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Karshner Creek

Occurrence, Inactive

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Commodities and mineralogy

Other commodities REE
Ore minerals magnetite; monazite

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale TN
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale A-2
Latitude 65.00173
Longitude -150.62966
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy This site represents the location of a pan sample of sediment from Karshner Creek near its junction with Hot Springs Slough, just above the town of Manley Hot Springs. The site is in the east half of section 17, T. 2 N., R. 15 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The site corresponds to location 37 in Cobb (1972, 1977), and to location 22 in the Tanana quadrangle in Eberlein and others (1977).

Geologic setting

Geologic description

Karshner Creek drains an area underlain by Tertiary granite, Cretaceous, marine clastic sedimentary country rocks, and a zone of contact-metamorphosed strata (hornfels) peripheral to the granite (Chapman and others, 1982). This site represents a pan sample of stream sediment collected less than a quarter mile from the hornfels zone. The significance of this site is that Karshner Creek is the only one outside the Tofty tin belt from which brookite and monazite have been collected (Waters, 1934).
The bulk of the pan sample contained components from the breakdown of the granite; no gold or precious metal minerals were identified. Minerals identified in the sample include tourmaline, magnetite, andalusite, brookite, zircon, monazite, and common rock-forming minerals (Waters, 1934). Tourmaline was abundant in this sample.
Mining claims were staked and there was prospecting for gold and rare-earth metals along Karshner Creek from 1971 to 1974 (Alaska Kardex files).
Geologic map unit (-150.632123376145, 65.0012400851963)
Mineral deposit model Placer derived from carbonatite? deposits (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 10?).
Mineral deposit model number 10?
Age of mineralization Quaternary.

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration
This site represents a pan sample of stream sediment collected less than a quarter mile from a hornfels zone. The significance of this site is that Karshner Creek is the only one outside the Tofty tin belt from which brookite and monazite have been collected (Waters, 1934).
The bulk of the pan sample contained components from the breakdown of the granite; no gold or precious metal minerals were identified. Minerals identified in the sample include tourmaline, magnetite, andalusite, brookite, zircon, monazite, and common rock-forming minerals (Waters, 1934). Tourmaline was abundant in this sample.
Mining claims were staked and there was prospecting for gold and rare-earth metals along Karshner Creek from 1971 to 1974 (Alaska Kardex files).
Indication of production None

References

MRDS Number A015211

References

Chapman, R.M., Yeend, W.E., Brosge, W.P., and Reiser, H.N., 1982, Reconnaissance geologic map of the Tanana quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-734, 20 p., scale 1:250,000.
Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Tanana quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-371, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
Cobb, E.H., 1977, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Tanana quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-432, 98 p.
Eberlein, G.D., Chapman, R.M., Foster, H.L., and Gassaway, J.S., 1977, Map and table describing known metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous mineral deposits in central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-168-D, 132 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.
Waters, A.E., 1934, Placer concentrates of the Rampart and Hot Springs district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-D, p. 163-246.
Reporters G.E. Graham (ADGGS)
Last report date 11/14/2000