| Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale | NM |
|---|---|
| Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale | D-1 |
| Latitude | 64.7613 |
| Longitude | -165.4049 |
| Nearby scientific data | Find additional scientific data near this location |
| Location and accuracy | This prospect is in the drainage of Silver Creek, a northeast tributary to Goldbottom Creek. It is about 1 mile southwest of Mount Distin. A sulfide-bearing, northeast-trending vein zone is located at an elevation of 900 feet in the NW1/4 section 32, T. 8 S., R. 33 W., Kateel River Meridian. |
Geologic descriptionThis prospect is located near the west end of a large area of anomalous gold and arsenic values in soils defined by BHP-Utah International, Inc. (Stevens, 1991). Near Silver Creek, gold in soils locally exceeds 100 ppb and arsenic exceeds 800 ppm. Kennecott Exploration explored the area in 1995 by detailed surface mapping and with 1,000 feet of trenches. The trenches are on the west side of Silver Creek and extend from the Snake River road northward almost to the contact between massive marble and underlying metasedimentary schist (Bundzten and others, 1994). The source of the anomalous gold and arsenic in soils was not clearly identified, although a sulfide-bearing, northeast-trending vein zone is located at an elevation of 900 feet in the NW 1/4, section 32 (T. 8 S., R. 33 W., Kateel River Meridian). The sources of the anomalous metals could include stratabound quartz-stibnite-gold mineralization in schist near the base of massive marble, as at the nearby Tanner prospect (NM091), or low sulfide, gold-quartz veins, as at the nearby McDuffee mine (NM092). Silver Creek contained a small gold placer (NM094) below this prospect. | |
| Geologic map unit | (-165.407521080622, 64.760538473329) |
|---|---|
| Mineral deposit model | Massive stibnite lenses and disseminated gold-bearing mineralization in calcareous schist below marble and/or low-sulfide, Au-quartz veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 36a). |
| Mineral deposit model number | 36a ? |
| Age of mineralization | Mid-Cretaceous?; appears to postdate regional metamorphism. |
| Alteration of deposit | Disseminated sulfides (?), silicification (?), ankerite replacement (?). |
| Workings or exploration | BHP-Utah International, Inc. completed surface mapping and a large soil geochemistry survey in the general area in 1989-90. The soil geochemistry survey defined an area of anomalous gold and arsenic values about 4 miles long. This prospect is in the western part of the anomalous area. Kennecott Exploration Company explored the prospect in 1995 by detailed surface mapping and 1,000 feet of trenches. The trenches are on the west side of Silver Creek and extend from the Snake River road northward almost to the contact between massive marble and underlying metasedimentary schist. |
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| Indication of production | None |
| MRDS Number | 10307943 |
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ReferencesStevens, D.L., 1991, Mt. Distin prospect, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Unpublished report for Bering Straits Native Corporation, Nome, Alaska, 22 p.
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| Reporters | C.C. Hawley and Travis L. Hudson |
| Last report date | 10/22/1999 |