Mint (ARDF #TK010) Ag, Cu, Pb

Mint

Mine, Inactive

Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities	Ag; Cu; Pb
Other commodities	Au
Ore minerals	arsenopyrite; chalcopyrite; galena; miargyrite; pyrargyrite; pyrite; tennantite
Gangue minerals	quartz; sericite

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale	TK
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale	D-5
Latitude	62.8586
Longitude	-149.3669
Nearby scientific data	Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy	The Mint Mine is located on the west side of Portage Creek, about 2.8 miles north of its mouth on the Susitna River. The mine workings extend from the creek for about 230 feet above it. The mine is in the SE1/4 sec. 13, T. 32 N., R. 1 W., Seward Meridian. The location is accurate to within 1/4 mile. The property was also called the Portage Creek mine. The Cheechako Moose 1-5 and 7-30 claims were staked here.

Geologic setting

Geologic description The rocks at the Mint mine are blocky slate that strikes North to N30E and dips 20-80W (Richter, 1963; Kurtak and others, 1992). The slate is cut by a 5- to 12-foot-thick andesite dike that strikes N20W and dips 75SW. The dike contains sericitized orthoclase phenocrysts in a groundmass of altered feldspar laths. The dike and country rocks are cut by quartz veinlets containing small amounts of pyrargyrite, miargyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, tennantite, and pyrite (Richter, 1963). The working consist of adits 15 feet, 17 feet, and 240 feet long. and an open cut . Rock samples contain up to 7.8 ounces of silver per ton, and 3 parts per million gold (Kurtak and others, 1992). A 40-pound sample selected in 1926 contains 117.9 ounces of silver per ton (Capps and Short, 1926). No details are available but Capps and Short (1926) indicate that a small amount of ore was shipped.
Geologic map unit	(-149.369163699362, 62.8581177717551)
Mineral deposit model	Polymetallic vein? (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c?)
Mineral deposit model number	22c?
Alteration of deposit	An altered andesitic dike contains sericitized orthoclase phenocrysts in a groundmass of altered plagioclase.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration	The working consist of adits 15 feet, 17 feet, and 240 feet long and an open cut . Rock samples contain up to 7.8 ounces of silver per ton, and 3 parts per million gold (Kurtak and others, 1992). A 40-pound sample selected in 1926 contains 117.9 ounces of silver per ton (Capps and Short, 1926).
Indication of production	Yes; small
Production notes	No details are available but Capps and Short (1926) indicate that a small amount of ore was shipped.
Additional comments MAS/MILS number 20760002.

References

MRDS Number	A012201
References Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous lode deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p. Brooks, A.H., 1925, Alaska's mineral resources and production, 1923: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 773-A, p. 3-52. Capps, S.R., and Short, M.N., 1926, A ruby silver prospect in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 783-C, p. 89-95. Cobb, E.H., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1980, Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-716, 63 p. Csejtey, Bela, Jr., and Miller, R.J., 1978, Map and table describing metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous mineral deposits in the Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-558-B, 22 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. Csejtey, Bela, Jr., Nelson, W.H., Jones, D.L., Silberling, N.J., Dean, R.M., Morris, M.S., Lanphere, M.A., Smith, J.G., and Silberman, M.L, 1978, Reconnaissance geologic map and geochronology, Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle, northern part of Anchorage quadrangle, and southwest part of Healy quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-558-A, 60 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. Karlson, R.C., Curtin, G.C., Cooley, E.F., and Garmezy, Larry, 1977, Geochemical maps of selected elements and results of spectrographic analyses for heavy-mineral concentrates from the western half of the Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-530, 32 p., 5 sheets, scale 1:250,000. Kurtak, J.M., Southworth, D.D., Balen, M.D., and Clautice, K.H., 1991, Mineral investigations in the Valdez Creek Mining District, south-central Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 1-92, 658 p., 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000. MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1977, Map showing metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous mineral deposits in the eastern part of southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-169-A, 99 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000. Richter, D.H., 1963, Geology of the Portage Creek-Susitna River area, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geologic Report 3, 2 plates, scale 1:24,000. Singer, D.A., Csejtey, Bela, Jr., and Miller, R.J., 1978, Map and discussion of the metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous mineral resources of the Talkeetna Mountains quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 78-558-Q, 33 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. Smith, P.S., 1929, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1926 and Administrative Report: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 797-A, p. 1-50. Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927 and Administrative Report: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810-A, p. 1-64. Smith, P.S., 1932, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1929, in Smith, P.S., and others Mineral resources of Alaska, report on progress of investigations in 1929: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 824-A, p. 1-81. Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 836-A, p. 1-83. Smith, P.S., 1937, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1935: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 880-A, p. 1-95. Smith, P.S., 1939, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1937: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 910-A, p. 1-113. Wedow, Helmuth, White, M. G., and Moxham, R. M., 1952, Interim report on an appraisal of the uranium possibilities of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 52-165, 124 p.
Reporters	R.K. Rogers (U. S. Geological Survey contractor)
Last report date	9/30/2002