Special Publication MINERAL INVESTIGATIONS in the JUNEAU
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Special Publication MINERAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE JUNEAU MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA, 1984-1988 VOLUME 3 INDUSTRIAL MINERALS 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 BUREAU OF MINES * EIGHTY YEARS OF SERVICE Special Publication MINERAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE JUNEAU MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA, 1984-1988 VOLUME 3 INDUSTRIAL MINERALS By Kenneth Maas UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Manuel Lujan, Jr., Secretary BUREAU OF MINES T S Ary, Director Cover photograph: Active sand and gravel operations in lower Lemon Creek, Juneau, Alaska. Photo by Joe Connolly, courtesy of R & M Engineering, Inc. CONTENTS Page Abstract ............ I ................................................. 1 Introduction .... .... 2 Location ............. ... ... 2...............................................2 Land status. 2 Previous studies .2 Acknowledgments......................................... .... .... .... 4 Scope and methodology. 4 Sampling ... .. .... .... ..................... ................. 5 Testing procedures ............. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Consumption and usage ......................................................... 8 Geologic setting ............................................................... 9 Juneau subarea ............................................................. 9 Skagway subarea ............................................................ 11 Haines subarea .............................................................. 11 Gustavus subarea ........................................................... 11 Bureau of Mines studies ......................................................... 11 Juneau subarea .............................................................. 11 Current suppliers .......................................................... 12 Special use sources ........................................................ 18 Potential resources ........................................................ 18 East Fork Lace River .................................................... 21 Berners River sand deposit ................................................ 24 Antler/Gilkey Rivers ...................................................... 26 Herbert/Eagle Rivers outwash ............................................... 29 Tee Harbor borrow site ................................................... 32 Dredge Lake .......................................................... 34 Grizzly Bar (Taku Inlet) ................................................... 36 Point Hilda ........................................................... 40 Other areas .......................................................... 41 Skagway subarea ............................................................ 42 Current suppliers .......................................................... 42 Potential resources ........................................................ 42 West Creek ........................................................... 42 East Fork Skagway River .................................................. 42 Taiya River ........................................................... 42 Skagway River-NE end of State pit ........................................... 44 Skagway River mouth .................................................... 44 Skagway Summary ........................................................ 44 Haines subarea ............................................................. 44 Current suppliers .......................................................... 44 Potential resources ........................................................ 45 Klehini River .......................................................... 49 Tsirku fan ............................................................ 51 Taiyasanka Harbor ...................................................... 53 Takhin River fan ........................................................ 54 Kicking Horse River fan ................................................... 56 Katzehin River ......................................................... 58 Davidson Glacier outwash ................................................. 60 Unnamed outwash ...................................................... 62 Endicott River fan ....................................................... 64 Gustavus subarea ............................. ................ .. 66 Summary .................................. ....... 68 References ....................... ........ ................... .. .. 70 iv Page Appendix A. - Glossary of terms .................................................... 72 Appendix B. - Engineering test results ................................................ 74 Appendix C. - Gold recovery summary .......... .. .. 115 ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Location map depicting study area .......... .. .. .. .. 3 2. Bureau personnel collect plus 1-inch material for pebble count (lithology) information .... .......... 5 3. Sequence showing portability of hopper from helicopter transport stage to complete set up .... ..... 6 4. Major urban areas and significant users of aggregate in Alaska ....... 9 5. City of Juneau and the town of Douglas ......... 10 6. Looking south over City of Skagway ........................ .. .................... 12 7. Current operators permitted within City and Borough of Juneau ....... 13 8. Potential gravel resources within City and Borough of Juneau ....... 19 9. East Fork Lace River ............ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 10. View east up Lace River toward the glacier snout ........ ............. 23 11. Berners River sand deposit ........... .. .. ................. .. .. .. .. 24 12. Antler/Gilkey Rivers ............. .. .. .. ..................... .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 13. Sampling gravel along Antler River .......... .. ............ .. .. 27 14. Herbert/Eagle Rivers outwash .......... .. .. ................ .. .. .. 29 15. Samples were carried from remote locations with helicopter assistance ..... ........... 30 16. Geologists survey heavy vegetation present at Herbert/Eagle Rivers outwash deposit . ......... 31 17. Tee Harbor borrow site ............ .. .. .. .. .................. .. .. .. .. .. 32 18. Dredge Lake ............... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 34 19. Grizzly Bar (Taku Inlet) ............ .. .. .. .................. .. .. .. .. .. 36 20. Two views of Grizzly Bar ........... .. .. .. ................... .. .. .. 39 21. Point Hilda ............... .. ... .. ... ......................... .. .. ... .. .. 40 22. Sand and gravel resources in Skagway and vicinity ....... ............ 43 23. Current sand and gravel operators in Haines Borough ....... ............. 46 24. Potential sand and gravel resources within Haines Borough and Gustavus .... ........... 47 25. Klehini River .............. .. .. ... .. .. .................... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 49 26. Tsirku fan ............... ... ... .. ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. 51 27. Tsirku fan where it enters Chilkat River ......... ........ 52 28. Taiyasanka Harbor ............. .. .. .. .. ...................... .. .. .. .. .. 53 29. Takhin River fan ............. .. .. .. .. .. ...................... .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 30. Kicking Horse River fan ........... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 56 31. Katzehin River ............. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 58 32. Davidson Glacier outwash ........... .. .. .. ................. .. .. .. .. 60 33. Unnamed outwash ............ .. .. .. .. .. ...................... .. .. .. .. .. 62 34. Endicott River fan ............ .. .. .. .. .. .................... .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 35. Endicott River delta looking south-southeast toward Lynn Canal and the mainland . ......... 65 36. Gustavus (Salmon River) .......... .. .. .. .................. .. .. .. .. 66 TABLES 1. Permitted operators within City and Borough of Juneau ....... 15 2. Sand and gravel/ quarry rock resources in Juneau, Skagway, Haines and Gustavus ..... 69 UNIT OF MEASURE ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT hr hour ft3 cubic foot % per cent yd3 cubic yard ton short ton oz/yd3 troy ounce per cubic yard mij square mile 1 BUREAU OF MINES MINERAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE JUNEAU MINING DISTRICT, ALASKA, 1984-1988 VOLUME 3 - INDUSTRIAL MINERALS by Kenneth M. Maas' ABSTRACT The Bureau of Mines devoted portions of the 1987-1988 field seasons to investigate the mineral aggregate industry in Juneau, Skagway, Haines, and Gustavus, Alaska, as part of the Juneau Mining District study. Statistics compiled for current suppliers include location, activity, reserve estimates, expected mine life, and types of commodities available. Each population center, except for Gustavus, is well endowed with suitable mineral aggregate to last at least 20 years. The Bureau of Mines quantified the mineral aggregate resource in many large potential sites within each area. Sampling, engineering and soil-index testing, site descriptions, deposit dimensions, and gold recovery information is described. Refraction seismic studies performed at three localities revealed gravel thicknesses in excess of 40 to 80 feet. In the Juneau area, the Herbert/Eagle Rivers outwash area, East Fork Lace River, Antler/Gilkey Rivers, and Grizzly Bar (Taku Inlet) individually contain in excess of 60 million yd3 of excellent- quality aggregate with minor accessory gold credits. Haines is also well endowed with aggregate resources; large, quality deposits occur along and at the confluences