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Whalen

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Copper, Bismuth, Thorium, Uranium, Tungsten
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10001649
MRDS ID A012421
Record type Site
Current site name Whalen
Alternate or previous names Whalen and Griffin

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -154.76406, 63.22448 (WGS84)
Relative position The Whalen Mine is at an elevation of 1,500 feet (457 m) in Section 24, T. 26 S., R. 22 E., of the Kateel River Meridian. Location of Whalen shaft is accurate and based on map by Herreid (1966).
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Copper Primary
Bismuth Secondary
Thorium Secondary
Uranium Secondary
Tungsten Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = Carbonate
  • Ore Material = radioactive minerals

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bismuth Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Gold Ore
Pyrite Ore
Scheelite Ore
Limonite Gangue
Malachite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Oxidation.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 59
USGS model code 18b
Deposit model name Skarn Cu
Mark3 model number 8

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Associated
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Eocene
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Limestone

Nearby scientific data

(1) -154.76406, 63.22448
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The Whalen mine is part of the Nixon Fork mine complex and descriptions closely follow those of the Nixon Fork mine (MD062). Highly oxidized ore consists of limonite, malachite, Cu-oxides, free gold with minor unoxidized pyrite and chalcopyrite; also minor amounts of scheelite, native bismuth and radioactive minerals are present. Oxidation is pervasive; deposit is in limestone inlier associated with a roof pendant, surrounded by quartz monzonite. Copper content was estimated at between 1 and 2 percent (Brown, 1926). Gold fineness was 812 gold and 171 silver (Smith, 1931). Age is Late Cretaceous, based on isotopic age of monzonite (Moll and others, 1981).
  • Age = Late Cretaceous, based on isotopic age of monzonite (Moll and others, 1981).

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name McGrath

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Production was lumped with Nixon Fork figures (MD062), and has not produced ore during current activities from1995 to 1998.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = The Whalen mine extended to a depth of 200 ft (61 m) through an inclined shaft and several drifts. The upper part of the workings caved in 1924, and formed a distinctive 200 foot by 100 foot (61 m by 30 m) glory hole (labeled 'glory hole' on USGS topographic maps). The ore that was mined was estimated to contain up to 3.38 ounces/ton (115 grams/tonne) gold.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A012421
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF MD067

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Martin, G.C., 1922, Gold lodes in the Upper Kuskokwim region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864D, p. 149-161.

  • Deposit

    Brown, J.S., 1926, The Nixon Fork country: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 783. p. 97-144.

  • Deposit

    Mertie, J.B., Jr., 1936, Mineral deposits of the Ruby-Kuskokwim region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 864-C, 115-245.

  • Deposit

    Herreid, G.H., 1966, Geology and geochemistry of the Nixon Fork area, Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Mines and Minerals Geologic Report 22, 34 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:40,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Herreid, 1966

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Copper-gold skarn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model no. 18b)
Deposit Other Comments = See also: Nixon Fork Mine (MD062).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-JUN-98 Bundtzen, T.K. Pacific Rim Geological Consulting