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Open-File Report 00-026

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# Assessment of Mineral Resource Tracts in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska

#### By **Steven W. Nelson and Marti L. Miller**

| Abstract
Locatable minerals have been produced from the Chugach National Forest (CNF) for nearly100 years. Past gold production has come from the Kenai Peninsula and the Girdwood,Port Wells, and Valdez areas. Copper and by-product gold and silver have been producedfrom mines at Ellamar, on Latouche Island, and near Valdez. Many of the past-producingproperties were not mined out and contain significant inferred reserves of gold, copper, lead,zinc, and silver. This report outlines mineral resource areas (tracts) that contain bothidentified and undiscovered mineral resources. These tracts were drawn on the basis of oneor more of the following criteria: (1) geochemical anomalies, (2) favorable geologic units,(3) presence of mines, prospects or mineral occurrences, and (4) geophysical anomalies.Bliss (1989) used six mineral deposit models to describe the types of deposits known fromthe CNF. Of these deposit types, only four are sufficiently known and defined in the CNFto be suitable for consideration in outlining and ranking of mineral resource tracts; thesedeposit types are: (1) Cyprus-type massive sulfide, (2) Chugach-type low-sulfide goldquartzveins, (3) placer gold, and (4) polymetallic vein.

The U.S. Bureau of Mines indicated that most of the inferred mineral reserves in the CNF          would not be economic to produce under current prices. Small-scale placer gold operations          are a possible exception. Other known resources that have recorded past production (oil,          coal, rock, sand, and gravel) are not addressed in this report. | First posted Maarch 31, 2000
-  **Report** PDF (2 MB) 

For questions about the content of this report, contact Marti Miller

**For additional information, contact:**Alaska Science Center          U.S. Geological Survey          4210 University Dr.          Anchorage, AK 99508

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### Suggested citation:

Nelson, Steven W.,  and Miller, Marti L.,  2000, Assessment of Mineral Resource Tracts in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-026, 22 pp., *https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2000/0026/*.

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### Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

Tract Descriptions

Current Exploration and Development Potential

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior |            U.S. Geological Survey           	URL: *http://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/2000/0026/index.html*            Page Contact Information: GS Pubs Web Contact           	Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 07-Dec-2016 18:16:23 EST