Ketchikan and Prince Rupert Quadrangles, Southeastern Alaska
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The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program: Guide to Information about the Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert Quadrangles, Southeastern Alaska By Henry C. Berg GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 855 United States Department of the Interior JAMES G. WATT, Secretary Geological Survey Dallas L. Peck, Director Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Berg, Henry Clayr 1929- The Alaska Mineral;peswrcer Assessment Program: Guide to information about the geoiogy and mineral resources of the Ketchikan h&.~fince'l?upert quadrangles, southeastern Alaska. 3 (Geological Survey circular ; 8551 Bibliography: p. 21-24 Supt. of Docs. no.: I19.4/2:855 1. Mines and mineral resources--Alaska. 2. Geology-- Alaska. I. Title. 11. Series: United States. Geological Survey. Circular 855. QE75.CS no. 855 622 s 82-600083 CTN24. A41 t557.98'21 AACR2 Free on application to Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Sumey 604 South Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304 CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................................................ 1 Descriptionsof component mapsand reportsofthe Ketchikan Introduction ...................................................................................... 1 and Prince Rupert quadrangles AMRAP folio Purpose and scope .................................................................. 1 and of subsequent related investigations-Continued Geography and access ............................................................ 1 Tectonostratigraphic terranes and structural Previous investigations .......................................................... 2 framework of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert AMRAP and subsequent investigations .......................... 2 quadrangles-Continued Acknowledgments .................................................................. 4 Stikine terrane ............................................................ 15 Deecriptions of component maps and reports of the Mines. prospects. and mineral occurrences .................. 15 Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles AMRAP Metalliferous deposits .................................................. 15 folio and of subsequent related investigations .................... 5 Nonmetallic minerals .................................................. 16 Geology ...................................................................................... 6 Geochemistry ......................................................................... 16 Gravina-Annette-Mary-Duke Islands area .............. 5 Stream-sediment geochemical investigations ...... 16 Revillagigedo Island and the Cleveland Peninsula 7 Geochemical data and interpretation ...................... 17 Portland peninsula .......................................................... 8 Rock geochemical investigations .............................. 17 Potassium-argon age determinations. Interpretation of Landsat imagery .................................. 18 by James G . Smith ............................................................ 10 Geophysics .............................................................................. 18 lkctonostratigraphic terranes and structural framework Aeromagnetic interpretation .................................... 18 of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles ... 11 Bouguer gravity maps and interpretation. Annette subterrane ................................................ I3 by David F. Barnes .......................................................... 19 Gravina-Nutzotin belt ................................................ 13 Mineral-resource assessment ............................................ 20 lhku terrane .................................................................... 13 Mineral-deposit types. mineral-resource areas. fiacy Arm terrane .................................................. 14 and metallogenesis ....................................... ....... ..... 21 References cited ............................................................................ 21 ILLUSTRATIONS Page FIGURES1.6 . Maps showing: I . Location of Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles. and area of this investigation .......................... 1 2 . Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles. showing areas described in selected geologic reports .... 3 3. Annette and Gravina Islands. showing distribution of the Puppets Formation and its correlatives. unnamed conformably overlying massive limestone unit. and localities of samples collected in 1979 containing Upper Triassic fossils ...................................................................................................... 6 4 . Southwestern part of Portland peninsula. showing stratigraphic revisions based on geologic investigations completed since publication of Open-File Report 78-73-A ............................................ 9 5. Tectonostratigraphic terranes and structural elements in Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 6. Ketchikan-Prince Rupert study area, showing 17 areas favorable for occurrence of mineral resources and types of mineral deposits known or predicted in those areas .................................... 20 TABLES TABLE1. Component maps and reports of the Ketchikan-Prince Rupert quadrangles mineral-resource assessment ................ 4 The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program: Guide to Information about the Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert Quadrangles, Southeastern Alaska By Henry C. Berg ABST RACT I Ketchikan-Prince Rupert folio were collected The Ketchikan and Prince Rupert 1-degree by 2-degree during 1975 and 1977,when an interdisciplinary quadrangles, which encompass about 16,000 kmzat the south team of earth scientists conducted the field and tip of southeastern Alaska, have been investigated by inte- laboratory investigations necessary for a mineral- grated field and laboratory studies in the disciplines of geol- resource appraisal. The folio and this report de- ogy, geochemistry, geophysics, and Landsat data interpreta- scribe the results of their individual investiga- tion to determine their mineral-resource potential. Mineral deposits in the study area have been mined or prospected tions and the results of integrating those investi- intermittently since about 1900, and production of small ton- gations for the resource assessment. nages of ores containing gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and tungsten has been recorded. Extensive exploration and devel- GEOGRAPHY AND ACCESS opment currently (1981) is underway at a molybdenum pros- pect about 66 krn east of Ketchikan. Our mineral-resource The Ketchikan-Prince Rupert study area assessment indicates that the area containspotentially signif- (fig. 1) comprises all but a small part of the Alas- icant amounts of those metallic commodities, as well as of kan parts of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert molybdenum, iron, antimony, and barite. The results of these 1:250,000-scale 1-degree by 2-degree topographic studies have been published in a folioof maps accompanied by descriptive texts, diagrams, tables, and pertinent references. The present report serves as a guide to these investigations, provides relevant background information, and integrates the component mapsand reports. It also describes revisions to the geology based on studies completed since the folio was published and includes a list of specific and general refer- ences on the geology and mineral deposits of the study area. INTRODUCTION PURPOSE AND SCOPE I This report and a separately published folio of maps and accompanying tables are part of a series of U.S. Geological Survey publications released to provide public information on the mineral resources and mineral-resource poten- tial of Alaska. This work is part of the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AM- RAP) and is intended to provide information both for long-range national minerals policy and for decisions by State, Federal, commercial, envi- ronmental, and Native interests concerning the future use of Alaskan lands and resources. In o 100 200 KILOMETERS addition, AMRAP aims to increase geologic - knowledge of the State and to provide guidance for mineral exploration. FIGURE1.-1,ocation of Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quad- Most basic data for the maps and tables in the rangles, and area of this investigation (dot pattern). quadrangles. The area covers about 16,000 km2at PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS the south tip of the southeastern Alaska panhan- Before starting the AMRAP systematic min- dle between lat 54°45'-56000'N. and long 13O000'- eral appraisal of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert 1320001W.; it is bounded on the east and south by quadrangles in 1975, the U.S. Geological Survey the United States-Canadian (British Columbia) had conducted numerous reconnaissance and border, and on the west by Clarence Strait. local investigations of the geology and mineral The study area, which lies mainly in the deposits in the study area, beginning around 1900 Pacific Coast Mountains physiographic province, (fig. 2). The most significant results of these is characterized by islands and peninsulas deeply investigations were presented in the reports by dissected by a complex network of coastal and Brooks (1902), Wright and Wright (1908), Smith inland tidal waterways. The terrain ranges from (1915), Chapin (1918), Buddington (1929), Robin- heavily forested rolling uplands on the