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Quartz Hill Moly

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodity Molybdenum
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10185505
MRDS ID A012355
MAS/MILS ID 0021200067
Record type Site
Current site name Quartz Hill Moly
Alternate or previous names Quartz Hill, Jes 1-1074, Gower 1-3
Related records 10096785

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -130.48504, 55.40116 (WGS84)
Elevation 808
Location accuracy 10(meters)

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

Ketchikan B-2(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Ketchikan SE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Ketchikan(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

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

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Copper River 075 S 098 E 02 N2NW Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Molybdenum Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Feldspar Unknown
Molybdenite Unknown
Quartz Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -130.48504, 55.40116
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Thickness 488M
    Length 3380M
    Width 2093M
    Area 971HA
    Depth to top 1M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #1 MASSIVE
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Primary Ore Control FRACTURING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 POTASSIC
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 1
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 971
    Date of Last Modification 830321

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Prospect
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1974
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Ketchikan District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Located Claim

Land status

Ownership category National Monument

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Cominco American Inc.
    ID 5001230
    Interest 100
    Year 1992
    First year 1992

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Indicated 1360500000mt ore
    Demonstrated 1360500000mt ore
    Total resources 1360500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum MoS2 0.136 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1982
    Measured 181400000mt ore
    Demonstrated 181400000mt ore
    Total resources 181400000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum MoS2 0.2 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1982
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1984
    Measured 1361000000mt ore
    Demonstrated 1361000000mt ore
    Total resources 1361000000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.136 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1984
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1984
    Measured 444500000mt ore
    Demonstrated 444500000mt ore
    Total resources 444500000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Molybdenum Mo 0.2189 wt-pct Molybdenum Major 1984

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • PUBLISHED ESTIMATES ARE 115 MILLION MT. OF RESERVES AT 0.12 MO; E/MJ 8/79, P.88. BASED ON 250,000 FT. OF DIAMOND DRILLING U.S. BORAX ESTIMATES THE DEPOSIT CONTAINS MORE THAN 1.4 BILLION ST OF MINABLE ORE GRADING 0.136% MOS2 INCLUDING 300 MILLION ST OF NEAR
  • R1=M1C1. R2=M1C2. CUT-OFF GRADE IS SET AT 0.07% MOS2.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 707HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 26.5
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 1
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 54420
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 500
    Unit Production Cost .9
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 360
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1980

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    AK ECON RPT 790515

  • Deposit

    AK J COMM 790903 p. 1

  • Ownership

    ALASKA KARDEX 120-157

  • Ownership

    ALASKA KARDEX 120-158

  • Reserve-Resource

    US BORAX 8205 p. 2

  • Deposit

    SE AK EMPIRE 751223

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 760317

  • Deposit

    SE AK EMPIRE 760322

  • Deposit

    N MINER 760325 p. 6

  • Deposit

    MINING JOUR 760326 p. 249

  • Deposit

    AK INDUSTRY 7604 p. 17

  • Deposit

    AC&O 7605

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 7605 p. 17

  • Deposit

    MIN MAG 7605

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 760609

  • Deposit

    SE AK EMPIRE 760831

  • Deposit

    AK ECON RPT 761101 p. 2

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 770131

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 770208

  • Deposit

    AK INSIDE 770209

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 770209

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 770210

  • Deposit

    KETCHIKAN D 770211

  • Deposit

    AK ECON RPT 770315

  • Deposit

    ECON G 7706 p. 742

  • Deposit

    AK INSIDE 771228

  • Deposit

    AC&O 7809 pp. 21-28

  • Deposit

    IC8789 pp. 24-27

  • Deposit

    AK J COMM 790122

  • Deposit

    AC&O 7902 p. 1

  • Deposit

    SE AK EMPIRE 790221

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 7904 p. 35

  • Deposit

    SE LOG 7904

  • Deposit

    MIN ENG 7905 pp. 475-476

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 7905 p. 85, No. 241

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 7908 pp. 86-89

  • Deposit

    MINING JOUR 790810 p. 105

  • Deposit

    AK J COMM 790903

  • Deposit

    AK J COMM 791203

  • Deposit

    AK INSIDE 791205

  • Deposit

    MINING JOUR 791221

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 8001 p. 35

  • Deposit

    AK J COMM 800107

  • Deposit

    AK INSIDE 800109

  • Deposit

    E&MJ 8003 p. 13

  • Deposit

    MIN MAG 8004 pp. 311-312

  • Deposit

    OF81-122

  • Deposit

    ECON G 8108 pp. 1225-1232

  • Deposit

    AC&O 8109 pp. 12-16

  • Deposit

    SE LOG 8110 pp. 20-21

  • Deposit

    AK FISH J 8112 pp. 24-27

  • Deposit

    AMR 81-82 pp. 14, 26, 27

  • Deposit

    MTA 82 No. F-73

  • Deposit

    US BORAX 8205

  • Deposit

    AK BUS & IND 8207 pp. 17-19

  • Deposit

    N MINER 820819 pp. B7-B8

  • Deposit

    SE LOG 8209 p. A9

  • Deposit

    SR31 pp. 1, 7, 15

  • Deposit

    SR33 p. 19

  • Deposit

    SR38 pp. 19, 47

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit TOTAL CLAIMS STAKED IN AREA=1077. ROAD NEEDED IS 4 MILES WATER SUPPLY IS 2 TO 4 MILES ELECTRICAL SUPPLY MUST BE GENERATED AT MINE SITE KETCHIKAN APPROX. 45 MI (72 KM) AWAY IS MAIN SUPPLY BASE BY END OF 1976 A TOTAL OF 140 DRILL HOLES COMPLETED REC. 050- 1976 EXPLORATION COST AT $1700000 (SOV-REC.720) US BORAX SOLD PATENTED CLAIMS TO COMINCO IN 1991

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 02-OCT-1996 Rdc U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 09/03/1985
MSHA mine ID5001230
Mine name (MSHA)Quartz Hill Project
Current operatorUnited States Borax & Chemical Corp
Current controller (parent)Rio Tinto Group
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this 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.