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Bechevin Bay

Occurrence, Inactive

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Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities Au
Other commodities Ag
Ore minerals pyrite

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale FP
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale D-4
Latitude 54.9367
Longitude -163.1317
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy Approximate location is on Bechevin Bay between mouth of Morzhovoi Bay and Traders Mountain. Anomaly no. 45 of Christie (1974) and no. 6 of MacKevett and Holloway (1977, p. 11).

Geologic setting

Geologic description

Christie (1974) reported brief reconnaissance mapping of a color anomaly 2,000 by 3,000 ft, (600 by 900 m) covering a variety of volcanic rocks. The color anomaly is apparently due entirely to pervasive pyrite disseminated in all rock types. 99 percent of the pyrite is disseminated at concentrations up to 15 percent of the rock, and only rarely is it seen in fractures.
Geologic map unit (-163.133703537951, 54.9358175980816)
Mineral deposit model Epithermal gold vein
Mineral deposit model number 25?
Age of mineralization Miocene or younger
Alteration of deposit Propylitic alteration is common, as evidenced by chlorite and epidote. Rare sericitic alteration is locally present. Leaching is moderate and fracturing ranges from slight to intense.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration Brief reconnaissance geologic mapping and geochemical sampling reported by Christie (1974). Geochemical results showed copper typically less than 30 ppm and molybdenum less than 5 ppm; silver ranged from 0.9 to 1.6 ppm and gold was generally less than 0.01 ppm one sample yielded 0.02 ppm.
Indication of production None

Additional comments

Chrisite (1974) typically does not mention quartz veins in his descriptions. If they are not present at this occurrence, their absence probably is significant with respect to potential for epithermal gold vein mineralization.

References

MRDS Number A106107

References

Christie, J.S., 1974, Aleut-Quintana-Duval 1974 joint venture, final report: Unpublished Quintana Minerals Corporation report, 24 p., 3 appendices, 2 maps. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)
MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1977, Map showing metalliferous mineral deposits in the western part of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-169-F, 38 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.
Reporters G.D. DuBois, F.H. Wilson
Last report date 5/6/1994