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Nabesna

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead, Iron, Zinc
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Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10308922
MRDS ID A011387
Record type Site
Current site name Nabesna
Alternate or previous names Nabesna Mining Corporation
Related records 10160968, 10000747

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -143.01856, 62.37669 (WGS84)
Relative position Best location: Lowe and others, 1982, USGS GQ-1566, loc. M3; on southeast flank of White Mtn. Accurate within 200 ft. radius
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Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Gold Primary
Silver Secondary
Copper Secondary
Lead Secondary
Iron Secondary
Zinc Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = diopside hedenbergite

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Anglesite Ore
Cerussite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Gold Ore
Magnetite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Andradite Gangue
Apatite Gangue
Brookite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Chlorite Gangue
Epidote Gangue
Gypsum Gangue
Magnetite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Serpentine Gangue
Specularite Gangue
Sphene Gangue
Spinel Gangue
Vesuvianite Gangue
Wollastonite Gangue

Alteration

  • Oxidation effective to depth of several tens of ft; locally extends to more than 350 ft in depth.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 62
USGS model code 18d
Deposit model name Skarn Fe

Nearby scientific data

(1) -143.01856, 62.37669
ListMap

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Three types of mineral deposits: (1) principal ore: auriferous pyrite-calcite veins carrying chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena in ore shoots ranging from a few in to 35 ft in width; average width 5 to 7 ft; quartz replaces calcite as gangue in upper portions of veins; (2) bodies of massive magnetite on the order of 50 ft by 100 ft carrying pyrite, calcite and some gold; (3) veins and masses of pyrrhotite containing disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite and some gold; mine is at contact of Upper Triassic limestone and a small irregular Cretaceous quartz diorite stock associated with numerous satellite dikes of quartz diorite and minor quartz monzonite. Ore bodies and tactite formed in limestone along east contact of stock, large area of minor intrusive rock and extensive tactite lies just south of the principal ore bodies. Massive oxide-sulfide bodies chiefly pyrite and magnetite with minor chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite, stibnite, and gold. Pyrite veins formed by replacement of limestone along pre-existing fractures; and contain disseminated to small masses of chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, magnetite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, stibnite, and gold. Principal mining at Nabesna from about 1930 to 1941. Several hundred meters of workings. Several episodes of exploration since 1960.
  • Age = Cretaceous

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 Chisana

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Nabesna Mine produced about 1.66 million grams Au, minor Ag and Cu.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Several adits, 368 ft of surface cuts, 9224 ft of drifts, 6209 ft of raises (reported inaccessible in 1952), and 9,999 ft of drill holes by 1940. Apparently mined out and the mill and aerial tramway mostly destroyed by 1997. Five-foot sample across Bear vein assayed 10.39 oz./t Au, 12.70 oz./t Ag, 1.67% Pb, 0.15% Cu and five-foot sample along limestone/diorite contact assayed 0.10 oz./t Au, 1.8 oz./t Ag, 4.2% Cu. More assay data are available in Pilgrim, E. R., 1931. Surface and underground workings.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency Database name Acronym Record ID Notes
USGS Alaska Resource Data File ARDF NB022
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A010711
USGS Mineral Resources Data System MRDS A011387

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Lowe, P.C., and others, 1982, Geologic map of the Nabesna B-5 quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1566, scale 1:63,360.

  • Deposit

    Richter, D.H., Singer, D.A., and Cox, D.P., 1975, Mineral resources map of the Nabesna quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-655-K, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral Industry of Alaska in 1940: U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

  • Deposit

    Wayland, R.C., 1943, Gold deposits near Nabesna: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-B, p. 103-199.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    Pilgrim, E.R., 1931, Nabesna Mining Corporation, Whitham Group, in Stewart, B.D., Report on cooperation between the territory of Alaska and the United States in making mining investigations and in inspection of mines for the biennium ending March 31, 1931, p. 60-62.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p.

  • Deposit

    Moffit, F.H., 1954, Geology of the eastern part of the Alaska Range and adjacent area: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 989-D, p. 63-218.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1933, Mineral industry in Alaska in 1931: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-A, p. 1-82.

  • Deposit

    Moffit, F.H., 1938, The Suslota Pass district, upper Copper River region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 844-C, p. 137-162.

  • Deposit

    Moffit, F.H., and Knopf, Adolph, 1909, Mineral resources of the Nabesna-White River district: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 379-D, p. 161-180.

  • Deposit

    Smith, P.S., 1942, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1940: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 933-A, p. 1-102.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Wayland, 1943, USGS B 933B, p. 175-199

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Fe skarn
Deposit Other Comments = Site of recent exploration. No recorded production from any other lode deposit in the district. USGS Bull. 1374, p. 115. See also: Golden Eagle claims, Royal Development Company.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 24-JAN-1997 Leonard, K.R.; Nokleberg, W.J.; Richter, D.H. U.S. Geological Survey