U.S. Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey

Christian quadrangle

Descriptions of the mineral occurrences shown on the accompanying figure follow. See 

U.S. Geological Survey (1996) for a description of the information content of each field in the 

records. The data presented here are maintained as part of a statewide database on mines, 

prospects and mineral occurrences throughout Alaska.

147°

68

144°

Distribution of mineral occurrences in the Christian l:250,000-scale 

quadrangle, northeastern Alaska

This and related reports are accessible through the USGS World Wide Web site 

http://www-mrs-ak.wr.usgs.gov/ardf. Comments or information regarding corrections or 

missing data, or requests for digital retrievals should be directed to the author(s) of this 

compilation:

James Dover

U.S. Geological Survey

4200 University Drive

Anchorage, AK 99508-4667

Voice: (907) 786-7419

e-mail: jdover@usgs.gov

Location of map area in Aladca

Alaska

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.

OPEN-FILE REPORT 97-294

USGS
Alaska Resource Data File Page 1

Site: Timber/Marten Creeks

Type: Occurrence 

ARDFno. CS001

Latitude: 67.42 

Longitude: 145.6

Quadrangle: CS B-3

Location description and accuracy:

Location plotted is locality 34 of Barker and Clautice (1978, p. 14) near headwaters 

of Timber and Marten Creeks, about 11.5 miles (18.5 km) west northwest of 

Christian; within three miles (4.8 km)

Commodities:

Main: Cr Other:

Ore minerals: Chromite 

Gangue minerals:

Geologic description:

Minor chromite in poorly exposed peridotite of Christian mafic-ultramafic complex. 

Geochemical sample contains 6.6% Cr2O3 (Foley and others, 1985, p. 18-19).

Alteration:

Workings/Exploration:

Age:

Deposit model:

Lode; podiform chromite

Deposit model number (After Cox and Singer, 1986 or Bliss, 1992):

Status: Inactive

8a 

Production: No

Production notes:

Reserves:

Additional comments:

References:

Barker and Clautice, 1978; Foley and others, 1985; Enns and Findlay, 1977; Hawley 

and Garcia, 1976

Primary reference: Foley and others, 1985

Reporter: J.M. Schmidt; J.H. Dover 

Reporter affiliation: USGS 

Last report date: 9/12/96
Alaska Resource Data File Page 2

Site: Levi Creek

Type: Occurrence 

ARDFno. CS002 

Latitude: 67.38 

Longitude: 146.37

Quadrangle: CS B-4

Location description and accuracy:

Levi Creek, 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Tsyooktuihvun Lake, about 26 miles (41.8 

km) north of Venetie; within 3 miles (4.8 km).

Commodities:

Main: Cr, PGE Other:

Ore minerals: Chromite 

Gangue minerals: Magnetite

Geologic description:

Source and host rocks are pyroxenite, peridotite, dunite and gabbro of the Christian 

River mafic-ultramafic complex.

Alteration:

Workings/Exploration:

7% chromite was observed in a rock sample from Levi Creek. Cr-bearing magnetite 

from Levi Creek contained 0.003 troy oz/short ton Pt and 0.0006 oz/short ton Pd. 

Traces of PGE also occur (Foley and others, 1985, p. 19; Foley and others, 1989, p. 

2).

Age:

Deposit model:

Lode; podiform chromite

Deposit model number (After Cox and Singer, 1986 or Bliss, 1992):

Status: Inactive

8a 

Production: No

Production notes:

Reserves:

Additional comments:

References:

Foley and others, 1985; Foley and others, 1989; Hawley and Garcia, 1976; Enns and 

Findlay, 1977

Primary reference: Foley and others, 1985 

Reporter: J.M. Schmidt
Alaska Resource Data File Pages

Reporter affiliation: USGS 

Last report date: 10/15/92
Alaska Resource Data File Page 4

Site: Unnamed

Type: Occurrence 

ARDFno. CS003 

Latitude: 67.67 

Longitude: 146.97

Quadrangle: CS C-5

Location description and accuracy:

Location plotted is locality 11 of Barker (1981, p. 30), about 2 miles (3.2 km) westsouthwest of major fork in North Fork of East Fork of Chandalar River; within two 

miles (3.2 km).

Commodities:

Main: Cu Other:

Ore minerals: 

Gangue minerals:

Geologic description:

Copper values appear to be related to Upper Devonian black metaclastic pyllitic 

rocks under a thrust sheet of Skajit Limestone.

Alteration:

Workings/Exploration:

202 claims were staked (ACH and CHA claim groups) in 1975. Exploration included 

drilling; no results reported (Barker, 1981, p. 32, loc. 11).

Age:

Deposit model:

Lode; Cu in clastic sedimentary rocks

Deposit model number (After Cox and Singer, 1986 or Bliss, 1992):

Production: No Status: Inactive

Production notes:

Reserves:

Additional comments:

See MAS/MILS Sequence # 0020320004, USBM (1995)

References:

Barker, 1978; Barker, 1981; USBM, 1995

Primary reference: Barker, 1981

Reporter: J.M. Schmidt 

Reporter affiliation: USGS 

Last report date: 10/ 15/92
Alaska Resource Data File Pages

Site: Christian River Chromium

Type: Prospect 

ARDFno. CS004

Latitude: 67.39 

Longitude: 145.62

Quadrangle: OS B-3

Location description and accuracy:

Hill 2470, in headwaters area of Marten Creek, about 12 miles (19.3 km) west of 

Christian; within 1 mile (1.6 km).

Commodities:

Main: Cr Other: PGE

Ore minerals: Chromite 

Gangue minerals:

Geologic description:

Chromite associated with peridotitic rocks and yellowish soil contains residual 

nodules of dark, weakly magnetic material 1-2 inches (25.4-50.8 mm) across. Type 

of ultramafic occurrence uncertain

Alteration:

Workings/Exploration:

Analysis of a 2 Ib (0.91 kg) sample of nodules showed 4.5 percent chromium and a 

trace of platinum and palladium.

Age:

Deposit model:

Lode

Deposit model number (After Cox and Singer, 1986 or Bliss, 1992):

Production: No Status: Inactive

Production notes:

Reserves:

Additional comments:

References:

USBM, 1995, MAS/MILS Sequence # 0020320005

Primary reference: USBM, 1995

Reporter: J.H. Dover 

Reporter affiliation: USGS 

Last report date: 9/3/96
Alaska Resource Data File Page 6

References Cited

Barker, J.C., 1978, Mineral investigations of certain lands in the eastern Brooks Range: 

a summary report: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open File Report No. 63-78, 25 p.

Barker, J.C., 1981, Mineral investigations of certain lands in the eastern Brooks Range, 

1978: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open File Report No. 37-81, 288 p.

Barker, J.C., and Clautice, K.H., 1978, Mineral reconnaissance of the Porcupine River 

region: a summary report: U.S. Bureau of Mines OpenFile Report No. 87-78, 20 p.

Bliss, J.D, ed., 1992, Developments in deposit mineral deposit modeling: U.S. 

Geological Survey Bulletin 2004, 168 p.

Cox, D.P., and Singer, D.A., 1986, Mineral deposit models: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1693, 379 p.

Enns, S., and Findley, A., 1977, Venetie Indian Reservation: Unpubl. British Petroleum 

Mineral Survey, 54 p.

Foley, J.Y., Barker, J.C., and Brown, L.B., 1985, Critical and strategic minerals

investigations in Alaska: Chromium: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open File Report No. 97- 

85, 54 p.

Foley, J.Y., Burns, L.E., Schneider, C.L., and Forbes, R.B., 1989, Preliminary report of 

platinum group element occurrences in Alaska: Alaska Department of Geological 

and Geophysical Surveys Public Data File 89-20, 33 p., scale 1:2,500,000.

Hawley, C.C., and Garcia, G., 1976, Mineral appraisal and geologic background of the 

Venetie Native Lands: Unpubl. Bureau of Indian Affairs contract report no. 6EOO0102598

U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1995, Spatial data extracted from the Minerals Availability 

System/Mineral Industry Location System (MAS/MILS): U.S. Bureau of Mines 

Special Publication 12-95 (CD-ROM)

U.S. Geological Survey, 1996, Descriptions of the fields used to report brief descriptions 

of mines, prospects, and mineral occurrences in Alaska and Hawaii: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 96-79, 5 p.