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Altair

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

Identification information

Deposit ID 10308155
Record type Site
Current site name Altair

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -160.65841, 55.18723 (WGS84)
Relative position The map site of the Altair prospect is at an elevation of 400 feet, about 750 feet west-northwest of the center of sec. 3, T. 58 S., R. 75 W., Seward Meridian. The location is accurate to within 1,200 feet.
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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
Zinc Secondary

Materials information

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

Alteration

  • (Local) Alteration in the host rock grades from strongly propylitic to argillic, mainly in zones 20 to 60 feet wide adjacent to the vein systems.

Nearby scientific data

(1) -160.65841, 55.18723
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The Altair deposit is a northeast-striking vein system that crops out approximately 500 feet southeast of, and parallel to, the Ankle Creek vein (PM090) (Peterson and others, 1982, figure 11). The system is approximately 25 feet wide in the discovery area. Individual quartz veins are as much as 18 inches wide (Trujillo and others, 1981). The sulfide minerals include pyrite, and, based on assays probably chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite. The system has been traced for approximately 1,400 feet along strike, and at its northeast end it intersects the Amethyst vein (PM092). The host rocks are propylitized and argillized andesite flows of the late Eocene to early Oligocene Popof volcanic rocks (Wilson and others, 1995). At the intersection of the Ankle Creek and Amethyst veins, the vein systems form an ore shoot 150 to 200 feet long. The shoot is 30 feet wide and consists of a loose network of braided and parallel quartz veins 0.5 to 8 inches in width. Comb structures and banding are common. One drill hole and trench have penetrated the shoot. Gold is present mostly in the hanging wall of the shoot. The best assay of trench samples of the shoot was 5.14 ppm gold and 6.17 ppm silver over 9 feet (Trujillo and others, 1981). The drill hole intersected 16.5 feet assaying (core plus sludge) up to 8.3 ppm gold, 24.5 ppm silver, 1,120 ppm copper, 2,300 ppm lead, 870 ppm zinc, 240 ppm arsenic, and 0.11 ppm mercury (Anderson and others, 1980). At the southwest end of the shoot, two holes cut 35- to 40-foot wide vein zones. No gold was detected. It is assumed that good precious metal values occur only at changes in strike and at structural intersections (Trujillo and others, 1981).
  • 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 = During the period 1980 to 1981 Resource Associates of Alaska mapped and sampled the prospect, conducted geophysical surveys, dug two trenches, and drilled three core holes (Trujillo and others, 1981). The best trench sample contained 5.14 ppm gold and 6.17 ppm silver over 9 feet. A drill hole intersected 16.5 feet of an ore shoot assaying as much as 8.3 ppm gold and 24.5 ppm silver.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF PM091

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

    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 = Trujillo and others, 1981

General comments

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

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 02-FEB-01 S.H. Pilcher U.S. Geological Survey