Silver King

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Copper, Bismuth, Cobalt, Antimony

Sections on this page

Identification information
Geographic coordinates
Site location context
Geographic areas
Commodities
Materials information
Alteration
Mineral occurrence model information
Host and associated rocks
Nearby scientific data
Economic information about the deposit and operations
Mining district
Links to other databases
Bibliographic references
General comments
Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID	10093982
MRDS ID	A011334
Record type	Site
Current site name	Silver King

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates:	-149.55283, 63.25959 (WGS84)
Relative position	The Silver King prospect is located on the eastern side of Colorado Creek in the northern half of sections 19 and 24, T. 19 S., R. 10 W., of the Fairbanks Meridian. The location is accurate to within 0.5 mile. The Silver King prospect is not the same as the Silver King mine shown on the Healy A-6 1:63,360-scale topographic sheet.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Matanuska-Susitna(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Healy B-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)

Federal lands

Denali National Park(National Park)

National Park NPS(Type of land area)

NPS(Federal land areas administered by NPS)

Geographic areas

Country	State
United States	Alaska

Commodities

Commodity	Importance
Silver	Primary
Gold	Primary
Copper	Primary
Bismuth Critical	Secondary
Cobalt Critical	Secondary
Antimony Critical	Secondary

Materials information

Materials	Type of material
Arsenopyrite	Ore
Chalcopyrite	Ore
Pyrite	Ore
Pyrrhotite	Ore
Stibnite	Ore
Calcite	Gangue
Quartz	Gangue

Alteration

(Local) Skarn formation widespread; porphyry-type alteration is also reported.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code	85
USGS model code	22c
Deposit model name	Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number	46
Model code	78
USGS model code	20c
Deposit model name	Porphyry Cu-Au
Mark3 model number	34
Model code	59
USGS model code	18b
Deposit model name	Skarn Cu
Mark3 model number	8
Model code	180
USGS model code	27d
Deposit model name	Simple Sb (veins, pods, etc)

Host and associated rocks

Host or associated Host

Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Argillite

Host or associated	Host
Rock type	Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Sedimentary Rock > Argillite

Nearby scientific data

(1)	-149.55283, 63.25959	ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

Geologic Description = Thick Quaternary glacial deposits and Upper Tertiary sedimentary strata cover the bedrock in this area. The country rocks in the area of the Silver King prospect consist of Upper Jurassic to Upper Triassic(?) crystal tuff, argillite, chert, graywacke, and limestone that are intruded by Upper Cretaceous quartz diorite porphyry stocks and dikes (Wilson and others, 1998). Intrusion of the dikes and quartz-sulfide mineralization are localized along the nearby Chulitna fault. The Silver King deposit includes: tactite (skarn) replacement bodies; auriferous arsenopyrite-chalcopyrite quartz veins; stibnite-gold-silver veins; silver-lead-zinc veins; and as breccia pipes associated with porphyry stock and dikes. Sporadic mineralization is present over a 2,000 feet by 800 feet area. (Hawley and Clark, 1974).? Hawley and Clark (1974) reported the following sample analyses. A massive sulfide pod in skarn contained 8.3 ounces of gold per ton. An arsenopyrite-rich vein contained 50 ppm silver, 200 ppm gold, 700 ppm cobalt, 1,500 ppm copper, 200 ppm lead, 500 ppm antimony, 200 ppm zinc, more than 1,000 ppm bismuth and more than 10,000 ppm arsenic. A stibnite-rich vein contained 10 ppm silver, 23 ppm gold, 200 ppm copper, 300 ppm lead, 1,500 ppm zinc, 7,000 ppm arsenic and more than 10,000 ppm antimony. Salisbury and Dietz (1984) reported the following: arsenopyrite veins returned assay values of 0.85 ounces of silver per ton, 0.87 ounces of gold per ton and 0.44% cobalt; and stibnite-bearing veins contained 0.12 ounces of silver per ton and 0.29 ounces of gold per ton. The Silver King deposit is part of a northeast trending mineralized zone that includes the Liberty (HE028), Lucrata (HE029) and Eagle (HE030) prospects.
Age = Similar sulfide-bearing intrusive rocks and veins in the district have been dated as Late Cretaceous (Swainbank and others, 1977), but Au-Ag-stibnite and Ag-Pb-Zn veins could be younger (Early Tertiary).

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 = Surface workings, mostly trenches and pits. Site-specific geophysical surveys noted in literature and probably drill testing, but specific data are not available.? Hawley and Clark (1974) reported the following sample analyses. A massive sulfide pod in skarn contained 8.3 ounces of gold per ton. An arsenopyrite-rich vein contained 50 ppm silver, 200 ppm gold, 700 ppm cobalt, 1,500 ppm copper, 200 ppm lead, 500 ppm antimony, 200 ppm zinc, more than 1,000 ppm bismuth and more than 10,000 ppm arsenic. A stibnite-rich vein contained 10 ppm silver, 23 ppm gold, 200 ppm copper, 300 ppm lead, 1,500 ppm zinc, 7,000 ppm arsenic and more than 10,000 ppm antimony. Salisbury and Dietz (1984) reported the following: arsenopyrite veins returned assay values of 0.85 ounces of silver per ton, 0.87 ounces of gold per ton and 0.44% cobalt; and stibnite-bearing veins contained 0.12 ounces of silver per ton and 0.29 ounces of gold per ton.

Reference information

Links to other databases

Agency	Database name	Acronym	Record ID	Notes
USGS	Mineral Resources Data System	MRDS	A011334
USGS	Alaska Resource Data File	ARDF	HE026

Bibliographic references

Deposit

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

Swainbank, R.C., Smith, T.E., and Turner, D.L., 1977, Geology and K-Ar age of mineralized intrusive rocks from the Chulitna mining district, central Alaska, in Short notes on Alaskan geology-1977: Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Geologic Report 55, p. 23-28.
Deposit

Hawley, C.C., and others, 1978, Mineral appraisal of lands adjacent to Mt. McKinley National Park, Alaska. Contract No. JO166107: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 24-78, 274 p., 12 sheets.
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

Bundtzen, T.K., 1983, Mineral resource modeling, Kantishna and Dunkle mine study areas: Alaska Division of Geological "&" Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigations 83-12, 51 p.
Deposit

Salisbury and Dietz, Inc., 1984, 1983 mineral resource studies: Kantishna Hills and Dunkle Mine areas, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines, Contract No. S0134031, 1080 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

Wilson, F.H., Dover, J.H., Bradley, D.C., Weber, F.R., Bundtzen, T.K., and Haeussler, P.J., 1998, Geologic map of central (interior) Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-133, 17 p., 2 sheetsm, scale 1:500,000.
Deposit

Hawley, C.C., Clark, A.L., Herdrick, M.A., and Clark, S.H.B., 1969, Results of geological and geochemical investigations in an area northwest of the Chulitna River, central Alaska Range: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 617, 19 p.
Deposit

Capps, S.R., 1919, Mineral resources of the upper Chulitna region: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 692-D, p. 207-232.

Comments on the references

Primary Reference = Salisbury and Dietz, 1984

General comments

Subject category	Comment text
Deposit	Model Name = Polymetallic vein, Cu-Au porphyry, Cu skarn, and Simple Sb veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; models 22c, 20c, 18b, and 27d)
Deposit	Model Number = 22c, 20c, 18b, 27d

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.

External references

Wikidata: Q49448736 (Silver King Mine)

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.

Silver King

Geologic information

Identification information

Geographic coordinates

Site location context

Geographic areas

Commodities

Materials information

Alteration

Mineral occurrence model information

Host and associated rocks

Nearby scientific data

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Comments on exploration

Mining district

Comments on the workings information

Reference information

Links to other databases

Bibliographic references

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Deposit

Comments on the references

General comments

Reporter information

Beyond USGS

External references

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Alaska resources