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West Fork

Occurrence in Alaska, United States with commodities Copper, Silver, Gold
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10001379
MRDS ID A012121
Record type Site
Current site name West Fork
Related records 10136462

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -148.73326, 67.19971 (WGS84)
Relative position The West Fork occurrence is at an elevation of about 1,700 ft on the north side of the West Fork Chandalar River approximately 6 miles west of its confluence with the North Fork Chandalar River (NW1/4 sec. 6, T. 27 N., R. 5 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian ). The location is accurate within a 1/2-mile radius.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Silver Secondary
Gold Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Ore Material = Unspecified copper minerals

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Volcanic Rock (Aphanitic)

Nearby scientific data

(1) -148.73326, 67.19971
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Occurrence is described only as Cu minerals in Devonian(?) volcanic rocks (DeYoung, 1978). An analysis of a rock sample collected by Brosgi and Reiser (1972) from this location showed 0.04 to 0.79 ppm Au and 1.0 to 3.0 ppm Ag. The occurrence also coincides with a location noted as an occurrence of metallic minerals (Cu) by Brosgi and Reiser (1964). No other data on the mineralization is available. The host rock unit is described as pyroxene andesite flows and pyroxene diorite intrusives, hornblende andesite pyroclastics, and some diabase and gabbro.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Occurrence
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Chandalar

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A012121
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF CH001

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Brosgi, W.P., and Reiser, H.N., 1964, Geologic map and section of the Chandalar quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map 1-375, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Berg, H.C., and Cobb, E.H., 1967, Metalliferous Lode Deposits of Alaska. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1246, 254 p.

  • Deposit

    Brosgi, W.P., and Reiser, H.N., 1972, Geochemical reconnaissance in the Wiseman and Chandalar districts and adjacent region, southern Brooks Range, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 709, 21 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Chandalar quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-457, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Chandalar and Wiseman quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-340, 205 p.

  • Deposit

    Grybeck, D.J., 1977, Known mineral deposits of the Brooks Range, Alaska: US Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-166C, 41 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.

  • Deposit

    DeYoung, J.H., Jr., 1978, Mineral resources map of the Chandalar quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-878-B, 2 sheets, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., and Cruz, E.L., 1983, Summaries of data and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Chandalar quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-278, 91 p.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Brosgi and Reiser, 1964

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Other Comments = the rock sample described by Brosgi and Reiser (1972) that contained 1 to 3 ppm Ag and 0.04 to 0.079 ppm Au appears to be from the general area of the West Fork prospect. The occurrence also probably coincides with the location noted as an occurrence of metallic minerals (Cu) plotted by Brosgi and Reiser (1964) along the lower West Fork Chandalar River.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 17-NOV-1999 J.M. Britton U.S. Geological Survey