Post River Pluton (ARDF #MG070) Ag, Cu, Sn, W

Post River Pluton

Prospect, Inactive

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Ag; Cu; Sn; W
Other commodities	Au; Pb
Ore minerals	chalcopyrite; pyrite; scheelite
Gangue minerals	calcite; quartz

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	MG
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	A-2
Latitude	62.083
Longitude	-153.665
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	The Post River Pluton prospect is located in a saddle 10 kilometers southwest of Post Lake at an elevation of 5,400 feet (1,646 m) in the NW1/4 sec. 15, T. 23 N., R. 24 W., of the Seward Meridian. The prospect corresponds to map number 6a, b in Bundtzen and others (1988) and map number 28 in Bundtzen, Harris, and Gilbert (1997). The reporter investigated the site in 1982.

Geologic setting

Geologic description The Post River Pluton prospect is a chalcopyrite-scheelite-quartz vein system that cuts sheared, thermally altered shale of the Lower Ordovician to Lower Silurian Post River Formation; the unit is intruded by an early Tertiary quartz monzonite pluton (Bundtzen and others, 1988). The largest vein, which reaches a maximum one meter wide, trends across the saddle in a N40E direction for about 84 meters. Smaller en echelon veins and veinlets also trend in a northeasterly direction. Lack of good bedrock control prevented any systematic dip or size measurements. A strong secondary biotite overprint occurs in the thermally altered shales. Principle mineralization consists of disseminated scheelite-chalcopyrite aggregates in quartz-calcite veins, and pyrite in hornfels. Bundtzen and others (1988) report values of 98.0 grams/tonne silver, 1.15 percent copper, 0.18 percent lead, 275 ppm tungsten, and 890 ppm tin from five chip-channel samples. Tin and lead minerals were not identified. One sample contained 900 ppb gold. A one meter wide zone of pyrite-rich hornfels contained 759 ppm copper and 0.8 grams/tonne silver. A pan concentrate from a steep ravine draining the mineralized area contained 59.0 grams/tonne silver and abundant visible scheelite.
Geologic map unit	(-153.667227202603, 62.0823794558181)
Mineral deposit model	Polymetallic vein (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c),
Mineral deposit model number	22c
Age of mineralization	Undated; nearby quartz monzonite pluton yielded K-Ar age of 60.4 Ma (Solie and others, 1991).
Alteration of deposit	Secondary biotite (potassic).

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	T.K. Bundtzen and M.S. Lockwood found the mineralized area during geologic mapping for the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys in 1982. Bundtzen and others (1988) report values of 98.0 grams/tonne silver, 1.15 percent copper, 0.18 percent lead, 275 ppm tungsten, and 890 ppm tin from five chip-channel samples. Tin and lead minerals were not identified. One sample contained 900 ppb gold. A one meter wide zone of pyrite-rich hornfels contained 759 ppm copper and 0.8 grams/tonne silver. A pan concentrate from a steep ravine draining the mineralized area contained abundant visible scheelite and 59.0 grams/tonne silver.
Indication of production	None
Reserve estimates	None.

References

MRDS Number	10307868
References Bundtzen, T.K., Harris, E.E., and Gilbert, W.G., 1997, Geologic Map of the eastern McGrath quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 97-14, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:125,000. Bundtzen, T.K., Kline, J.T., Smith, T.E., and Albanese, M.D., 1988, Geology of the McGrath A-2 quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Professional Report 91, 18 p., 1sheet, scale 1:63,360. Solie, D.N., Bundtzen, T.K., and Gilbert, W.G., 1991, K/Ar ages of igneous rocks in the McGrath quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Public Data File 91-23, 7 p., 1 sheet, 1:250,000 scale.
Reporters	T.K. Bundtzen (Pacific Rim Geological Consulting)
Last report date	12/8/1998