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Copper King

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Copper, Molybdenum, Zinc
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Alteration
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  12. Mining district
  13. Links to other databases
  14. Bibliographic references
  15. General comments
  16. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10000681
MRDS ID A011305
Record type Site
Current site name Copper King
Alternate or previous names Hector Group
Related records 10136939

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -149.65782, 63.19569 (WGS84)
Relative position The Copper King prospect is at an elevation of about 3,500 feet near the head of Long Creek. The site is near the east boundary of sec. 9 , T. 20 S., R. 11 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The location is accurate to within 0.25 mile.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Matanuska-Susitna(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Healy A-6(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Healy S(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Healy(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Chulitna River(hydrologic unit)

Susitna River(hydrologic accounting unit)

South Central Alaska(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Copper Primary
Molybdenum Secondary
Zinc Critical Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = skarn minerals

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chalcopyrite Ore
Molybdenite Ore
Pyrite Ore
Pyrrhotite Ore
Quartz Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) Skarn zones contain diopside, epidote, sericite, and anhydrite.

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 Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Siltstone
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Hornfels

Nearby scientific data

(1) -149.65782, 63.19569
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Copper King is primarily a skarn prospect. The country rocks are hornfelsed Permo-Triassic calcareous siltstone and conglomerate that are intruded by Upper Cretaceous(?) quartz porphyry dikes. The deposit consists chiefly of massive chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite in a skarn zone 20 to 40 feet thick exposed for about 200 feet at the surface. Subsidary zones of quartz stockwork veining and of sulfide disseminations also occur (unpublished report by Addwest Minerals International Ltd., 1997). The pattern of mineralization suggests a zonal distribution of Cu around quartz porphyry intrusions. This is the only prospect in the district explored primarily for copper, and is also the only prospect in the area where arsenopyrite has not been found (Hawley and Clark, 1974). In addition, molybdenite is more abundant here than at the other prospects. Samples taken at various times contain as much as 7.34% copper, 4.9 ounces of silver per ton, and 0.22 ounce of gold per ton (Cobb, 1978: OFR 78-1062).
  • Age = Late Cretaceous.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Active

Mining district

District name Valdez Creek

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Workings include soil grids, 1,500 feet of trenching and 9 drill holes with over 1,700 feet completed. A limited, ground-based TEM survey has also been used to outline skarn zones. Samples taken at various times contain as much as 7.34% copper, 4.9 ounces of silver per ton, and 0.22 ounce of gold per ton (Cobb, 1978: OFR 78-1062).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Ross, C.P., 1933, The Valdez Creek mining district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 849, p. 289-467.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    Hawley, C.C., and Clark, A.L., 1968, Occurence of gold and other metals in the upper Chulitna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 564, 21 p.

  • Deposit

    Hawley, C.C., and Clark, A.L., 1974, Geology and mineral deposits of the upper Chulitna district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 758-B, p. 1-47, 2 sheets, scale 1:12,000 and 1:48,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1978, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Healy quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-1062, 113 p.

  • Deposit

    Balen, M.D., 1990, Geochemical sampling results from the Bureau of Mines Investigations in the Valdez Creek mining district, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 34-90, 218 p., 2 plates, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Kurtak, J.M., Southworth, D.D., Balen, M.D., and Clautice, K.H., 1992, Mineral investigations in the Valdez Creek mining district, south-central Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 1-92, 659 p., 2 plates, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Balen, M.D., 1990, Geochemical sampling results from the Bureau of Mines investigations in the Valdez Creek mining district, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 34-90, 218 p., 2 plates, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Clark, A.L., and Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Healy quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-394, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Hawley and Clark, 1974

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Cu skarn (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 18b)

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-APR-2000 N. Van Wyck Stevens Exploration Management Corporation

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Alaska resources

These are landing pages for further research — the state agencies don't currently expose per-mine deep links.