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Poovookpuk Mountain

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodities Copper, Molybdenum
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10003127
MRDS ID A015659
Record type Site
Current site name Poovookpuk Mountain
Related records 10185333

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -171.5332, 63.44912 (WGS84)
Relative position This site is on the east side of Poovookpuk Mountain in the headwaters of the Kookooliktook River, western St. Lawrence Island. It is centered on a small ridge between headwater tributaries at an elevation of about 600 feet. It is located within 1/2 mile and is locality 9 of Cobb (1972). Cobb (1980) summarized relevant references under the name 'Poovookpuk Mtn.'.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Malachite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Pyrite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Alteration of the quartz monzonite porphyry has not been described but is probably present. The nearby volcanic rocks are probably also altered in addition to being pyritized.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 79
USGS model code 21a
Deposit model name Porphyry Cu-Mo
Mark3 model number 2

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Plutonic Rock > Granitoid > Quartz Monzonite
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Cretaceous

Nearby scientific data

(1) -171.5332, 63.44912
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Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = A stock of quartz monzonite porphyry, 1/2 mile across, intrudes Cretaceous volcanic rocks and contains disseminated chalcopyrite, malachite, pyrite and minor molybdenite (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. C13). A grab sample contained 3,000 ppm copper but the molybdenum concentration in this sample was below detection (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. C8). Composite chip samples collected across the stock contained 700 ppm copper or less (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. C13). The Cretaceous volcanic rocks peripheral to the stock are heavily pyritized and extensively oxidized. The only sulfide mineral identified in the volcanic rocks is pyrite but a grab sample of massive pyritized rock contained 1,500 ppm copper, 10 ppm silver, and 30 ppm molybdenum. Fourteen stream sediment samples collected over about 1.5 miles of the nearby headwater drainages (Patton and Csejtey, 1972) contained anomalous to highly anomalous concentrations of copper (to 1,500 ppm), molybdenum (to 70 ppm), and silver (to 1.5 ppm). Alteration of the quartz monzonite porphyry has not been described but is probably present. The nearby volcanic rocks are probably also altered in addition to being pyritized.
  • Age = Mid-Cretaceous, the age of K/Ar dated intrusive and volcanic rocks on western St. Lawrence Island (Patton and Csejtey, 1980).

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Bering Sea

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = A grab sample contained 3,000 ppm copper but the molybdenum concentration in this sample was below detection (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. C8). Composite chip samples collected across the stock contained 700 ppm copper or less (Patton and Csejtey, 1971, p. C13). The only sulfide mineral identified in the volcanic rocks is pyrite but a grab sample of massive pyritized rock contained 1,500 ppm copper, 10 ppm silver, and 30 ppm molybdenum. Fourteen stream sediment samples collected over about 1.5 miles of the nearby headwater drainages (Patton and Csejtey, 1972) contained anomalous to highly anomalous concentrations of copper (to 1,500 ppm), molybdenum (to 70 ppm), and silver (to 1.5 ppm).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A015659
Unknown MF MF 465-9
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF SL008

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1971, Preliminary geologic investigations of western St. Lawrence Island, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 684-C, p. C1-C15.

  • Deposit

    Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1972, Analyses of stream sediment and rock samples from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, 1966-1971: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 72-293, 78 p.

  • Deposit

    Patton, W.W., Jr., and Csejtey, Bela, Jr., 1980, Geologic map of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-1203, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1980, Summaries of data and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in fifteen quadrangles in southwestern and west-central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-909, 103 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Saint Lawrence quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-465, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Patton and Csejtey, 1971 (PP 684-C)

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Fracture fillings, veins, and disseminations of chalcopyrite and molybdenite in granitic rock. Deposit model 21a (?); porphyry Cu-Mo

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 10-SEP-1998 Travis L. Hudson Applied Geology