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Soda Creek

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodities Zinc, Lead
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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 10307800
Record type Site
Current site name Soda Creek

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -154.42095, 63.34749 (WGS84)
Relative position The Soda Creek prospects are located on a north facing slope near the top of an east-west trending ridgeline south of Soda Creek in the Medfra B-3 quadrangle in Section 2, T. 25 S., R. 23 E., of the Kateel River Meridian, at an elevation of 2,250 feet (686 m). Location is precisely known; reporter visited the property in 1993.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Yukon-Koyukuk(Census area)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Medfra B-3(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Medfra S(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Medfra C(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

North Fork Kuskokwim River(hydrologic unit)

Upper Kuskokwim River(hydrologic accounting unit)

Southwest(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Zinc Critical Primary
Lead Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = iron ferricrete

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Smithsonite Ore
Dolomite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) White dolomite; secondary carbonate solution breccias.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 224
USGS model code 32a
Deposit model name Mississippi Valley, S.E. Missouri Pb-Zn
Mark3 model number 42

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Late Silurian

Nearby scientific data

(1) -154.42095, 63.34749
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Two small carbonate hosted zinc/lead deposits approximately 1,500 feet (457 m) apart are structurally controlled along fractures and solution breccia zones in an interbedded carbonate unit that is probably equivalent to the Paradise Creek Formation of Dutro and Patton (1982). The South Soda Creek prospect consists of a linear zone up to 3 feet (0.9 m) wide and up to 30 feet (9.1 m) long in strongly mineralized rubble that is largely composed of solution breccias of several types (Schmidt, 1997). The North Soda Creek deposit consists of smithsonite-bearing gossan in a 2,000 square foot area on a steep, north-facing dip slope. The smithsonite appears to be introduced along a 10 foot (3 m) thick brecciated zone in massive micrite limestone. Mineralization does not extend laterally for more than 200 feet (61 m). Solution breccias occur at both prospecting sites. Rocks hosting the mineralization are inferred to be Late Silurian in age, based on fossils at the site; however, the specific age of the mineralization is unknown. . From 1976 to1982, surface sampling and limited trenching was completed on the property. One grab sample at the South Soda Creek prospect contained 26.6 percent zinc and 0.11 percent lead. Other grab samples contained from 370 ppm to 18.10 percent zinc, 2 to 35 ppm cadmium, and 7 to 250 ppm lead. At the North Soda Creek showing, a channel sample along a 37 foot (11.2 m) long trench yielded 0.50 percent zinc, but no lead or cadmium (Schmidt, 1997).
  • Age = Host is inferred to be Late Silurian in age, based on fossils at site; however, the age of the mineralization is unknown.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name McGrath

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = The Soda Creek prospects were discovered by WGM Inc. and Patino Ltd. during exploration for base metals in the late 1970s (Schmidt, 1997). From 1976 to1982, surface sampling and limited trenching was completed on the property. Intermittant exploration work was continued by Pasminco Ltd. until about 1989 (Schmidt, 1997). One grab sample at the South Soda Creek prospect contained 26.6 percent zinc and 0.11 percent lead. Other grab samples contained from 370 ppm to 18.10 percent zinc, 2-to-35 ppm cadmium, and 7-to-250 ppm lead. At the North Soda Creek showing, a channel sample along a 37 foot (11.2 m) long trench yielded 0.50 percent zinc, but no lead or cadmium (Schmidt, 1997).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Patton, W.W., Jr., Moll, E.J., Dutro, J.T., Jr., Silberman, M.L., and Chapman, R.M., 1980, Preliminary geologic map of Medfra quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-811-A, 1 sheet, scale l:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Dutro, T.T. Jr., and Patton,W.W. Jr., 1982, New Paleozoic Formations in the northern Kuskokwim Mountains, west-central Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1529-H, p. H13-H22.

  • Deposit

    Fisher, D.G., and Juilliand, J.D., 1986, Mineral deposit types and their characteristics: U.S. Bureau of Land Management Technical Bulletin 3031-1, 134 pages.

  • Deposit

    Anderson, G.M., and Macqueen, R.W., 1988, Mississippi Valley Type lead-zinc deposits, in Roberts, R.G., and Sheahan, P.A., eds., Ore deposit models: Geoscience Canada Reprint Series 3, Ottawa, Canada, p. 79-90.

  • Deposit

    Schmidt, J.M., 1997, Shale-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag and barite deposits of Alaska, in Goldfarb, R.J., and Miller, L.D., eds., Mineral Deposits of Alaska, 1997: Economic Geology Monograph 9, p. 35-65.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Schmidt, 1997

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Southeast Missouri Lead-Zinc (Cox and Singer, 1986; model no. 32a)
Deposit Other Comments = See also Reef Ridge (MD055), Asmyrahha (MD080), Atoll (MD053), Big Gate (MD050), Hillside (MD049), and Bear Pass (MD044) prospects in Medfra quadrangle.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 08-MAY-98 Bundtzen, T.K. Pacific Rim Geological Consulting

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.