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Nelson and Tift

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Gold, Copper, 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. Mineral occurrence model information
  8. Host and associated rocks
  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 10001645
MRDS ID A012417
Record type Site
Current site name Nelson and Tift
Related records 10160832

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -131.9737, 54.80167 (WGS84)
Relative position The Nelson and Tift mine (MacKevett, 1963, p. 99-100 and pl. 1; Cobb and Elliott, 1980, p. 140) is on the north shore of McLean Arm, about 4000 ft west of the mouth of the arm; it is in Sec. 33, T. 81 S., R. 90 E., of the Copper River Meridian. The property consists of 10 lode claims and a millsite. The location is accurate within 300 feet.

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Prince of Wales-Hyder(Census area)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Prince Rupert D-6(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Duke Island(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Prince Rupert(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Prince of Wales(hydrologic unit)

Southern Southeast Alaska(hydrologic accounting unit)

Southeast Alaska(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Tongass National Forest(National Forest)

National Forest FS(Type of land area)

FS(Federal land areas administered by FS)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Gold Primary
Copper Primary
Lead Primary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = calc-silicate minerals

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Bornite Ore
Chalcopyrite Ore
Galena Ore
Pyrite Ore
Quartz Gangue

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 Plutonic Rock > Mafic Intrusive Rock > Diorite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Metamorphic Rock > Metasedimentary Rock > Marble

Nearby scientific data

(1) -131.9737, 54.80167
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = The rocks in the area of the Nelson and Tift mine (MacKevett, 1963, pl. 1) consist of a Cretaceous quartz diorite stock; thin roof pendants of Devonian(?) marble and calc-silicate rock; and numerous Tertiary andesite or dacite dikes that cut both the stock and the roof pendants. ? the deposit (MacKevett, 1963, p. 99-100), which has been mined out, consisted of a sulfide lens 75 ft long, 30 ft deep, and 9 ft wide, in a steep, 20- to 40-ft wide roof pendant of marble that has been intruded by quartz diorite. Near the intrusive contacts, parts of the pendant have been converted to calc-hornfels. The ore consisted largely of auriferous pyrite, accompanied by small amounts of chalcopyrite and bornite. A few pyrite-bearing quartz veins up to 6 inches thick that cut the pendant probably contain small amounts of gold. Pyrite and a little magnetite are disseminated in parts of the marble.? the deposit was discovered in 1935 and developed by an opencut and several small pits and trenches. During 1936, 4 diamond-drill holes, up to 90 feet deep, were drilled, but did not intersect ore. About 1300 tons of ore were shipped to a smelter in the mid-late 1930s; gold, silver, some copper, and a little lead were recovered. Precious metal content of seven channel samples taken from the mine in the mid-1930s ranged from 0.12 to 2.08 oz Au and 0.05 to 0.40 oz Ag per ton.
  • Age = Probably Cretaceous or younger.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Ketchikan

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = About 1300 tons of ore were shipped to a smelter in the mid-late 1930s, with recovery of gold, silver, some copper, and a little lead.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • Reserves = Ore body was mined out.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = The deposit was discovered in 1935 and developed by an opencut and several small pits and trenches. During 1936, 4 diamond-drill holes, up to 90 feet deep, were drilled, but did not intersect ore. About 1300 tons of ore were shipped to a smelter in the mid-late 1930s; gold, silver, some copper, and a little lead were recovered. Precious metal content of seven channel samples taken from the mine in the mid-1930s ranged from 0.12 to 2.08 oz Au and 0.05 to 0.40 oz Ag per ton.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    MacKevett, E.M., Jr., 1963, Geology and ore deposits of the Bokan Mountain uranium-thorium area, southeastern Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1154, 125 p.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., and Elliott, R.L., 1980, Summaries of data on and lists of references to metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral deposits in the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-1053, 154 p.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = MacKevett, 1963

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 03-FEB-1999 H.C. Berg 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.