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Copper Queen

Prospect, Inactive

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Commodities and mineralogy

Main commodities Cu
Other commodities Ag; Au
Ore minerals azurite; bornite; chalcanthite; chalcocite; malachite; pyrite
Gangue minerals calcite; epidote; quartz

Geographic location

Quadrangle map, 1:250,000-scale VA
Quadrangle map, 1:63,360-scale C-1
Latitude 61.6407
Longitude -144.0669
Nearby scientific data Find additional scientific data near this location
Location and accuracy This prospect is located between Pouch and Kings Creeks on the north side of Elliott Creek; it is at an elevation of 4,400 feet in the NW1/4 section 1, T. 3 S., R. 7 E., of the Copper River Meridian. This prospect is approximately located, probably to within about one-half mile. It is locality 68 of Cobb and Matson (1972) and included in locality 56 of Winkler and others (1981 [OFR 80-892-B]). Cobb (1979 [OFR 79-1241]) incuded this prospect under the name 'Elliot Cr.'.

Geologic setting

Geologic description

Thin veins, films, and disseminations of bornite, chalcocite, and pyrite cut Triassic Nikolai Greenstone in this area (Moffit and Maddren, 1908, 1909; Moffit and Mertie, 1923). Gangue minerals are commonly quartz, calcite, and epidote; secondary copper minerals include malachite, azurite, and some chalcanthite. Some mineralization occurs as irregular pods in greenstone. The Nikolai Greenstone and overlying Chitistone Limestone are deformed into a large, asymmetric anticline with its axis approximately parallel to Elliot Creek. The copper mineralization is believed to be related to the regional mineralizing event that produced the rich Kennecott copper deposits in the McCarthy quadrangle (MacKevett and others, 1997).
Geologic map unit (-144.068994037049, 61.6402332166214)
Mineral deposit model Thin veins, impregnations, and fracture fillings in greenstone; probably related to Kennecott-type copper deposits (Mackevett and others, 1997)
Age of mineralization The copper mineralization is believed to be related to the mineralizing event that produced the rich Kennecott copper deposits in the McCarthy quadrangle to the east (MacKevett and others, 1997). This event is interpreted to have accompanied Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous deformation and metamorphism (MacKevett and others 1997, p. 88).

Production and reserves

Workings or exploration Prospects in the Elliot Creek area were mostly explored with small open cuts (Moffit and Mertie, 1923).
Indication of production None

Additional comments

This prospect is within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

References

References

Cobb, E.H., 1979, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Valdez quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 79-1241, 167 p.
Cobb, E.H., and Matson, N.A., Jr., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Valdez quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-438, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.
MacKevett, E.M., Jr., Cox, D.P., Potter, R.W., III, and Silberman, M.L., 1997, Kennecott-type deposits in the Wrangell Mountains, Alaska--High-grade copper ores near a basalt-limestone contact, in Goldfarb, R.J., and Miller, L.D., eds., Mineral deposits of Alaska: Economic Geology Monograph 9, p. 66-89.
Moffit, F.H., and Maddren, A.G., 1908, The mineral resources of the Kotsina and Chitina valleys, Copper River region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 345-C, p. 127-175.
Moffit, F.H., and Maddren, A.G., 1909, Mineral resources of the Kotsina-Chitina region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 374, 103 p.
Moffit, F.H., and Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1923, The Kotsina-Kuskulana district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 745, 149 p.
Winkler, G.R., Miller, R.J., MacKevett, E.M., Jr., and Holloway, C.D., 1981, Map and summary table describing mineral deposits in the Valdez quadrangle, southern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-892-B, 2 sheets, scale l:250,000.
Reporters Travis L. Hudson
Last report date 12/14/2001