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Aquila

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Arsenic, Copper, Mercury, Lead, Antimony, Zinc
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10308151
Record type Site
Current site name Aquila

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -160.65641, 55.18923 (WGS84)
Relative position The Aquila prospect is located on southeastern Unga Island east of Acheredin Bay (Nokleberg and others, 1987, locality AP3; Wilson and others, l988, locality 37). The map site is at an elevation of 700 feet, 0.2 mile north of the center of sec. 3, T. 58 S., R. 75 W., of the Seward Meridian. The location is accurate.
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Arsenic Secondary
Copper Secondary
Mercury Secondary
Lead Secondary
Antimony Secondary
Zinc Secondary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) The alteration is zoned outward from the veins from silicification to argillization to propylitization.

Nearby scientific data

(1) -160.65641, 55.18923
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The Aquila prospect is one of several northeast-striking epithermal vein systems in an area approximately 1,000 by 2,000 feet. The systems include veins on the Origin (PM087), Freds (PM088), Surprise (PM089), Ankle Creek (PM090), Altair (PM091), and Amethyst (PM092) prospects. The Aquila vein system cuts andesite flows and tuffs of the late Eocene to early Oligocene Popof volcanic rocks (Wilson and others, 1995). It is as much as 100 feet in width and can be traced along strike for as much as 2,000 feet. It exhibits evidence of open-space filling and repeated phases of fracturing and deposition, resulting in vein breccias and quartz stockworks (Peterson and others, 1982). The veins contain pyrite, and, locally free gold, along with trace amounts of chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite. Many sets of lineaments characterize in the prospect area. The widest and richest zones of veins seem to occur at the intersection of these lineaments with northwest-striking faults. Higher gold values are also associated with zones of multiple brecciation. The gold is free-milling and ranges in size from 20 to 40 microns. Precious metal values in trench samples include 0.335 ounce of gold and 1.56 ounces of silver per ton over 12 feet, 0.242 ounce of gold and 0.68 ounce of silver per ton over 12 feet, 0.105 ounce of gold and 0.17 ounce of silver per ton over 12 feet, and 0.165 ounce of gold and 0.18 ounce of silver per ton over 10 feet. Selected drill core assays include 0.20 ounce of gold and 0.4 ounce of silver per ton over 31.2 feet, 0.19 ounce of gold and 0.51 ounce of silver per ton over 17.5 feet, and 3.31 ounces of gold and 3.2 ounces of silver per ton over 1.4 feet (Peterson and others, 1982).
  • Age = Eocene or younger.

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Alaska Peninsula

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = This prospect was explored by Resource Associates of Alaska and UNC Teton Exploration Drilling Company during the period 1979 to 1983. During that time they mapped the area; conducted magnetometer, VLF-EM and IP surveys; drilled 12 core holes for a total of 4,446 feet; collected 675 rock samples; cut 17 trenches for a total of 3,310 feet; and took 472 trench samples. The highest grade trench sample contained 0.335 ounce of gold and 1.56 ounces of silver per ton over 12 feet. One core sample contained 0.20 ounce of gold and 0.4 ounce of silver per ton over 31.2 feet (includes 3.31 ounces of gold and 3.2 ounces of silver per ton over 1.4 feet). In 1986 Battle Mountain Exploration Company examined the vein systems and later mapped and sampled some of them. In 1990 they explored the area looking for large zones of argillic and silicic alteration having potential for disseminated gold mineralization. Argillized and silicified tuffs were found to be anomalous in arsenic and mercury and had spotty gold values as much as 0.025 ppm (Ellis and Apel, 1990).

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF PM086

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Anderson, G.L., Butherus, D.L., Fankhauser, R.E., Pray, J.C., Lindberg, P.A., and Hoffman, B.L., 1980, Exploration and evaluation of lands leased from Aleut Native Corporation 1980; Resource Associates of Alaska Report, 84 p, 16 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

  • Deposit

    Trujillo, R.S., Anderson, G., MacLeod, T., Hendrick, K., Farnham, S., Peterson, J., 1981. Exploration and evaluation of the Unga-Popof-Korovan Islands portion of lands leased from Aleut Native Corporation: Resource Associates of Alaska report, 70 p., 38 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

  • Deposit

    Peterson, R.J., Lemmers, J., Handverger, P., Gallagher, J., Pilcher, R., East, J., Macleod, T., Bartels. E., 1982, Geology and precious metals potential Unga, Popof, and Korovin Islands, Shumagin Group, Aleutian Chain, Alaska: UNC Teton Exploration Drilling Company report, 127 p., 5 map sheets, various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

  • Deposit

    Nokleberg, W.J., Bundtzen, T.K., Berg, H.C., Brew, D.A., Grybeck, D.J., Robinson, M.S., Smith, T.E., and Yeend, W., 1987, Significant metalliferous lode deposits and placer districts of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1786, 104 p.

  • Deposit

    Wilson, F.H., White, W.H., and DuBois, G.D., 1988, Brief descriptions of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences in the Port Moller and Stepovak Bay quadrangles, Alaska Peninsula: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 88-666, 128 p., scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Ellis, W.T., and Apel, R.A., 1990, Unga/Alaska Peninsula 1990 final report, Battle Mountain Exploration Company report, 49 p., 29 map sheets at various scales. (Report held by the Aleut Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska.)

  • Deposit

    Wilson, F.H., Detterman, R.L., Miller, J. W., and Case, J.E., 1995, Geologic map of the Port Moller, Stepovak Bay, and Simeonof Island quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-2272, 1 map sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Peterson and others, 1982

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Epithermal gold veins
Deposit Other Comments = This prospect is located on land patented by, or conveyed to, the Aleut Corporation.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 14-JAN-00 S.H. Pilcher U.S. Geological Survey