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Copper Queen

Prospect, Inactive

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Alternative names

Rarus

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities Cu
Other commodities Fe
Ore minerals chalcopyrite; magnetite; pyrite; pyrrhotite
Gangue minerals chlorite; diopside; garnet

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale MC
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale C-8
Latitude 61.5582
Longitude -143.7581
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy This prospect is on the east valley wall of the Kuskulana River between MacDougal and Berg Creeks. It is at an elevation of about 3,300 feet, 5,100 feet northwest of elevation 5710 and 2,400 feet south-southwest of the center of section 34, T. 3 S., R. 9 E. of the Copper River Meridian. This is locality 131 of MacKevett (1976) and locality 31 of MacKevett and others (1978). It is located to within about 100 feet. Cobb and MacKevett (1980) included this prospect under the name 'Copper Queen'.

Geologic setting

Geologic description

This deposits consists of veinlets and small irregular bodies of magnetite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite in faulted, silicified, and garnetized Triassic Chitistone Limestone adjacent to Jurassic granitic rocks (Moffit and Mertie, 1923; MacKevett, 1976). The deposit shows iron-staining and minor copper-staining over a width of 100 feet. It was explored with a 433-foot-long adit and a 50-foot-long crosscut (Moffit and Mertie, 1923; Van Alstine and Black, 1946). Near the portal, the marble contains diopside, garnet, and chlorite.
Geologic map unit (-143.760184848394, 61.5577401070337)
Mineral deposit model Fe skarn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 18d)
Mineral deposit model number 18d
Age of mineralization The skarn is probably related to a nearby Late Jurassic intrusive body.
Alteration of deposit Calc-silicate replacement of limestone. Oxidation.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration The deposit was explored with a 433-foot-long adit and a 50-foot-long crosscut.
Indication of production None

Additional comments

The locality is in the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve.

References

MRDS Number A011737

References

Cobb, E.H., and MacKevett, E.M., Jr., 1980, Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the McCarthy quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-885, 156 p.
MacKevett, E.M., Jr., 1976, Mineral deposits and occurrences in the McCarthy quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-773-B, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.
MacKevett, E.M., Jr., Smith, J.G., Jones, D.L., and Winkler, G.R., 1978, Geologic map of the McCarthy C-8 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1418, 1 sheet, scale 1:63,360.
Moffit, F.H., and Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1923, The Kotsina-Kuskulana district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 745, 149 p.
Van Alstine, R.E., and Black, R.F., 1946, Copper deposits of the Kotsina-Kuskulana district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 947-G, p. 121-141.
Reporters Travis L. Hudson (Applied Geology, Inc.)
Last report date 1/12/2003