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Windy River

Prospect in Alaska, United States with commodity Chromium
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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. 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 10308347
Record type Site
Current site name Windy River

Geographic coordinates

Geographic coordinates: -151.48254, 59.38947 (WGS84)
Relative position The deposit is a placer in Windy River. Windy River flows from Red Mountain and drains into Jakolof Creek which drains into Jakolof Bay. Access to the prospect is by road from Seldovia to Red Mountain. The prospect starts at the base of Red Mountain and runs for 2 .5 miles northeast through a U-shaped valley. The deposit is approximately 0.25 miles wide and ranges from 55 to 72 feet thick (Foley and Barker, 1985).

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Kenai Peninsula(Borough)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Seldovia B-4(quadrangle 1:63,360 scale)

Seldovia SE(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Seldovia C(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Resurrection River-Frontal Resurrection Bay(hydrologic unit)

Prince William Sound(hydrologic accounting unit)

South Central Alaska(hydrologic subregion)

Alaska(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

Seldovia Native Association, Incorporated(ANCSA Village)

ANCSA Village NTVPIC(Type of land area)

NTVPIC(Federal land areas administered by NTVPIC)

Geographic areas

Country State
United States Alaska

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Chromium Critical Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Chromite Ore

Alteration

  • (Local) None.

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 119
USGS model code 39a
Deposit model name Placer Au-PGE
Mark3 model number 54

Nearby scientific data

(1) -151.48254, 59.38947
ListMap

Economic information

Comments on the geologic information

  • Geologic Description = Bedrock in the drainage is McHugh Formation slate and graywacke. A joint study by Anaconda Minerals and the U.S. Bureau of Mines indicates there are 20,920,000 yards of sand and gravel that contain 1.33% chromic oxide per yard (Foley and Barker, 1985). The deposit is approximately 2.5 miles long, 0.25 mile wide and varies from 55 to 72 feet thick. Within the mineralized area, Windy River flows as a perennial meandering stream with a gradient of 120 feet per mile. Examination of the drill logs and assay results shows that the chromite is disseminated throughout the gravels and not concentrated on bedrock. Barren overburden, defined as containing less than 1% chromic oxide ranges from less than 3 feet to over 30 feet thick with an average of six feet. To date no production has occurred from this drainage.
  • Age = Quaternary.

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Development status Prospect

Comments on exploration

  • Status = Inactive

Mining district

District name Homer

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • Reserves = the reserves are 20,920,000 cubic yards with an average grade of 1.33% chromic oxide per yard (Foley and Barker, 1985).

Comments on the workings information

  • Workings / Exploration = Anaconda Minerals and the US Bureau of Mines cooperatively did surface mapping, seismic profiles, bulk sampling and drilled reverse circulation drill holes in 1982 (Foley and Barker, 1985). During World War II, Rutledge (1946) investigated the placers around the headwaters of Windy River and down slope from the Turner Stringer zone.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    Guild, P.W., 1942, Chromite deposits of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 931-G, p. 139-175.

  • Deposit

    Rutledge, F.A., 1946, Exploration of Red Mountain chromite deposits, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 3885, 26 p.

  • Deposit

    Foley, J.Y., and Barker, J.C., 1985, Chromite deposits along the Border Ranges fault, part 1, Field investigations and descriptions of chromite deposits: U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8990, 58 p.

Comments on the references

  • Primary Reference = Foley, 1985

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit Model Name = Placer Cr

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 22-FEB-99 Jeff A. Huber 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.