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  3. Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS)

Pioneer Creek

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodity Chromium
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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. Nearby scientific data
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Links to other databases
  13. Bibliographic references
  14. General comments
  15. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10000973
MRDS ID A011644
Record type Site
Current site name Pioneer Creek
Related records 10258087

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -149.19265, 61.45955 (WGS84)
Relative position Along Pioneer Creek, 1/2 mile south of Pioneer Creek bridge on the Old Glenn Highway, between 800- and 1,500 ft elevation. Accurate within 1,000 feet. This is locality 'Pioneer Creek Area' of Rose (1966), locality 43 of Cobb (1972), and locality 32 of MacKevett and Holloway (1977).

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Matanuska-Susitna(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Anchorage B-6(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Anchorage SW(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Anchorage(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Matanuska(hydrologic unit)

Knik Arm(hydrologic accounting unit)

South Central Alaska(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Eklutna, Incorporated(ANCSA Village)

ANCSA Village NTVPIC(Type of land area)

NTVPIC(Federal land areas administered by NTVPIC)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chromite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) Slight serpentinization of olivine.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 15
USGS model code 8a
Deposit model name Podiform chromite (minor)
Mark3 model number none
Model code 23
USGS model code 9
Deposit model name Alaskan Cr-Pt (PGE)
Mark3 model number 120

Nearby scientific data

(1) -149.19265, 61.45955
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Jurassic dunite of the Eklutna Sequence containing two mineralized zones about 400 ft apart containing chromite in stringers, small pods, and disseminations. These are separated by olivine and minor clinopyroxene (Bjorklund and Wright, 1948). The lower zone strikes N 50 W, and dips 37 to 78 NE, and can be traced for 50 ft in outcrops and trenches. The upper zone strikes N 10 W, and dips 35 NE, can be traced for 30 ft in trenches, and has a maximum width of 30 ft. There is evidence in the upper zone that indicates some of the dunite may be slumped talus blocks rather than in place (Rose, 1966). ? Calculated grades based on weighted average analysis was 6.8 percent chromite for the lower zone and 6.9 percent chromite for the upper zone (Bjorklund and Wright, 1948). The best exposure assayed 7.5 percent chromite across a 13.5 ft zone (Rose, 1966).
  • Age = Lower to Middle Jurassic

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Anchorage

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Trenched by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1942. Calculated grades based on weighted average analysis for the lower zone was 6.8 percent chromite and 6.9 percent chromite for the upper zone (Bjorklund and Wright, 1948). The best exposure assayed 7.5 percent chromite across a 13.5 ft zone (Rose, 1966).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Rose, 1966

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Podiform chromite or Alaskan PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; models 8a or 9)
Deposit Other Comments = Bjorklund and Wright (1948) considered the deposit to be too small and too low grade to be mineable under conditions prevailing in 1940's.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 30-JUL-1998 D.P. Bickerstaff U.S. Geological Survey
Reporter 30-JUL-1998 S.W. Huss U.S. Geological Survey

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.