Geologic description
Disseminated chromite and magnetite occur widely in dunite of the ultramafic body at Asik Mountain (Degenhart and others, 1978). The body has poorly defined layering. The structure in the area is complex, but generally it appears that the pluton has intruded carbonate rocks of Paleozoic, possibly Devonian, age. The contact appears to be nearly conformable, suggesting that the intrusive may be sill-like. The dunite often contains up to 2 percent disseminated chromite and analyses of samples show contain minor amounts of copper, nickel, and platinum-group elements. Two anomalous areas of chromium on Asik Mountain were outlined by soil samples; samples from these areas contained more than 600 parts per million (ppm) chromium and 450 ppm nickel (versus background values of less than 200 ppm chromium and 100 ppm nickel). Degenhart and others (1978) collected one sample of pyritic syenodiorite on the west side of Asik Mountain that contained more than 500 ppm copper (Degenhart and others, 1978). They also describe a 'modest buildup of chromium and nickel' in tan to brown weathered dunite near the southwestern part of Asik Mountain and a 'lesser chromium buildup' associated with peridotite at the peak of Asik Mountain. |
