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By Marti L. Millerl, Harvey E. Belkin2, Robert B. Blodgett2, Thomas K

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By Marti L. Millerl, Harvey E. Belkin2, Robert B. Blodgett2, Thomas K DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PRE-FIELD STUDY AND MINERAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT OF THE SLEETMUTE QUADRANGLE, SOUTHWESTERN ALASKA by Marti L. Millerl, Harvey E. Belkin2, Robert B. Blodgett2, Thomas K. BundtzenS, John W. Cady4, Richard J. Goldfarb4, John E. Gray4, Robert G. McGimseyl, and Shirley L. Simpson4 Open-File Report 89-363 This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 1 Anchorage, Alaska 2 Reston, Virginia 3 Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks, Alaska 4 Denver, Colorado 1989 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.............................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1. LOCATION, ACCESS, CLIMATE, AND LAND STATUS................ 3 CHAPTER 2. GEOLOGY................................................... 6 Data coverage....................................................... 6 Previous work.................................................... 6 Base material available.......................................... 7 Summary of geologic information..................................... 7 Overview......................................................... 7 Paleozoic rocks of continental margin origin..................... 11 Mesozoic rocks of accretionary origin............................ 12 Post-accretionary rocks.......................................... 14 Kuskokwim Group............................................... 14 Igneous rocks................................................. 16 Unconsolidated deposits....................................... 19 Tectonic history................................................. 20 CHAPTER 3. GEOCHEMISTRY.............................................. 22 Data coverage....................................................... 22 Summary of geochemical surveys...................................... 22 Rock geochemistry................................................ 22 Stream sediment and heavy-mineral-concentrate data............... 23 Geochemical anomalies............................................... 23 Anomalous areas indicated by ADGGS data.......................... 23 Anomalous areas indicated by USBM data........................... 28 Conclusions...................................................... 28 CHAPTER 4. GEOPHYSICS ................................................ 30 Remote sensing...................................................... 30 Data coverage.................................................... 30 Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and Thematic Mapper (TM).. 30 NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)......... 30 Synthetic Aperture Radar (STAR-1) mosaic and image strips..... 32 Aerial photography............................................ 32 Summary.......................................................... 32 Gravity............................................................. 33 Data coverage.................................................... 33 Interpretation................................................... 33 Magnetics........................................................... 33 Data coverage.................................................... 33 Interpretation................................................... 33 Radiometrics........................................................ 37 Data coverage.................................................... 37 Interpretation................................................... 37 CHAPTER 5. MINERAL RESOURCES ......................................... 45 Mining history...................................................... 45 Description of known and potential deposit models................... 46 Red Devil mercury-antimony deposit model......................... 46 Geology....................................................... 46 ii Fluid inclusion data.......................................... 47 Stable isotope data........................................... 50 Comparable mercury deposits................................... 51 Genesis....................................................... 52 Alkalic epithermal gold-silver deposit model..................... 53 Geology....................................................... 53 Comparable districts.......................................... 53 Gold-tungsten-quartz vein deposit model.......................... 53 Geology....................................................... 53 Comparable deposits and models................................ 54 Tin-silver-boron enriched deposit model.......................... 54 Geology....................................................... 54 Comparable deposits........................................... 55 Carbonate host deposit models.................................... 55 Mississippi Valley type deposit model......................... 55 Skarn deposit models.......................................... 56 Description of mineral tracts....................................... 57 Tract 1.......................................................... 57 Tract 2.......................................................... 60 Tract 3.......................................................... 60 Tract 4.......................................................... 61 Tract 5.......................................................... 61 Tract 6.......................................................... 61 Summary............................................................. 62 CHAPTER 6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL DATA ACQUISITION........... 63 REFERENCES CITED...................................................... 64 APPENDIX Descriptions of mines, prospects, and occurrences of the Sleetmute quadrangle.......................................................... 74 ill FIGURES Page 1. Map showing location of the Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska.......... 4 2. Map showing land status in the Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska....... 5 3. Terminology and relationships of the Farewell terrane............. 9 4. Tectonostratigraphic terranes of the Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska............................................................ 10 5. Stratigraphic section of the Hagemeister subterrane of the Togiak terrane showing the three sequences defined by Box (1985) ......... 13 6. Distribution of rocks of the Cretaceous Kuskokwim Group in west- central and southwestern Alaska................................... 15 7. Locations of volcano-plutonic complexes in west-central and southwestern Alaska............................................... 17 8. Geochemically anomalous elements in the Sleetmute A-6, B-5, and B-6 quadrangles................................................... 24 9. Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) Digital Mosaic of the Sleetmute quadrangle and some of the surrounding area............. 31 10. Complete Bouguer gravity anomaly map, Sleetmute quadrangle....... 34 11. Residual total magnetic field map, Sleetmute quadrangle.......... 35 12. Total-count gamma ray radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle..... 38 13. Potassium distribution, radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle... 39 14. Equivalent thorium distribution, radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle....................................................... 40 15. Equivalent uranium distribution, radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle....................................................... 41 16. Uranium/thorium ratio, radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle.... 42 17. Uranium/potassium ratio, radiometric data, Sleetmute quadrangle.. 43 18. Shaded topographic map of the Sleetmute quadrangle............... 44 19. Generalized isometric block diagram of part of the Red Devil mine............................................................. 48 20. The mineral resource potential/certainty classification system... 58 iv TABLES Page 1. Anomalous concentrations of stream sediment, rock, and heavy- mineral-concentrate samples for the Sleetmute quadrangle.......... 25 2. Red Devil fluid inclusion data.................................... 49 PLATES 1. Preliminary geologic map, Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska....(in pocket) 2. Mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences, Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska....................................................(in pocket) 3. Mineral resource tracts, Sleetmute quadrangle, Alaska..... (in pocket) ABSTRACT This document represents a comprehensive summary of all presently existing geologic, geochemical, and geophysical data pertaining to the Sleetmute quadrangle, southwestern Alaska. Most of this data has been previously published by Federal or State agencies, however, some unpublished data is also included. The purpose of this report is to present a preliminary mineral resource assessment based solely on existing data, and to make recommendations for future work should this quadrangle be designated for examination under the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP). The Sleetmute quadrangle encompasses parts of the low rolling Kuskokwim Mountains and the Holitna Lowland. The Kuskokwim River, Alaska's second largest, crosses the northern half of the quadrangle. Access is primarily by air, although the Kuskokwim River is navigable by small boats and shallow-draft commercial vessels. Over half of the quadrangle is State owned; ownership of the remaining land is about equally divided between Native interests and the Federal Government. Alaska's largest mercury mine, the Red Devil deposit, is located
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