Geology, v. 88, p. 1284-1285. Schrader, F.C., 1900, A reconnaissance of a part of Prince William Sound and the Copper River district, Alaska, in 1898 in Walcott, C.D., 1900, Twentieth annual report of the United States Geological Survey, 1898-1899: Part VII - explorations in Alaska in 1898: U.S. Geological Survey Annual Report 20-VII, p. 341-423.
Reporters	S.W. Nelson, Anchorage, AK
Last report date	6/10/2000