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Independence

Past Producer in Alaska, United States with commodities Silver, Lead, 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. Production statistics
  14. Links to other databases
  15. Bibliographic references
  16. General comments
  17. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10001864
MRDS ID A012683
Record type Site
Current site name Independence
Related records 10257508

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -162.46726, 65.67132 (WGS84)
Relative position Independence mine is on a low ridge (maximum elevation of 685 feet) between lower Independence Creek and Kugruk River. Independence Creek is a southeast tributary to Kugruk River and this deposit is exposed in outcrop (about 250 feet elevation) on the east side of Kugruk River, about 1,000 feet upstream of the mouth of Independence Creek. The north-south trending deposit extends from 0.25 mile north of Kugruk River south for about a mile along the low ridge. This is locality 9 of Cobb (1972; MF 417; 1975; OFR 75-429).

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Northwest Arctic(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Bendeleben C-1(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Bendeleben NE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Bendeleben(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Goodhope-Spafarief Bay(hydrologic unit)

Northern Seward Peninsula(hydrologic accounting unit)

Northwest(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Silver Primary
Lead Primary
Zinc Critical Secondary

Comments on the commodity information

  • Gangue = manganese oxides

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Galena Ore
Sphalerite Ore
Tetrahedrite Ore
Actinolite Gangue
Calcite Gangue
Limonite Gangue
Pyrite Gangue
Quartz Gangue
Siderite Gangue

Alteration

  • (Local) The deposit is oxidized and an early description (Levensaler, 1941) notes that siderite bodies replace limestone (marble).

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 85
USGS model code 22c
Deposit model name Polymetallic veins
Mark3 model number 46

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type
    Stratigraphic age (youngest) Mississippian
    Stratigraphic age (oldest) Late Cambrian

Nearby scientific data

(1) -162.46726, 65.67132
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = This deposit is localized along a north-south trending marble-schist contact that is faulted and sheared. The contact dips steeply west and the marble is in the hanging wall. Mineralization has been traced laterally along this contact zone for 6,200 feet, and vertically to depths of 136 feet. On the 40 foot level, galena, sphalerite, tetrahedrite, and some pyrite are primarily in footwall schist although siderite bodies are reported to replace marble locally and ore minerals to in turn replace siderite and marble (Levensaler, 1941). On the 140 foot level, at least part of the schist is described as calcareous (Levelsaler, 1941). The mode of ore mineral occurrence in the underground workings has not been discribed but boulders of limonitic galena and lead carbonates up to 2 feet in diameter are present on surface dumps. The ore minerals may be in veins and stringers that pinch and swell, in disseminations, or as irregular replacements. Four ore zones were identified and sampled on the 40 foot level and one on the 140 foot level. On the 40 foot level, the four ore zones include: (1) a 10-wide by 75-foot long zone averaging 6.8 % Pb and 10 ounces/ton Ag; (2) a 20-foot wide by 38-foot long zone averaging 7 % Pb and 10 ounces/ton Ag; (3) a 7-foot wide by 75-foot long zone averaging 6 % Pb and 6.4 ounces/ton Ag; and (4) a 10-foot wide by 25-foot long zone averaging 6 % Pb, and 6.3 opunces/ton Ag. On the 140 foot level, the one exposed ore zone was 5-feet wide and 35-feet long and averaged 3.4 % Pb and 2.5 ounces/ton Ag. The fourth ore zone on the 40 foot level was open at the south end of the drift. Although this deposit has historically been thought of as epigenetic, there is a possiblity that it is stratabound. The faulted and deformed high grade mineralization is apparently discontinuous both laterally and vertically. Bedrock is extensively covered by tundra but what is exposed in the area is part of a Lower Paleozoic metasedimentary assemblage (Till and others, 1986). Bedrock to the east of Independence Creek and northwest of Kiwalik Mountain may contain felsic metavolcanic rocks. Felsic metavolcanic rocks are associated with massive sulfide prospects, one near upper Minas Creek (BN119) and one at Big Bar (BN083) southeast of Kiwalik Mountain.
  • Age = If the deposit is epigenetic, it is probably Cretaceous as epigenetic mineralization in metamorphic rocks of Seward Peninsula is primarily of this age. If the deposit is stratabound, it may be the same age as the sedimentary host rocks which are Paleozoic (Ordovician to Devonian).
  • Age = Host rocks which are Devonian - Ordovician.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Past Producer
Commodity type Metallic

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Fairhaven

Production statistics

  • Year 1922
    Period 1921-1922
    Accuracy Accurate

Comments on the production information

  • Production Notes = Two high-graded ore shipments have been documented (Levensaler, 1941). A shipment of thirty three tons was received at the Selby smelter on October 28, 1921 that contained 33.25 ounces/ton Ag, 29.9 % Pb, 4.8 % Zn, 5.8 % silica, 20.8 % Fe, and 0 % arsenic and antimony. On December 10, 1922, 1.75 tons were received at the Bunker Hill smelter that contained 29.4 ounces/ton Ag, 33.5 % Pb, 6.3 % Zn, and 12.3 % Fe.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • Reserves = Very little production has occurred and the deposit(s) is intact.

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Exploration and production workings include surface dozer trenches, three shafts, and two levels of short drifts. The main shaft, 136 feet deep, was sunk on outcropping mineralization near the Kugruk River (about 250 feet elevation). Two drifts driven from this shaft included one at 36 feet depth (referred to as the 40 foot level) that trended southerly for 260 feet and northerly for 15 feet along structure and another at 136 feet depth (referred to as the 140 foot level) that trended southerly for 205 feet and northerly for 45 feet along structure. A 30 foot-deep exploration shaft (Galena Homestake claim) was dug 5,000 feet south (and 300 feet higher) of the main shaft. Another exploration shaft (Valley Galena claim) was dug 1,200 feet north of the main shaft on the west side of Kugruk River.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Levensaler, L.H., 1941 (?), Kugruk Galena Mines, Fairhaven mining district, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Unpublished report for property owners, 4 p. , two level plans, and two cross sections.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-429, 123 p.

  • Deposit

    Till, A.B., Dumoulin, J.A., Gamble, B. ., Kaufman, D.S., and Carroll, P.I., 1986, Preliminary geologic map and fossil data, Soloman, Bendeleben, and southern Kotzebue quadrangles, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-276, 10 p., 3 plates, scale 1:250,000.

  • Deposit

    Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Bendeleben quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-417, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Levensaler, 1941

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Massive to disseminated sulfide minerals along a deformed and faulted marble-schist contact. Polymetallic veins ? (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c ?)
Deposit Other Comments = Descriptions vary widely with respect to ore mineralogy, grade, and ore body dimensions.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 15-MAR-99 Travis L. Hudson Applied Geology

Beyond USGS

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

Maps centered on this site

Authoritative Alaska resources

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