| Basis for focus area |
Prospectivity analysis highlights a broadly east-west belt of moderate to high prospectivity drainage basins. This belt also contains an approximately 250 km long belt of known volcanogenic seafloor systems including the Ambler district. |
| Identified resources |
Identified resources of copper, gold, lead, silver, and zinc. |
| Production |
No past or current production. |
| Status |
Current exploration and resource definition. |
| Estimated resources |
Arctic: Indicated resource of 36 Mt @ 3.07% Cu, 0.73% Pb, 4.23% Zn, 0.63 g/t Au, and 47.6 g/t Ag; Inferred resource of 3.5 Mt @ 1.71% Cu, 0.60% Pb, 2.72% Zn, 0.36g/t Au, and 28.7 g/t Ag; Sun: 15.2 M short tons @ 1.18% Cu, 1.32% Pb, 3.94% Zn, 0.007 oz/t Au, 2.15 oz/t Ag; Smucker: 12.7 M short tons @ 0.95% Cu, 2.3% Pb, 6.4% Zn, 0.025 oz/t Au, 2.15 oz/t Ag. |
| Geologic maps |
Statewide geologic map database; Wilson, Hults and others (2015), scale 1:1,584,000. |
| Geophysical data |
Mostly (>90%) inadequate aeromagnetic and aeroradiometric coverage. |
| Favorable rocks and structures |
Ambler sequence of metamorphosed Devonian and Mississippian volcanic and volcaniclastic and sedimentary rocks. |
| Deposits |
Arctic: Indicated resource of 36 Mt @ 3.07% Cu, 0.73% Pb, 4.23% Zn, 0.63 g/t Au, and 47.6 g/t Ag; Inferred resource of 3.5 Mt @ 1.71% Cu, 0.60% Pb, 2.72% Zn, 0.36g/t Au, and 28.7 g/t Ag. |
| Evidence from mineral occurrences |
Numerous ARDF occurrences including Sun, Arctic, Ambler. |
| Geochemical evidence |
Sediment and soil anomalies in pathfinder elements including Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, Cd, or Co. Additional geochemical evidence comes from pan concentrates containing anglesite, cerussite, chalcopyrite, copper sulfide/oxide, galena, or sphalerite. Heavy mineral concentrates containing Cu, Pb, Zn or Ag. |
| Geophysical evidence |
No data. |
| Evidence from other sources |
Moderate to high potential defined by prospectivity analysis; Karl and others (2016). |
| Comments |
This belt contains the Ambler district-a major new discovery attempting to develop the resources at Arctic, Ambler, and Bornite (a carbonate-hosted Cu deposit nearby). The belt extends for over 250 km with favorable geology and ARDF scattered along it's entirety. Current exploration is occurring along the belt as the Arctic-Bornite project continues to bring infrastructure to the region. |
| Cover thickness and description |
Unknown. |
| Authors |
Douglas C. Kreiner, James V. Jones, III. |
| New data needs |
New geologic mapping, geophysical surveys and well-constrained geochemical sampling. |
| Geologic mapping and modeling needs |
Mapping at 1:100,000 scale or better. |
| Geophysical survey and modeling needs |
Rank 1 or 2 aeromagnetics over the entire belt. |
| Digital elevation data needs |
IfSAR coverage is complete over entire focus area. |
