COPPER MINES AND PROSPECTS

ADJACENT TO LANDLOCKED BAY,

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

BY MIRO MIHELICH AND R. R. WELLS

* * * * iF * * * * Report of Investigations 5320

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fred A. Seaton, Secretary

BUREAU OF MINES

Marling J. Ankeny, Director

Work on manuscript completed June 1956. The Bureau of Mines will welcome reprinting of this paper, provided

the following footnote acknowledgment is made:"Reprinted from Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations5320."

April 1957
COPPER MINES AND PROSPECTS ADJACENT TO LANDLOCKED BAY,

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

by

Miro Mihelich 1/ and R. R. Wells3 /

CONTENTS

Page

Summary ..... ................................................. 1

Introduction ................. 1

Acknowledgments ............... 3

Location and accessibility .................... *0 .............. 3

Property and ownership ..................... 3

physical features and climate. .. 5

History and production. . ........ 5

General geology .......... .... . . . ..... 6

Work performed by Bureau of Mines ..... ..... 7

Field investigations ............... .. ..... 7

Mines and prospects ......0......... *............ .... 16

Threeman mine.... ...... 16

Standard copper mines ....................... 16

Landlock Bay Copper Mining Co. t 17

Alaska Pioneer and Sourdough prospect. 18

Hemple Copper Co. prospect .................... 18

Alaska Commercial prospect . .18

Montezuma prospect ..... . . ..... 19

Chisna Consolidated prospect 19

Laboratory investigations ....... 0....................... 19

Character of the ore ....... . .19

Physical ..................................... 20

Chemical .. 0..*................ 20

Concentration tests ........ ................. 20

1/ Formerly mining engineer, Bureau of Mines, Region I, Alaska

district.

2/ Supervising metallurgist, Bureau of Mines, Region I, Alaska

district.

Report of Investigations 5320
ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

1. Landlocked Bay, Alaska . . . . .. . . . .... . . . .......... . . 2

2. Copper mines and prospects, Landlocked Bay, Alaska ...... 4

3. Plan of Threeman mine . ......... ......... 8

4. Sections A-A and B-B, Threeman mine ..................... 9

5. Standard mine ......... 0........................ oe*f@@ 10

6. Landlocked Bay Copper Mining Co. ................... .O.* 11

7. Alaska Pioneer & Sourdough prospects .................... 12

8. Hemple Copper Co., Landlocked Bay, Alaska ............... 13

9. Montezuma and Alaska Commercial prospects ............... 14

10. Chisna Consolidated prospect ............................ 15

TABLES

1. Ore shipments, Landlocked Bay, Alaska ................... 6

2. Chemical analysis .......... ....... .. o. ...... ....... 20

3. Flotation, Threeman-mine ore ...................... e- 21

4. Operation data, flotation test ...... .................... 21
SUMMARY

The mines and prospects in the vicinity of Landlocked Bay, 25 miles southwest

of Valdez, Alaska (fig. 1), were examined, mapped, and sampled in July and August

1955 as part of a comprehensive investigation by the Bureau of Mines of ore deposits

adjacent to Prince William Sound. The purpose of the investigation is to establish

and record the location, nature, extent, and metallurgical characteristics of copper

and associated metallization in the Prince William Sound district and to indicate,

if possible, those areas in which additional exploration and development may be justified. Of particular interest are the possibly numerous deposits of massive iron

sulfides that were neglected during early mining operations. These deposits may

constitute important reserves of sulfur and iron. At Landlocked Bay deposits of

copper-bearing iron sulfide minerals have been mined or partly explored through mine

workings, which are in a zone about 1 mile wide along the western side of a large

overthrust fault known as the Landlock Overthrust. Eight of the principal mines

along this zone were examined and sampled. Although only three of the mines have a

recorded production of shipping-grade copper ore, all have deposits of copper-bearing iron sulfide minerals that are similar in occurrence. The deposits occur as

lenticular masses and disseminations of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite which

replace crushed rock or fill cavities along shear zones in greenstones and in sedimentary rocks that are exposed between sea level and an altitude of 2,500 feet.

These lenticular masses of sulfide minerals range in size from small pods to ore

bodies that have been stoped to maximum widths of 9 feet, strike lengths up to 70

feet, and dip lengths as much as 350 feet. Where accessible for sampling, the copper content of the deposits ranged from a few hundredths of a percent to over 8 percent; zinc, gold, and silver are present in negligible amounts. Flotation tests of

a sample composited to represent typical mine-run ore indicate that 81 percent of

the copper is recoverable in a product assaying 28 percent copper at a concentration

ratio of 17.5 : 1.

INTRODUCTION

Statistical records indicate that approximately 110,000 tons of metallic copper

(about 16 percent of total Alaskan production) was produced from mines adjacent to

Prince William Sound during the 40-year period ended in 1938. Although the principal production was from a large-scale mining and milling operation on Latouche

Island (Kennecott Copper Corp., Beatson mine), a substantial amount of the total

copper was derived from direct-shipping ores selectively mined or hand-sorted from

numerous other deposits in the district. No production has been made since 1938;

many of the claims have long been abandoned, and mine workings are either caved or

deteriorating rapidly.

Much of the selectively mined copper ore was associated with iron sulfide minerals, which often occurred in massive deposits whose copper content was too low for

profitable extraction; these deposits were not removed or explored. Because of the

increased interest in iron sulfide minerals as a possible source of sulfur and iron

and also because of the impending shortage of copper, the Bureau of Mines began a
2

I60~30' Figure1 - Adlce VALDEB

i \ X ~~~~~~~Area covered &

0 5 1 0~~l 1 5 20

SC AL O F M ILESF

Figure 1. - Landlocked Bay, Alaska.
3

comprehensive investigation of the district to reappraise the deposits in the light of improved mining and metallurgical practices, higher prices for copper, and the possibility of recovering byproduct iron and sulfur. The work was begun at

Landlocked Bay in 1955. This report summarizes general information on the area im- mediately adjacent to Landlocked Bay and presents factual data resulting from this phase of the Prince William Sound investigation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many of the data concerning mining history and regional geology of Landlocked

Bay have been obtained from several bulletins published by the Geological Survey.3 /

LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY

Landlocked Bay is a small embayment on the north shore of Prince William Sound; it is about 2 miles northwest of Port Fidalgo and 25 miles southwest of Valdez

(fig. 1). The area described in this report is between latitudes 60051' to 60°52' N. and longitudes 146°31' to 146°35' W.

Travel to Landlocked Bay may be completed by charter flight of small, pontoon- equipped planes from Cordova, 30 miles southeast of Landlocked Bay, or by boat from Cordova or Valdez; these town are the nearest terminals of scheduled passenger and freight carriers from other Alaskan cities and from the States. A biweekly schedule

of airmail and passenger service is maintained from May to November between Cordova

and Tatitlek (a small native village 6 miles northwesterly by boat from the head of Landlocked Bay). During the winter months mail and supplies are delivered to Tatitlek and nearby Ellamar by small boat from Cordova.

Valdez and Cordova are regular ports of call by freighters of the Alaska Steam- ship Co. In 1955 ocean freight rates, including wharfage, from Seattle to Valdez ranged from $31.00 to $113.00 per ton, depending on class of freight.

Narrow Landlocked Bay is navigable by ocean-going vessels for almost its en- tire length. It also affords secure anchorage, protected from storms. The average tide range at Landlocked Bay is 12 feet; the maximum tide range is 22 feet from mean lower low water.

Travel on land is difficult because of the steep slopes or heavy vegetation; no roads or trails are available.

PROPERTY AND OWNERSHIP

The claims shown on figure 2 are those surveyed for patent between 1903 and

1907. At that time claim ownerships were as follows:

(1) The Threeman Mining Co. patented the Redemption, Keystone, Discovery, Scorcher, Jay, Buckeye, Ajax, Cliff, Daisy, and Montezuma claims. Subsequently the Threeman Mining Co. acquired the holdings of the Alaska Commercial Co. which had

one patented claim named ACCo (see fig. 2).

(2) The Standard Copper Mines held the Apex No. 1, Apex No. 2, Odelle D, Alice

T., Virginia No. 1, and Cornet mining claims and the Apex No. 1 millsite claim.

3/ See footnotes 4, 5, and 6, p. 6.
4

[ ) ( ,J /% \\ 6\ \44 3 /146 31' N 24 000

L /~~~C 

-- 1 000

i/;/e~~~~~ r 0 lin^ X() X:

/D z % X 2 w v X/(n 18~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

/F (I) THREEMAN MINING CO. FISC 5 \%~

S/ COPPER (2) HEMPLE CO. 1>1 -<SS e 00 ~~~

/ COMMERCIAL (3) ALASKA CO / =<<X~~u_ }S<A \ \ / \___

< (4) MONTEZUMA PROSPECT -\ \ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~

(5) STANDARD COPPER MINES 11 S \\ r t \~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~N1. 0

(6)LADLCKE BY OPER INNGCO ff C\ AX \-1lP°

Figure - Copper 2. mines and prsecs Cadoce BaAlsa
5

(3) Hemple Copper Co. was granted a patent on the Fidalgo, Nero, Last Chance,

and Sylvar claims.

(4) The Reynolds Alaska Development Co. held the Standard, Standard No. 4,

Centaur, Grizzly, Tiger, Porcupine, and Beach claims.

The present status of the various claims is not known definitely, but it may be

assumed that title to many of the unpatented claims has lapsed. Title to the patented claims would remain in the companies that may still maintain a corporate existence, but the legal status of claims that were patented in the name of corporations now defunct is doubtful. All of the above-mentioned companies are listed in

the "Mines Register" for 1950 as "inactive," but it is known that the Threeman

Mining Co. maintains an office address in New York City.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND CLIMATE

Landlocked Bay is a narrow indentation on the southern border of Chugach Mountain Range. The area is one of high, sharp relief; in most places the land rises

steeply from the shores, which, in many places, are border by vertical cliffs. The

top of Copper Mountain, although only four-fifths of a mile from the beach, is 3,858

feet above sea level.

When not too steep to afford a foothold for trees, the slopes up to altitudes

of 2,000 feet usually are covered by a dense growth of mature-spruce and hemlock.

Alder, willow, and bushy plants grow thickly between the trees in the evergreen

forests of spruce and hemlock. Lowlands at the head and on the south side of Landlocked Bay support scattered groves of trees interspersed by marshy meadows of

sphagnum moss.

As a result of the deep indentation of the coast and of the high relief of the

land, the stream gradients are steep everywhere, and the valleys are short, with few

tributaries. Adequate fresh water for an operation of almost any size is to be

found in Reynolds Creek and in another large, permanent, but unnamed stream that discharges into the head of Landlocked Bay. Numerous intermittent streams are in the

area.

Temperatures at Landlocked Bay are modified by the Japanese Current. The

winter temperatures seldom fall below zero, and the summers are mild. Mean annual

temperature is about 40° F. A maximum of 860 F. and a minimum of 20 F. has been

recorded at a temporary weather station 26 miles northwest of Landlocked Bay. Deep

winter snows accumulate at all altitudes; even below the perpetual snowline the snow

lingers until late in the summer. At Cordova, the nearest source of records, annual

precipitation ranges from 140 to 190 inches.

HISTORY AND PRODUCTION

According to old reports the first copper deposit discovered on Prince William

Sound was staked on Landlocked Bay in 1897. Between 1897 and 1907 numerous claims

were staked on Landlocked Bay; of these, 7 groups were surveyed for patent during

the latter part of the period (fig. 2).

The mining of copper, with small shipments of high-grade ores, began in 1904,

soon after the first discovery. Extensive surface installations and underground development at the Threeman, Standard, and Landlocked Bay mines were completed by 1911;

by this time a significant amount of hand-sorted ore had been shipped to the smelter
6

at Tacoma, Wash. The Hemple, Alaska Commercial Co., and Chisna Consolidated holdings were prospected actively by trenching and by underground exploration during the

same period; however, no shipments of ore were made from these properties. Mining

activity at all of the properties ceased by 1917. Only obscure ruins remain of the

buildings, aerial trams, ore bunkers, and piers that existed at the Threeman,

Standard, and Lanlocked Bay mines.

Recorded production from Landlocked Bay is summarized in table 1. The massive

sulfide ore was upgraded to as high as 13.0 percent copper by hand sorting. The

average grade of all hand-sorted ore shipments from Landlocked Bay was 7.5 percent

copper. No attempt was made to mine and treat the copper and iron sulfides that remain in the mines as small lenses, minor stringers, and disseminations of sulfides

that could not be economically hand-sorted.

TABLE 1. - Ore shipments, Landlocked Bay, Alaskal/

Metal content

Ore, Copper, Copper, Gold, Silver,

Date tons percent lbs. oz. oz. Mine

1904 12.5 12.0 3,000 (2) (2) Threeman.

1906 45.0 13.0 11,700 (2) (2) Do.

1907 1,000.0 .4 8,000 36 518 Standard.

1909 100.0 12.0 24,000 (2) (2) Do.

1911 739.0 11.8 173,960 14 608 Threeman.

1912 3,300.0 9.1 601,000 48 3,300 Do.

1915 1,500.0 8.3 250,000 39 1,400 Do.

1916 928.0 4.0 74,240 (2) ( Landlocked Bay.

Totals 7,624.5 7.5 1,145,900 137 5,826

1/ From records, Federal Bureau of Mines, Juneau, Alaska.

2/ Gold and silver content not reported.

GENERAL GEOLOGY

Study of the geology of Prince William Sound by the Geological Survey began

almost as soon as the search for mineral deposits. The most comprehensive investigation and detailed description of the regional geology and ore deposits of Landlocked Bay were made by Capps and Johnson-L/ in 1912. Moffitt5 6/ subsequently contributed to the literature of Prince William Sound geology. The following

description of regional geology is based chiefly on the above reports.

The Landlocked Bay area is underlain predominantly by greenstones bounded on

the east by a major overthrust fault known as the Landlock overthrust. East of the

fault are interbedded slates and greywackes of older rocks that have been thrust

from the northwest over younger rocks. The younger rocks are known as the Orca

group and the older as the Valdez group. The Orca group is composed of black

slates, interbedded slates and greywackes, some limestones, greenstones ranging from

rather coarse diabasic intrusives to lava flows, and conglomerates. The presence of

greenstones and conglomerates is one of the chief criteria for distinguishing the

4/ Capps, S. R., and Johnson, B. L., The Ellamar District, Alaska: Geol. Survey

Bull. 605, 1915, 125 pp.

5/ Moffitt, Fred H., and Fellows, Robert E., Copper Deposits of the Prince William

Sound District, Alaska: Geol. Survey Bull. 963-B, 1950, pp. 47-80.

6/ Moffitt, Fred H., Geology of the Prince William Sound Region, Alaska:. Geol.

Survey Bull. 989-E, 1954, pp. 225-310.
7

Orca rocks from the more intensely metamorphosed Valdez group. Both the Valdez and

Orca groups have been folded and intricately faulted; consequently, accurate determination of the thickness of each group is impossible. The greenstones are several

thousand feet thick at Landlocked Bay. The scarcity of fossils and other diagnostic

evidence does not permit conclusive assignment of ages to the rock groups; however,

the Valdez and Orca groups have been classed as late Mesozoic.7/

The rocks underlying and bordering the major Landlock overthrust fault are extensively sheared and faulted. Numerous shear zones visible on the south flank of

Copper Mountain are traceable for considerable distances as shallow troughs or gullies where erosion has removed some of the soft, sheared material. Two fairly well

defined systems of shearing, faulting, and fracturing are recognizable. The more

prominent system, which contains the larger number of shears and faults, strikes

northwest and parallels in a general way the strike of the Landlock overthrust

fault; the other system generally strikes east or almost normal to the strike of the

Landlock overthrust. The dips of both systems are steep, generally 55° to 90°.

All mineral deposits of Landlocked Bay are connected closely with faults or

fissures; they are most abundant near the Landlock-overthrust fault where the

shattering has been most intense.

The copper deposits at Landlocked Bay were formed by replacements of the

crushed rock in shear zones and by the filling of fractures. The ore minerals are

predominantly chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite. Associated with the ore minerals are minor amounts of sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite, chalmersite, silver, and

gold. Pyrite, where present, invariably was the first mineral to be deposited, but

deposition of the other ore minerals followed soon thereafter. Sphalerite was the

last to be deposited.8/ Masses of nearly solid sulfides, lenticular both in plan

and section, are distributed irregularly within the sheared material. The thickness

of known ore lenses ranged from mere films to several feet but seldom were more than

5 feet; the maximum recorded width was 9-1/2 feet.

The intense recent glacial scouring of this area afforded little opportunity

for surface alteration or for secondary enrichment of the ore deposits. Secondary

copper minerals are of little importance; they consist, chiefly, of malachite or

azurite stain and of small flakes of native copper.

WORK PERFORMED BY BUREAU OF MINES

Field Investigations

Eight of the principal mines and prospects adjacent to Landlocked Bay were examined by the Bureau of Mines. Fieldwork included clearing brush from access trails,

reopening caved portals, surveying, sampling, and mapping. Over a mile of new trail

was cleared of dense brush.. The No. 4 level of the Threeman mine, which was caved

for 25 feet from the portal, was reopened and retimbered; debris was removed from

the portals of most of the other mines and prospects examined. Each mine working was

located by triangulation from stations established by the United States Coast and

Geodetic Survey, and all of the important underground workings were surveyed by

transit and tape. Thirty-eight channel samples were obtained from the various deposits and were analyzed for copper, zinc, lead, sulfur, gold, and silver. Sample

locations and analyses are shown on figures 2 through 10; mines and prospects

examined are described below.

7/ Work cited in footnote 5 (p. 6), p. 273.

8/ Work cited in footnote 6 (p. 6), p. 298.
SCALE OF FEET

0 20 40 60 80 100

LEGEND

SAMPLE WIDTH Cu Zn Ag AuI LEVEL- - NO. FEET % % Oz./Ton Oz./TonriLVE

I 1.0 8.60 0.10 T. 3 E E1x - 2 4.0 1,10 .05 1 1VE

3 5.0 .25 .05 T. 1

4 1.5 3.40 .05 0.01 0.07 STOPE OR RAISE 5 1.0 3.90 .05 .08 .02

6 ?-O 60 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~05 T, .01 ~~~~~~~~~~~HEAD OF RAISE 0

7 2.0 .70 .05 .01 .02 FOOT OF RAISE c 8 2.7 1.70 .05 A A SAMPLE LOCATION - 9 4.9 1.20 .05 A 1A SULIDE

10 5.0 3.10 .05 1 1

II 2.1 2.08 .32 1 A

12 3.5 3.86 .17 T, A

13 3.3 .29 .26 A N L T 14 3.0 2.97 .21 1 ______ HA OEN18.800

IS 2.0 4.36 .25 .32 1

16 .7 4.22 .64 .78 A

ALT. 136.8~AL. 0.

7 _

0-' -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0

*~~~~<OTLTA87L 2ORTLEVELVE

~~>< ALT ,r~~~~~~ 2533 .~~~~\ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ LT 70 

01~ ~~ ~ ~~~

w PORTALOLEVE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ RAL LVE

Figue Pla 3. of hreean mneLandoced5a,3laka
9

2~~ 

.

t~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 150 F F V 1 

3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ 0 0 Eg~ N S T E S E O F 100

5 wE47,\700 SECTION A-AL E47ID E

0 20 40 60 80so 0

HORIZONTAL&8 VERTICAL SCALE,FEET

PLANE OF SECTIONS N. 40°E.

200 

SECTION B

Figure 4. - Sections A-A and B-B, Threeman mine.
10

N 22 10C

24 22 21 0

N Sn?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 61 8S.Ifid.S, oq

2 222523

6"Goug N2L850

SAMPLE WIDTH Cu Zn Ag Au

No Feet % % oz. oz\

20 - 5.0 - 007 - - - 0.10 - 0.05

2 1 - 2.0 - t83 - 0.78 - .02 - 6" Iron Stin Verit.ol She-n

22- 3.0 - '.20 - - - .04 n

23- 2.0 -39- - - l U0 - gd 2 ( 3-o -

24 - 20 - 1.07 - - - .07 -

25- 3.5- .22 --- -3 " Gnoge

26- 4.5 -. 22 - - - e' 0.- a"a. _ ,,

27 4 3- 47 --- - 01 Flood ed Snot? 60 S,'FACE

28- 3.5 - .57 - .01

29 - 6.10 6 - 0.31 - R Portc Elev. 2.050 N21,600

N1350

9

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0 / 'Ga INS SIf 

t

d String- .ree

-j/ - -1S~lfide V~r S-rin-ers GREENSTONE D

[>, '- . SXtaneg eo n Q-ootr Veinleti SULFIDES

QUARTZ

t Xoi 2 Se Fault with Gouge

Strike of Vertical Joints

- \\ Shearing Portal Elev. 1t700

2 'luSoar?

Port I Elev. 1,490

E4a300 E40 550 E4C800 F41. Ns0__

Figure 5. - Standard mine, Landlocked Bay, Alaska.
PORTAL

ALT. 80.0

0N 16,400

~~~~. ~ ~ D

N 16,200

ATER-FILLED INCLINED WINZE

0 4 0 8 0 12 0 16 0 Ge

SCALE OF FEET 6

SAMPLE WIDTH CU ZN AG AU

NO. FEET % % OZ/TO'N

35 2.0 6.4 3.5 T TK

36 1.0 6.8 1.8 T 0.02

34 1.0 1.3 .8 To TK

N 16,000

SULFIDES

GREYWACKE a INTERBEDDED SLATE D SHEARING

FAULT

SAMPLE LOCATION

E 45, 600 E45,1800

Figure 6. - Landlocked Bay Copper Mining Co.
12

l~~~~~~~~~~~~~

0 ~~SHAFT

110 ~~~ALT 24.1

PORTAL-ALT 25.3

0 20 40 60 80

Scale of Feet

SAMPLE WIDTH Cu Zn Ag Au

No. Feet % % Oz. /Ton

8 4. 0 0.2 - 0.01 0.11

9 3.0 3.9 - hi .01

10 1. 5 .6 - i hb

II 1. 5 1.4 - i TRN

SULFIDES -. os /

GREYWACKE

AND

GRE ENSTONES

N 17,600

E 47, 600

Figure 7. - Alaska Pioneer & Sourdough prospects.
13

N 19.900

LEGEND

UPPER TUNNEL

LOWER TUNNEL

_ />6'(ouge (> / > SHEARING REENSTONES m

SULFIDES 7 ~~~~~~~~~FAULT

/ Watercourse f n tO 4.

lb 0 ~~0 40 80 120 160

q se . 2 / / < : 0 < O S c ale of F ee t

65 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

19 700

71~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6 3Gou ge Se

15 16 2. 11 .1 .3 03 66e6 S~~~~~~~3. 14 6.0 6 1 .09 : @°e ai . = , <;-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roil Alt.

+ ~~~~~~~~~Backfilled _>44S < __S < N960

.S -vAMPLE S:= WIDTH C u Zn Ag Au \

Oe " .r cO %\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~No. Fe et % % oz. oz.\

coisx b ot D>> 0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3.8 0.7 c<O.I 0Z9 1;R ~ ~ ~~~~~~~12, 

jc <o*> t° > a - ¢/o 13. 2.5 1.; <.I .32 0.32O

0 ~0 15 3.0 <.1 / .1 .02 -R

.o b tm16. 3.0 .I <.1 .08 T

-0

N19,300

E46,700 E46,900 E 47, 100 E47,300 E47,500

Figure 8. - Hemple Copper Co., Landlocked Bay, Alaska.
19A QUARTZ N 19,400

00 I" QUARTZ

80 -I' LIMONITE STAIN

so\ HEAVY WATERFLOW I I 65.

.7, WEAK SHEARIt" N 21,600

75 I" QUARTZ

JNUMEROUS WA ERCOURSES

6" IMONITE STAIN KAOLINIZED PEN FISSURE-WATERCOURSE O 40 SO 120 160

26 < SCALE OF FEET

' GOUGE I T03" GOUGE

FISSURE WATERCOMURS HEAVY WATERFLON N 19,200

O \\ GOUGE I 6 SAMPLE WIDTH CU ZN AG AU

NO, FEET % % OZ/TON

25Q 1~~~~~~~~~7 2.8 4.9 1.4 0.26 0.02

Is I.5 5.9 .1 .22 .01

19 3.2 6.0 A R T

6" G O U GE VERTICA 19A 1.0 .5 A .0 8. 18

_______ N 21,400

,TM I N O R O F4 U S A X R Z _ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~S U L F I D E S

-2f' GOU GEE. I"0 GOU GE I PO AL GREENSTONES

ALT. 200 S H E A R IN G

FAULT

SAMPLE LOCATION _

N 19,000 0.

PORTAL ALTIT DE 270

MONTEZUMA PROSPECT ALASKA COMMERCIAL PROSPECT

E42 700 E42,900 | E 47, 000

Figure 9. - Montezuma and Alaska Commercial prospects, Landlocked Bay, Alaska.
15

0 40 80 120 160 N

Scale of Feet

Legend

Greenstone

Shearing Portal, alt. 50'

w~~~~~~~~ X - filled Winze

*a~t Co1| 3 | Manse IlmonIte stain N1,0

Sample width Cu Zn Ag Au

No. Feet % % Oz. / ton

30 5.0 0.64 - Tr. Tr.

31 5.0 .64 - 0.04 Tr.

32 5.0 .15 - Tr. Tr.

33 5.0 .34 - Tr. Tr.

E 49, )000

Figure 10. - Chisna Consolidated prospect.
16

Mines and Prospects

Threeman Mine

The Threeman mine is on the north shore of Landlocked Bay, approximately 1,000

feet west of the major Landlock overthrust fault (fig. 2). The deposit, on the

Keystone claim, was staked in 1903. The first of several shipments of hand-sorted

sulfide ore was made in 1904, and subsequent ore shipments were made at irregular

intervals until 1915. The total recorded production was 5,596.5 tons of ore with an

average metal content of 9.2 percent copper and minor amounts of gold and silver.

Mining activity at the Threeman mine ceased in 1916. At present, only vestiges remain of the several buildings, a short aerial tram, a sorting bin, an ore bunker,

and a pier that once existed on the property.

The mine was developed by 5 adits at altitudes of 70, 137, 186, 253, and 333

feet; these adits were named No. 5 to No. 1 respectively (fig. 3). Over 5,000 feet

of development and exploration tunnels and crosscuts was completed in 2 rudely parallel shear zones. Except for the timbered portals of No. 4 and No. 5 levels, which

were caved, all drifts and crosscuts were accessible at the time of examination.

For the most part stopes are inaccessible, and where timbered and partly accessible,

the timber is decayed.

The workings of the Threeman mine are in the extensively faulted and sheared

greenstones, greywackes, and slates in the footwall of the Landlock-overthrust

fault. Two shear zones are the most pronounced structural features and loci for ore

deposition at the Threeman mine. The shear zones, which range in width from 15 to

50 feet, strike N. 600 to 70° W.; both shear zones dip to the north but diverge

downward from their surface intersection above the No. 1 level (figs. 3 and 4). The

ores are partly replacements of the crushed material of the shear zones and partly

the filling of fractures in the shattered rocks.

The shipping-grade ore was obtained from two lenticular, almost massive bodies

of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite in the shear zones (fig. 3). The largest ore body

mined was in the southernmost shear zone; its maximum stope length was about 70

feet; its width ranged from 2 to 9-1/2 feet. This ore shoot was mined from the No.

5 level to the surface, a distance of 350 feet on the dip. In the bottom of the

drift on the No. 5 level the ore continues downward as a group of thin, parallel,

chalcopyrite-pyrite stringers whose aggregate width averages slightly more than 3

feet throughout a strike length of about 50 feet. The other ore shoot was in the

northern shear zone; it was stoped to short distances above the No. 3 and No. 4

levels. Where mined, this ore shoot was, according to the records, about 1 foot to

6 feet wide.

Petrographic studies of a composite of ore samples obtained from the Threeman

mine show that the ore contains chlorite, altered ferromagnesian minerals, altered

feldspar, quartz, some chalcopyrite, and small amounts of calcite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and epidote and a very small amount of sphalerite. Channel samples that range

in width from 0.7 to 5.0 feet show that the remaining ore contains 0.3 to 8.6 percent

copper, up to 0.6 percent zinc, and unimportant amounts of gold and silver.

Standard Copper Mines

The underground workings of the Standard Copper mines are over 1 mile west of

the Threeman mine (fig. 2). Exploration and development tunnels of the Standard

Copper mines are in the precipitous south slope of Copper Mountain at altitudes
17

between 1,490 and 2,050 feet (fig. 5). An aerial tram once connected the tunnels to

a 500-ton ore bin and wharf on the north shore of Landlocked Bay. The Standard

Copper mine claims were explored and developed actively from 1906 until 1911. Shipments of 1,100 tons of hand-sorted sulfide ore, containing almost 1.5 percent copper

with some gold and silver, were made in 1907 and in 1909.

The ore bodies are small, lenticular masses of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite at or near the intersection of shear zones or faults. The country rock is

predominantly greenstone but includes some greywacke and slate. The geology is complex because of much shearing and faulting. Most of the deposits are exposed at the

surface as small, rust-colored outcrops where several lines of shearing intersect.

The strongest shear zones strike predominantly almost east and are indefinite in

length; the rust-colored outcrops in the shear zones generally are less than 100

feet long, 1 to 20 feet wide, and mostly dip to the north at fairly steep angles.

Three adits, whose combined length is 1,250 feet, were driven at altitudes of

1,490, 1,700, and 2,050 feet to crosscut and explore the most intensely metallized

shear zones (fig. 5).

The adit at the 2,050-foot altitude was driven to intersect 3 ore-bearing zones

that crop out on the mountain above. The lowest of these zones, which strikes N. 80°

E. and dips 600 N., was intersected 30 feet from the portal of the adit. The ore

shoot on this shear zone was stoped to the surface; it produced the 1,000 tons of

ore shipped in 1907. A vertical shaft 32 feet deep, and 50 feet from the portal was

sunk on this lead; the shaft now is filled with water. Four hundred and twenty feet

from the portal of the adit a drift was driven 250 feet S. 600 W. along a metallized

shear zone which contains a lens of pyrite-chalcopyrite and quartz 2 to 5 feet wide;

the lens dips 450 to 75° N. Samples from this lens contained 0.07 to 0.83 percent

copper, with unimportant amounts of zinc, gold, and silver.

A short adit at 1,700 feet altitude exposed a vertical, ellipsoidal, massive

lens of chalcopyrite and iron sulfides whose maximum length is 32 feet and maximum

width 6.0 feet. The major axis of the lens strikes N. 650 E. The massive chalcopyrite lens occurs at the intersections of several shears in greenstone. A sample

across the maximum width of the lens contained 6.1 percent copper, 0.3 percent zinc,

and traces of gold and silver. The adit at the 1,490-foot altitude was driven 280

feet to intersect this lens in depth but encountered no bodies of sulfides; however,

it was stopped about 40 feet before reaching the vertical projection of the sulfide

lens in the upper adit. A short inclined raise was driven on a stockwork of quartz

veinlets found in the end of the adit at the 1,490-foot altitude (fig. 5).

Landlock Bay Copper Mining Co.

The main underground working of the Landlock Bay Copper Mining Co. is slightly

more than 500 feet of tunnel on the south shore of Landlocked Bay. The portal of

the tunnel, at an altitude of 80 feet, is about half a mile southwest of the Threeman

mine (fig. 2). Discovery of copper ore on the property was made in 1898; underground

exploration of the mine and installation of an 800-ton-capacity ore bunker near the

portal of the mine were completed after 1906. Mining activity culminated in 1916

with the shipment of 928 tons of hand-sorted sulfide ores containing 4 percent copper.

The ore occurs as small lenses of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite in a

shear zone in greenstones or greywacke with interbedded slate (fig. 6). The shear

zone is 4 to 15 feet wide; along the drift its strike changes from almost east to

south and its dip flattens from 800 N. to 300 N. The localization and attitude of
18

the sulfide lenses in the shear zone appear to have been controlled by the intersection of the shear zone with north-dipping faults. Three lenses of chalcopyrite and

pyrite are exposed in the drift. The ore lenses are 25 feet to about 100 feet long;

their average width is slightly more than 1 foot. One of the lenses of sulfides was

partly stoped and was explored below the drift level by a winze reported to be 25

feet deep. Samples of the ore lenses contain 1.3 percent to 6.8 percent copper, 0.8

to 3.5 percent zinc, and traces of gold and silver.

Alaska Pioneer and Sourdough Prospect

The Alaska Pioneer and Sourdough prospect, originally held by the Alaska Commercial Co., is on the north shore of Landlocked Bay 1,700 feet southwest of the

Threeman mine (fig. 2). At this location 65 feet of tunnel and a shallow vertical

shaft were driven to explore a shear zone that strikes N. 600 E. and dips 700 N.

(fig. 7). The shear zone has a well-defined hanging wall but an indistinct foot

wall. The country rock includes greenstones, slate, and greywacke. All of the workings are in greenstones.

The tunnel, at an altitude of 25 feet, exposed an almost massive lens of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite which is 1.5 to 3.0 feet wide throughout a length of 35 feet.

Samples of this lens contained 1.4 to 3.9 percent copper. A vertical shaft 25 feet

deep was sunk in the shear zone 27 feet east of the tunnel face but when examined

was filled with water. A sample of the shear zone above the collar of the shaft

contained 0.2 percent copper.

Hemple Copper Co. Prospect

Underground exploratory tunnels of the Hemple Copper Co. are about 1,500 feet

north of the Threeman mine. A tunnel, at 462 feet altitude was driven about 1,100

feet, and a tunnel at 687 feet altitude was driven 240 feet to explore a shear zone

that strikes almost east and dips about 600 N. (fig. 8).

The country rock is greenstone, black slate, and greywacke. A lens chiefly

composed of stringers of pyrite and pyrrhotite was exposed in the lower tunnel

throughout a length of approximately 150 feet. The width of the lens ranged from

2.5 to 6.0 feet. Samples of this lens contained 0.1 to 1.1 percent copper, with

unimportant amounts of other metals. The tunnel at 687 feet altitude exposed a

short lens of sulfides about 6-inches wide.

Alaska Commercial Prospect

This prospect, reported to have been the' first discovery of copper ore at

Landlocked Bay, was located in 1897. Exploratory openings are in a nearly vertical

cliff on the north shore of Landlocked Bay one-half mile west of the Threeman mine

(fig. 2). A tunnel at an altitude of 200 feet was driven north into the greenstone

cliff to intersect a large shear zone that outcrops above. A drift was driven 200

feet along a northeast-striking shear zone 190 feet from the portal of the tunnel

(fig. 9). The drift exposed two lenses of chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite.

The combined length of the 2 lenses exceeded 100 feet; their width ranged from 1.5

to 3.2 feet.

The strike of the largest sulfide lens is about N. 700 E.; its dip ranges from

65° to 750 N. Samples of this lens contained 4.9 to 6.0 percent copper, 0.1 to 1.4

percent zinc,and minor amounts of gold and silver.
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Other exploratory openings and trenches that are said to have been driven above

the tunnel are obscured by talus and brush.

Montezuma Prospect

Exploratory openings on the Montezuma claim are on the steep south side of

Copper Mountain at an altitude of 1,270 feet, about 1 mile west of the Threeman mine

(fig. 2). The major structure on the Montezuma claim outcrops at an altitude of

1,400 feet as a mineralized shear zone that strikes east and dips 650 N. Erosion of

the outcrop of this shear zone has resulted in a well-defined, shallow trough about

50 feet wide that is traceable for over 1 mile toward the head of Landlocked Bay.

Several smaller shear zones, which contain some pyrite and quartz, outcrop at altitudes of 1,500, 1,700, and 2,000 feet, respectively. These smaller shear zones

generally strike N. 80° to 85° E. and dip N. at angles between 50° and vertical;

their width ranges from 1 to 15 feet throughout strike lengths up to 50 feet.

The tunnel at 1,270 feet altitude was driven north 400 feet but did not intersect the major shear zone or encounter significant sulfide mineralization (fig. 9).

The tunnel is driven in greenstones; it crossed several northeast-striking faults

that dip 25° N. to 80° N. Most of the faults contain limonite and gouge up to 1

foot wide. A quartz-filled fracture about 1 foot wide, which strikes N. 80° E. and

dips 80° N., was exposed in the end of the drift. A sample of this vein contained

0.5 percent copper, traces of zinc, 0.08 ounce of silver, and 0.18 ounce of gold

per ton.

Chisna Consolidated Prospect

Exploratory workings of the Chisna Consolidated prospect are on the south shore

of Landlocked Bay in the hanging wall of the Landlock overthrust fault (fig. 2). The

principal underground working is an inclined shaft reported to be 40 feet deep. The

collar of the shaft, a short distance from the shoreline, is at an altitude of 35

feet at the base of a rust-stained, vertical scarp or bluff slightly more than 100

feet high. The shaft was sunk to explore a zone of closely spaced fracturing or

shearing about 40 feet wide which strikes N. 30° W. and dips 35° NE. Thin films of

chalcopyrite, and of pyrite with gouge, fill the fractures in greenstone. A sample

taken above the collar of the shaft across 10 feet of the zone contained 0.15 to

0.34 percent copper and traces of gold and silver (fig. 10). About 200 feet east of

the bluff 20 feet of tunnel was driven to crosscut an outcropping fracture 5 feet

wide which strikes N. 30° E. and dips 350 E. Samples of the most highly mineralized

parts of the tunnel contain 0.64 percent copper and traces of gold and silver.

Laboratory Investigations

A 600-pound sample of ore for metallurgical testing was composited from 14 samples of the Threeman mine to provide a sample similar in grade and character to the

ore bodies of the Threman deposit.

Character of the Ore

Detailed physical and chemical studies were made of the composite sample from

the Threeman mine; the results follow:
20

Physical

Petrographic study showed that the composite sample essentially contains chlorite, altered ferromagnesian minerals, altered feldspar, quartz, some chalcopyrite,

and small amounts of calcite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and epidote, and a very small

amount of sphalerite.

Maximum liberation occurs in the minus-65- plus-100-mesh fraction, but the bulk

of the chalcopyrite is liberated in the coarser minus-48-plus-65-mesh fraction.

Chemical

Representative head samples of the composite sample were analyzed chemically

and spectrographically. The results of partial chemical analyses are shown in

table 2. A semiquantitative spectrographic analysis revealed the presence and approximate quantities of the following metals: Over 10 percent Al; 5 to 10 percent

Ca; about 1 percent Cu; 1 to 5 percent Mg; 0.001 to 0.01 percent Ag; 0.01 to 0.1

percent Zn; 0.01 to 0.1 percent Cr; about 0.1 percent Co; over 10 percent Fe; about

0.1 percent Mn; 0.01 to 0.1 percent Ni; over 10 percent Si; about 1 percent Ti; and

0.01 to 0.1 percent V. Any other elements present are in amounts lower than the

minimum detectable by the routine technique employed. A spectrographic analysis of

sample 5 of the Threeman mine showed a selenium content of less than 0.01 percent.

TABLE 2. - Chemical analysis

Assay, ercent Oz. er ton

Cu Fe Insol. Zn Ni I Co Au Ag

1.65 15.1 49.3 1/0.05 0.01 0.02 Tr 0.36

1/ Less than.

Concentration Tests

A series of flotation tests to determine the grind and reagent combination required for maximum recovery of copper from the ore was completed. Although good

recoveries of copper were obtained by rougher flotation of ore ground to minus-48-

or 65-mesh, it was difficult to clean the rougher concentrate. Several tests were

made in which the rougher concentrate was reground before cleaning. The results

shown in table 3 are typical of tests using this procedure. For this test ore was

ground in a laboratory ball mill to pass a 48-mesh sieve. The pulp was conditioned

with lime and collector for 5 minutes and a rougher concentrate was made. The

rougher concentrate was reground 12 minutes and cleaned 3 times. Operation data of

the test are shown in table 4.

By flotation 81 percent of the copper was recovered in a concentrate assaying

28.4 percent Cu, 35.3 percent Fe, and 1.9 percent acid-insoluble matter. Over 13

percent of the total copper reported in the cleaner tailings, which could be retreated to increase the recovery of copper slightly. The small amount of cobalt

in the ore, which apparently is associated with pyrrhotite, was concentrated to

some extent in the cleaner tailing.

Partial oxidation of the ore samples as received reduced the flotability of the

copper minerals and activated the iron sulfides, making separation of copper and

iron minerals more difficult.
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TABLE 3. - Flotation, Threeman-mine ore

Weight, Assay, percent Distriutionpercent

Product percent Cu Co Fe Insol. Cu Co Fe

Concentrate ............ 4.28 28.4 0.01 35.3 1.9 81.1 2.8 10.2

Cleaner tail, 3 ....... 1.17 6.3 .10 43.1 12.1 4.9 8.4 3.4

Cleaner tail, 2 .89 9.2 .03 26.4 24.2 5.5 2.1 1.6

Cleaner tail, 1 .6.02 .8 .06 24.7 37.6 3.2 25.2 10.1

Rougher tail .87.64 .09 .01 12.6 51.7 5.3 61.5 74.7

Calculated head .100.00 1.5 .014 14.8 48.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Combined cleaner tails 8.08 2.5 .06 27.5 32.4 13.6 35.7 15.01

TABLE 4. - Operation data, flotation test

Rea ents, pound per ton

Circuit pH CaO NaCN Z-3I/ M.I.C._/

Grinding ......... - - - -

Conditioner ........ 9.8 1.0 0.1 0.25 0.1

Rougher ......... 9.8 - - - _ Regrind ...... . _ 1.0 - - _ Cleaner 1 ......... 10.0 - - - .05

Cleaner 2 ......... 9.5 - - - _ Cleaner 3 ......... 7.5 - - -

Total ...... 2.0 .1 .25 .15

1/ Potassium ethyl xanthate.

2/ Methyl isobutyl carbinol frother.

I MT.-DU.OFMINES .PGH. .PA. 8141