The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment ProgramBackground Information to Accompany 

Geologic and Mineral-Resource Maps of the 

Killik River 1 °X3 o Quadrangle, Northern Alaska 
Cover. View from hill west of Kikiktat Mountain looking south toward Gates of the Arctic National Park. Akrnalik Creek runs through the center of the photograph. The low 

hills in the foreground are underlain by chert of Jurassic to Mississippian age and 

graywacke of the Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation. Carbonate rocks of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Lisboume Group form the knife-edge ridges in the center 

of the photograph. The mountains in the background are made up of clastic rocks of the 

Upper Devonian and Lower Mississippian(?) Kanayut Conglomerate. Photograph by 

Karen Duttweiler Kelley, June 18, 1982. 
The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment ProgramBackground Information to Accompany 

Geologic and Mineral-Resource Maps of the 

Killik River 1 °X3° Quadrangle, Northern Alaska 

By K.D. Kelley and C.G. Mull 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 1117 

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1995 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Gordon P. Eaton, Director 

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Map Distribution 

Box 25286, MS 306, Federal Center 

Denver, CO 80225 

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and 

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 

Kelley K.D., 

The Alaska mineral resource assessment program : background information to 

accompany geologic and mineral-resource maps of the Killik River 1 °X3° Quadrangle, 

Northern Alaska I by K.D. Kelley, and C.G. Mull 

p. em. - ( U.S. Geological Survey circular ; 1117) 

Includes bibliographical references. 

Supt.ofDocs.no.: I 19.412:1117 

1. Mines and mineral resources-Alaska-Brooks Range. I. Mull, Charles 

G. II. Title. III. Series. 

TN24.A4K35 1995 

553'.097987-dc20 94-45973 

CIP 
CONTENTS 

Abstract. ......................................................................................................................... . 

Introduction ................................................................................................................... . 

Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................. . 

Geography and Access .......................................................................................... . 

Land Status ... . . . . .. ... . . . .. ... . .. . . . . ... ... . . .. . .... ... . .. ..... . . . ... . .. . . .. . . . ... .. . . . . .. ... . . . . . . ... . . . . . . .. . ... . .. .. .... . . . . 2 

Mineral and Energy Production and Exploration........................................................... 3 

Geology.......................................................................................................................... 5 

Geochemical Investigations............................................................................................. 9 

Potential Mineral Resources........................................................................................... 12 

References Cited ................................. ~.......................................................................... 14 

FIGURES 

1-4. Maps showing: 

1. Location of the Killik River quadrangle .. .... .... ..... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ... .. .. .. .... .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ..... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. ...... .. .. .. . 3 

2. Selected geographic and physiographic features and land status of the Killik River quadrangle...................... 4 

3. Generalized geology of the Killik River quadrangle.......................................................................................... 6 

4. Boundaries of areas with potential for mineral resources in the Killik River quadrangle.................................. 10 

TABLES 

1. Geologic. geochemical, geophysical, and mineral-resource maps and reports of the Killik River quadrangle........ 2 

III 

The Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment 

Program-Background Information to Accompany 

Geologic and Mineral-Resource Maps of the 

Killik River 1 °X 3 o Quadrangle, Northern Alaska 

By K.D. Kelley and C. G. Mull 

ABSTRACT 

This report summarizes results of integrated geological, 

geochemical, and geophysical field and laboratory studies 

conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Killik River 

1 °X3 o quadrangle, Brooks Range, northern Alaska. These 

studies were designed to provide an assessment of the mineral resources of the quadrangle. 

The geological and geochemical data were the primary 

sources of information used to assess the mineral-resource 

potential of the quadrangle. The presence of permissive host 

rocks and favorable geochemical signatures in stream- and 

lake-sediment and (or) heavy-mineral-concentrate samples 

were used to infer the potential for undiscovered resources of 

minerals in deposits of different types. The Killik River 

quadrangle may contain undiscovered resources of preciousand base-metals (principally lead, silver, and zinc) in veins 

and breccias hosted by Devonian and Mississippian clastic 

sedimentary rocks or in stratiform massive sulfide deposits 

hosted primarily by Mississippian and Pennsylvanian sedimentary rocks. Resources of barium, phosphate, and manganese may be present in Mississippian to Jurassic sedimentary 

rocks. Cretaceous fluvial sedimentary rocks in the northern 

part of the quadrangle are permissive hosts for uranium 

deposits, as well as for placer deposits of heavy minerals 

such as gold and chromite; however, geochemical data suggest that the potential for deposits of this type is low. Numerous coal beds are present in the Cretaceous rocks throughout 

the northern part of the quadrangle, but the limited thickness 

and lateral extent of most of the beds reduce their resource 

potential. Although the southern third of the quadrangle has 

no potential for petroleum resources, there is potential in the 

northern two-thirds. 

INTRODUCTION 

PURPOSE AND SCOPE 

Field and laboratory studies in the Killik River 1 °X3° 

quadrangle of northern Alaska were conducted from 1981 to 

1986 as part of the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment 

Program (AMRAP). The overall objective was to provide 

geologic, geophysical, and geochemical data for delineating 

areas favorable for hosting mineral deposits. The studies 

were also aimed at enhancing the geologic knowledge of a 

remote area that has received few recent earth-science investigations. A list of maps and reports that provide the primary 

mineral-resource data for the Killik River quadrangle is 

given in table 1. Other sources of information on the geology 

of the quadrangle are cited in the text and listed in the accompanying references. 

Geological and geochemical data were the primary 

sources of information used to assess the mineral resource 

potential of the Killik River quadrangle. These data were 

evaluated utilizing mineral deposit models (Cox and Singer, 

1986). Geophysical data from the Killik River quadrangle 

were of limited use, however, because only aeromagnetic 

data are available for the entire quadrangle (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 1983). Furthermore, the flight lines were flown parallel with the range crest, making leveling from line to line, 

and thus evaluation of the aeromagnetic data, difficult (D.L. 

Campbell, oral commun., 1991 ). 

GEOGRAPHY AND ACCESS 

The Killik River quadrangle is in the central part of the 

Brooks Range and Arctic Foothills physiographic provinces 
2 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER 1 °X3° QUADRANGLE 

Table 1. Geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and mineral-resource maps and reports of the Killik River 1 °X3 o quadrangle, northern 

Alaska. 

Reference Subject 

Barton and others (1982) ............................................ Analytical data for stream-sediment and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate 

samples collected during the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program 

(AMRAP) survey. 

Los Alamos National Laboratory (1982) .................... Analytical data for stream- and lake-sediment samples collected during the 

National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program. 

U.S. Geological Survey (1983) .................................. Aeromagnetic survey. 

Sutley and others (1984) ............................................ Analytical data for stream-sediment and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate 

samples collected during the AMRAP survey. 

Motooka and others (1989) ........................................ Analytical data for stream-sediment samples collected during the AMRAP and 

NURE surveys. 

Mull and others (1994) ............................................... Geologic map of the Killik River quadrangle (1:125,000 scale). 

Kelley and others (1995a) .......................................... Geochemical maps and interpretations of stream-sediment geochemical data for 

the southern part of the quadrangle. 

Kelley and others (1995b) .......................................... Geochemical maps and interpretations of nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate 

geochemical data for the southern part of the quadrangle. 

Kelley and Mull (1995a) ............................................ Mineral-resource assessment; generalized geologic map (1:250,000 scale), and 

delineation and characterization of areas having potential for undiscovered 

resources of metallic and nonfuel minerals. 

Kelley and Mull (1995b) ............................................ Geochemical maps and interpretation of stream- and lake-sediment geochemical 

data for the northern part of the quadrangle. 

(W ahrhaftig, 1965), along the northern flank and foothills of 

the Endicott Mountains (figs. 1, 2). About half of the quadrangle lies within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska 

(NPRA), and half is in Gates of the Arctic National Park. The 

quadrangle is also within an area designated as the Colville 

mining district by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (fig. 1). 

Topography varies from moderately steep terrain in the 

Endicott Mountains in the southern part of the quadrangle to 

nearly flat in the northern part of the quadrangle. The highest 

elevation is 2,236 m (7,335 ft). Although the mountains were 

extensively glaciated during Tertiary and Quaternary time, 

glaciers are presently confined to a few north-facing cirques 

at elevations above 1,500 m (5,000 ft) in the highest part of 

the mountains. Braided and meandering rivers drain northward through the quadrangle into the eastward-flowing 

Colville River, which eventually empties into the Arctic 

Ocean. The sparse vegetation includes willows, grasses, 

sedges, mosses, lichens, flowering plants, and peat. Permafrost underlies the entire area. 

There is no year-round human habitation in the study 

area. The nearest supply centers are at Anaktuvuk Pass (50 

km to the east), Barrow (250 km to the north), Kotzebue (400 

km to the southwest), and Fairbanks (about 480 km to the 

south). Access is limited to aircraft, boat, snowmachine, or 

foot travel. All-weather gravel-surfaced airstrips are available 

at the abandoned Lisburne No. 1 test well site at the western 

end of the Ivotuk Hills and at the abandoned Killik No. 1 test 

well site north of Kikiktat Mountain; an unimproved, marginally usable airstrip on a gravel bar is at the confluence of 

the Etivluk and Colville Rivers in the extreme northwest part 

of the quadrangle (fig. 2). Rivers navigable by raft or canoe 

include the Killik, Okpikruak, and Colville Rivers. 

Acknowledgments.-Many colleagues participated in 

the earth-science investigations of the Killik River quadrangle that are summarized in this circular. We gratefully 

acknowledge their important contributions, many of which 

are cited in the accompanying list of references. In particular, we acknowledge Harlon N. Barton, Stanley E. Church, 

John Haggard, and Sally K. Odland, who assisted in field 

work related to the reconnaissance geochemical survey. Jim 

Domenico, Harlan Barton, Steve Sutley, and Rich O'Leary 

provided analytical assistance. Fossils were identified by 

J.T. Dutro, Jr., A.G. Harris, and K.M. Reed. We also thank 

D. L. Campbell for his interpretation of the geophysical data 

from the quadrangle. Finally, our gratitude to our helicopter 

pilot, Mose Car, for safely transporting us to peaks, ridges, 

and valleys during several years of field work. 

LAND STATUS 

The Killik River 1 °X3° quadrangle is mostly federally 

administered public land. The National Petroleum Reserve 

in Alaska (NPRA) is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. 

Bureau of Land Management, whereas the Noatak National 

Preserve (in the-extreme southwestern part of the quadrangle) and Gates of the Arctic National Park are administered 

by the National Park Service. Figure 2 shows the location 

and classification of Federal lands and State of Alaska and 

Native land selections within the quadrangle. 
MINERAL AND ENERGY PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION 3 

168° 166° 162° 166° 163° 

71° 

1\c 

~'i-c 

Burow 

70° 

eg• 

ea• 

GATES OF THE AR.CfiC 

NATIONAL PARK 

0 100 KILOMETERS 

0 100 MILES 

Figure 1. Map showing location of the Killik River I 0 X3° quadrangle and other quadrangles in the Brooks Range, northern 

Alaska. 

MINERAL AND ENERGY 

PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION 

There has been no commercial production of metallic 

mineral or energy resources in the Killik River 1 °X3° quadrangle, and until this AMRAP study there were no known 

occurrences or deposits. Mineral and energy exploration and 

studies related to resource evaluation in the Killik River quadrangle and adjacent areas began in the early 1900's and have 

continued to the present. The earliest studies in the Brooks 

Range were conducted by geologists and geographers 

(Schrader, 1904; Brooks, 1909). Oil seeps and favorable geologic structures described in these reports and by early U.S. 

Navy expeditions led President Harding to establish the Naval 

Petroleum Reserve No. 4 (also called NPR-4 and later 

renamed NPRA) in 1923. From 1923 to 1926, the U.S. Navy 

commissioned the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to assess 

the potential for oil and other mineral resources in NPR-4 as 

well as in adjacent areas to the east, including much of the 

Killik River drainage area. The results of these investigations 

are summarized in Smith and Mertie (1930) and include the 

first topographic and geologic maps of the area. 

Concern for long-term petroleum supplies during World 

War II prompted further geologic investigations ofNPR-4. As 

a result, a geologic and topographic mapping program was 

conducted from 1944 to 1953 in NPR-4 and adjacent areas 

(Detterman and others, 1963; Chapman and others, 1964; Patton and Tailleur, 1964). During these investigations, the only 

minerals noted were occurrences of sedimentary phosphate 

at widely scattered locations along the northern front of the 

Brooks Range and in the adjacent foothills. Detailed studies 

of selected phosphate occurrences were conducted by Patton 

and Matzko (1959), and as part of these studies selected rock 

samples were collected from the Killik River quadrangle and 

analyzed for phosphate and uranium. 

In 1976, under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, Congress renamed NPR-4 the National Petroleum 
4 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER I 0 X3° QUADRANGLE 

G 

X 6,250 It 

1,905 m 

0 

0 

7,3351t X 

2,236 m 

A 

X 7,040 It 

2,146 m 

/ 

10 

10 

/ 

20 

EXPLANATION 

/ 

,.,, :;::I 

~ 

/..... 

N 

7,210 It X 

2,198m 

X 7,01011 

2,137 m 

MOUNTI>.INS " '-

30 KILOMETERS 

20 MILES 

Gates of tbe Arctic National Park (administered by National Park Service) 

\ 

p 

X 6,250 It 

1,905 m 

National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) (administered by U.S. Bureau of Land Management) 

Noatak National Preserve (administered by National Park Service) 

State-owned land 

Native-owned land 

Native selection 

State selection 

Native and State selection 

U.S. Bureau of Land Management land open for selection 

153° 

\ 
GEOLOGY 5 

Figure 2 (facing page). Map showing geographic and physiographic features and land status within the Killik River 1 °X3° quadrangle, northern Alaska. 

Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) and transferred administration of 

the reserve to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS, 

as an agency in the Department of the Interior, was directed 

to continue exploration in the reserve to aid in assessing petroleum and other resources (Carter and others, 1977; Schindler, 

1988). Extensive geophysical surveys were conducted in the 

NPRA and a number of exploratory wells drilled under contract by Husky Oil, but there were no significant petroleum 

discoveries. One of these wells, Lisburne No. 1, was drilled 

in the Killik River quadrangle (fig. 2). Data obtained from the 

Lisburne No. 1 well and from the geophysical surveys are 

available from the National Geophysical Data Center (Ikelman, 1986). Interpretation of much of the seismic and borehole data and results of USGS mapping and field studies in 

NPRA are summarized by Gryc (1988). 

Three wells were drilled in the Killik River quadrangle 

outside NPRA. Two wells, West Kurupa No. 1 and East 

Kurupa No. 1, were drilled by Texaco, Inc., in 1976, and 

Chevron USA, Inc., drilled Killik No. 1 in 1980. Drillhole 

data from the Kurupa wells are available from Petroleum 

Information, Inc. (243 5th Ave., Anchorage, Alaska 99501, 

unpub. data, 1992), but no data from the Killik No. 1 well 

have been released. 

Numerous studies have focused on uranium and coal 

resources in the Arctic Foothills, which includes parts of the 

central and northern Killik River quadrangle. Huffman 

(1985) evaluated the potential for uranium deposits in Cretaceous sandstone and conglomerate. Coal deposits are widespread in the Arctic Foothills and have been the subject of 

numerous reports (Barnes, 1967; Affolter and Stricker, 

1987; Roehler, 1987; Sable and Stricker, 1987). 

In 1978, much of the mountainous land in the southern 

part of the Killik River and adjacent quadrangles was designated by Presidential proclamation as Gates of the Arctic 

National Park. Since then, access has been limited, and few 

mineral-exploration or geologic studies have been conducted 

other than by governmental agencies such as the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys and the USGS. 

During the late 1970's and 1980's, the USGS conducted 

multidisciplinary mineral-resource assessments of several 

quadrangles adjacent to the Killik River quadrangle. Churkin 

and others (1978) conducted a mineral-resource assessment 

of the NPRA in the area west of the Killik River quadrangle~ 

including parts of the Howard Pass and Misheguk Mountain 

quadrangles. Mineral-resource assessments were also prepared for the Ambler River quadrangle on the southwest 

(Mayfield, Tailleur, Albert, and others, 1983), the Wiseman 

quadrangle on the southeast (Bliss and others, 1988), and the 

Chandler Lake quadrangle (Church and others, 1995) and 

Philip Smith Mountains quadrangle (Reiser and others, 1983; 

Menzie and others, 1985) on the east. 

For the AMRAP investigations of the Killik River 

quadrangle, which began in 1981, geologic, geochemical, 

and geophysical field and laboratory studies were undertaken by the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical 

Survey and the USGS. Detailed geologic mapping was conducted in specific areas, and a geologic map of the Killik 

River quadrangle at a scale of 1:125,000 was prepared (Mull 

and others, 1994). This map was generalized and published 

at a scale of 1:250,000 (Kelley and Mull, 1995a). A map of 

the Quaternary deposits was published by Hamilton (1980). 

Reconnaissance and detailed geochemical surveys 

conducted in the southern part of the Killik River quadrangle are summarized by Kelley and others (1995a, b). These 

surveys included collection of stream-sediment, nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate, and rock samples. In addition, lake- and stream-sediment data collected in the 

northern part of the quadrangle during the National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program (NURE) (Los Alamos 

National Laboratory, 1982) were evaluated and interpreted 

by Kelley and Mull (1995b). 

During the course of the geochemical studies in the Killik River quadrangle, four base-metal sulfide mineral occurrences were discovered. At two of these, Ivotuk Hills and 

Otuk Creek, the cores of iron-rich concretions contain sulfide 

minerals (pyrite, sphalerite, galena, or chalcopyrite). The 

other two, informally named the Kady and Vidlee occurrences, consist of sulfide-bearing quartz veins and breccias 

hosted by clastic sedimentary rocks. The dominant sulfide 

minerals are galena, pyrite, and sphalerite, but minor chalcopyrite is also locally present. Detailed descriptions of these 

four occurrences and the geochemical exploration criteria 

used to delineate them are summarized in Duttweiler ( 1987), 

Kelley and Kelley (1992), and Kelley and Mull (1995a). 

Geophysical studies conducted during the AMRAP 

investigations were limited. An aeromagnetic survey was 

flown across the Killik River quadrangle by the USGS to 

provide regional data for the AMRAP study (U.S. Geological Survey, 1983), but, because the flight lines were flown 

parallel with. the range crest, leveling from line to line, and 

thus evaluation of the data, is difficult (D.L. Campbell, oral 

commun., 1991). 

All available geologic, geochemical, and geophysical 

data collected during the AMRAP study were compiled, and 

summary maps were prepared that define areas favorable for 

the occurrence of specific types of mineral resources (Kelley 

and Mull, 1995a). 

GEOLOGY 

The Brooks Range is an east -trending fold and thrust belt 

that extends for nearly 800 km across northern Alaska. It was 

formed during an orogenic event that began in Late Jurassic 

time and culminated during mid-Cretaceous time. The northern part of the Endicott Mountains, which constitute the central 

Brooks Range, mostly consists ofPaleozoic sedimentary rocks 
155°00' 154"00' 153°00' 

45' 

Od 

Ks "'\ ~ 

-l~r· ~ ---Ks 

·eKs \~ mi~\ JMc 

68°00' I >-=- "'' I I ( I "--?;- -- !! ~ \, lt-LJ~ I 

0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS 

0 10 20 MILES 

a, 

~ > r 

~ r 

~ 

~ 

~ ~ 

0 

X 

w 

0 

iO 

~ 

I 

m 
EXPLANATION 

G Quaternary surficial deposits 

Sedimentary rocks (Cretaceous)-Includes Colville Group, Nanushuk Group, Torok Formation, Fortress Mountain Formation, and Okpikruak Formation 

~~ Mafic igneous rocks (Triassic(?) to Pennsylvanian) 

II Sedimentary rocks (Jurassic to Mississippian)-lncludes hnnaitchiak Chert, Akmalik Chert of Lisburne Group, and local quartzose sandstone and thin Kayak Shale at base 

- Sedimentary rocks (Jurassic to Mississippian)-Includes Etivluk Group, Lisburne Group, and Kayak Shale 

I MDs I Sedimentary rocks (Early Mississippian(?) to Late Devonian)-Includes Kanayut Conglomerate, Noatak Sandstone, and Hunt Fork Shale 

Contact 

Thrust fault-Sawteeth on upper plate. Dashed where approximately located; dotted where concealed 

Fault-Arrows show orientation of movement. Dashed where approximately located; dotted where concealed 

Figure 3. Generalized geologic map of the Killik River I 0X3° quadrangle, northern Alaska. Modified from Mull and others (1994). 

Cl 

~ 0 

Cl 

>-<: 

-...J 
8 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER 1 °X3° QUADRANGLE 

in a series of thrust sheets that were stacked together during the 

Mesozoic orogenesis. The southern foothills north of the Endicott Mountains consist of a zone of intensely deformed Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks that are parts of several 

major thrust sequences known as allochthons (Mayfield, 

Tailleur, and Ellersieck, 1983). These allochthons were thrust 

from the south during the formation of the Brooks Range. Farther to the north, in the northern foothills, the Colville Basin is 

a depositional foredeep that is filled with more than 6,000 m 

of deltaic sedimentary deposits of Cretaceous age derived from 

the range. 

Figure 3 shows the generalized geology of the Killik 

River 1 °X3° quadrangle. More detailed geologic maps and 

unit descriptions are given in Mull and others (1994) and 

Kelley and Mull (1995a). The quadrangle area consists 

mainly of Devonian to Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and 

minor mafic igneous rocks. The oldest rocks belong to the 

Upper Devonian Hunt Fork Shale, which consists of phyllitic shale, wacke, brown-weathering calcareous siltstone, 

and fine-grained sandstone. Rocks of the Hunt Fork Shale 

represent deposition in a marine environment (Brosge and 

others, 1979). 

Strata of the Hunt Fork Shale are overlain by the marine 

Upper Devonian Noatak Sandstone (Nilsen and Moore, 

1984), which in tum is overlain by the Kanayut Conglomerate. The Kanayut Conglomerate is an Upper Devonian and 

Lower Mississippian(?) nonmarine sequence (Nilsen and 

Moore, 1984; Brosge and others, 1988). It is as thick as 2,600 

m and extends from east to west for more than 900 km across 

the Brooks Range. Sedimentary features indicate that depo-:-

sition of the Kanayut Conglomerate occurred in a deltaic 

environment with chert-rich source areas to the north and 

northeast (Nilsen and others, 1981). 

The sedimentary section of Hunt Fork Shale to Kanayut Conglomerate (unit MDs, fig. 3) represents a southward- or southwestward-prograding deltaic complex; 

fine-grained prodelta shale beds of the Hunt Fork Shale 

grade upward into the wacke member of the Hunt Fork 

Shale and into the marine sandstone of the Noatak Sandstone and eventually into the coarse delta-plain deposits of 

the Kanayut Conglomerate (Nilsen and Moore, 1984 ). The 

Kanayut Conglomerate, therefore, forms the fluvial part of 

the delta that prograded to the southwest during the Late 

Devonian and retreated during the Late Devonian and Early 

Mississippian(?) (Nilsen and others, 1981 ). 

Overlying the Kanayut Conglomerate are fossiliferous 

marine strata of the Lower Mississippian Kayak Shale 

(included in unit JMs, fig. 3) that consist dominantly of shale 

and lesser amounts of siltstone, sandstone, and limestone 

(Brosge and others, 1979). Platform carbonate rocks of the 

Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Lisburne Group (Patton 

and Tailleur, 1964; Mull and others, 1982) overlie the Kayak 

Shale and consist primarily of medium- to light-gray limestone and dolomite and an interval of sooty black phosphatic 

shale and limestone near the top. Along the mountain front 

in the eastern part of the quadrangle, carbonate rocks of the 

undivided Lisburne Group are more than 300m thick, but the 

unit thins westward and grades into about 50 m of black 

chert, sooty limestone, and shale of the Kuna Formation of 

the Lisburne Group in the western part of the quadrangle. 

The Kuna Formation formed in a euxinic basin in an epicontinental setting (Mull and others, 1982). 

Disconformably overlying the Lisburne Group are 

rocks of the Etivluk Group (included in unit JMs, fig. 3), 

which consists of the Permian Siksikpuk Formation and the 

Triassic and Jurassic Otuk Formation (Mull and others, 

1982). The Siksikpuk Formation consists of about 100m of 

pyritic siltstone, mudstone, greenish-gray silicified mudstone or chert, and an upper gray shale horizon. The siltstone 

and mudstone characteristically contain thin white barite 

seams and crystal aggregates (Siok, 1985). The Otuk Formation is also about 100 m thick and consists of a basal interval 

of black shale that grades upward into black silicified limestone and shale containing abundant pelecypod fossils (Mull 

and others, 1982). 

North of the range front in the central part of the quadrangle is a belt of complexly deformed rocks emplaced by 

long -distance thrust faulting from the south. The stratigraphy of this belt consists primarily of relatively thin Upper 

Mississippian and Lower Pennsylvanian black pyritic chert 

and limestone of the Akmalik Chert and other unnamed 

rocks of the Lisburne Group and overlying greenish-gray 

chert and green and maroon siliceous shale of the Pennsylvanian to Jurassic Imnaitchiak Chert (Mull and others, 

1987). Locally, the siliceous rocks of the Lisburne Group 

are underlain by a thin interval of the Mississippian Kayak 

Shale and Mississippian quartzose sandstone that was 

deposited as a turbidite. The Imnaitchiak Chert, Akmalik 

Chert, and local basal units are combined as unit J Me in 

figure 3. The deformed belt also contains the Lower Cretaceous Okpikruak Formation (included in unit Ks). This formation consists dominantly of graywacke and interbedded 

mudstone and shale, but local massive boulder conglomerate and chaotic debris-flow deposits are also locally present. 

These Lower Cretaceous rocks represent the oldest detritus 

derived from uplift of the Brooks Range. 

Mafic igneous rocks (unit mi, fig. 3) of Pennsylvanian 

to Triassic(?) age intrude some of the allochthonous siliceous rocks and limestone of the deformed belt. In addition, 

pillow basalt and other extrusive igneous rocks are present in 

the central part of the quadrangle and at one location near the 

western edge of the quadrangle. The extrusive igneous rocks 

are an erosional remnant of oceanic crust transported by 

thrust faulting from the south and emplaced during the formation of the range (Mull and others, 1987). 

The complexly deformed rocks are unconformably overlain by relatively gently folded conglomerate and graywacke 

of the Lower Cretaceous Fortress Mountain Formation (part of 

unit Ks, fig. 3). These proximal coarse-grained beds were 

derived from the Brooks Range and interfinger laterally with 
GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS 9 

more complexly folded gray to black shale of the Lower 

Cretaceous Torok Formation (Detterman and others, 1963). 

The northernmost third of the quadrangle is within the 

northern foothills and contains gently deformed clastic rocks 

of the Lower and Upper Cretaceous Nanushuk Group (Detterman and others, 1963; Huffman, 1989) deposited in the 

Colville Basin. The Nanushuk Group is a deltaic clastic 

wedge composed of interbedded conglomerate, sandstone, 

coal, and shale. It is composed of sediments derived primarily 

from preexisting sedimentary rocks but also variably from 

mafic and ultramafic rocks as well as metamorphic rocks and 

volcanic detritus (Huffman, 1985). Transport directions 

determined from the nonmarine facies of the delta indicate 

that, in the Killik River quadrangle, the delta prograded generally northward from the Endicott Mountains (Huffman, 

1989). This clastic wedge was folded into a series of broad, 

long, linear, east-trending synclines and more tightly folded 

anticlines. Locally, poorly exposed interbedded marine sandstone and shale of the Upper Cretaceous Colville Group (Detterman and others, 1963) overlie Nanushuk rocks, and 

Quaternary surficial deposits cover most of the central and 

northern parts of the quadrangle (fig. 3). 

GEOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS 

Two reconnaissance geochemical surveys have been 

conducted in the Killik River 1 °X3° quadrangle. The northem part of the quadrangle (the area north of the Gates of the 

Arctic National Park) was sampled in 1981 during the 

NURE program. A total of 65 lake-sediment samples and 

554 stream-sediment samples were collected as part of this 

survey (Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1982). All samples were analyzed for 42 elements by neutron activation 

analysis, X-ray fluorescence, and delayed neutron counting. 

The data were evaluated and interpreted by Kelley and Mull 

(1995b). 

As part of the AMRAP study, the U.S. Geological Survey also conducted a reconnaissance geochemical survey of 

the Killik River quadrangle from 1981 through 1986. 

Minus-30-mesh and minus-80-mesh stream-sediment samples, nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples 

derived from the stream sediments, and rock samples were 

collected. The primary emphasis during this survey was on 

the southern and central parts of the quadrangle. Samples 

were collected at a density of approximately 1 sample per 5 

km2 (2 mi2) in the mountainous southern third of the quadrangle and 1 sample per 13 km2 (5 mi2) in the foothills north 

of the range front. Except for 65 stream-sediment and concentrate samples that were collected in the northern part of 

the quadrangle for comparison with samples collected 

during the earlier NURE program, the northern part of the 

quadrangle was not res am pled during the AMRAP study. 

All samples collected during the AMRAP study were 

analyzed by semiquantitative emission spectrography 

(Grimes and Marranzino, 1968), and selected elements in the 

stream-sediment sampies were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Thompson and others, 1968; Viets 

and others, 1984) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic 

emission spectroscopy (Church, 1981). In addition, the nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples were examined 

microscopically to determine the type and approximate percentage of heavy minerals in each sample. The geochemical 

data were tabulated by Barton and others (1982), Sutley and 

others ( 1984 ), and Motooka and others ( 1989); evaluation and 

interpretation of the data were made by Kelley and others 

(1995a, b). These interpretive reports include the results of 

R-mode factor analysis to define dominant geochemical 

associations within stream-sediment and nonmagnetic 

heavy-mineral-concentrate data sets and detailed descriptions 

of geochemical anomalies. 

Three distinct signatures or element associations were 

identified in the geochemical and mineralogical data that 

likely relate to metallic mineral occurrences. (1) Nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate and (or) stream-sediment 

samples contain anomalous concentrations of silver, lead, 

and zinc (with or without gold and copper); the concentrate 

samples commonly contain galena, pyrite, and sphalerite 

(with or without chalcopyrite). (2) Lake- and stream-sediment samples contain anomalous concentrations of silver, 

barium, manganese, and zinc (with or without arsenic, cadmium, and lead), and concentrate samples contain anomalous concentrations of barium (with abundant barite). (3) 

Lake- and stream-sediment samples contain anomalous concentrations of chromium (with or without nickel). 

The stream-sediment and concentrate samples characterized by anomalous concentrations of silver, gold, copper, 

lead, or zinc (geochemical signature 1) were collected primarily from the southern third of the quadrangle, which consists of Devonian and Mississippian clastic sedimentary 

rocks (unit MDs, fig. 3). The geochemically anomalous samples are generally concentrated in three areas. The first area 

is in the southwestern part of the quadrangle in the vicinity 

of the Kady and Vidlee sulfide mineral occurrences (fig. 4). 

Numerous stream-sediment samples collected from this area 

contain 0.7-1.0 ppm Ag, 70-100 ppm Cu, 50-300 ppm Pb, 

and 200-1,500 ppm Zn; two of these sediment samples also 

contain anomalous concentrations of gold (0.05-0.1 ppm). 

In addition, nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples contain 5-500 ppm Ag, 700-10,000 ppm Cu, 5,000 to 

more than 30,000 ppm Pb, and 5,000-20,000 ppm Zn; trace 

amounts to 1 percent galena and sphalerite and 50 percent or 

more pyrite are present in these samples (Kelley and others, 

1995a, b). Detailed studies in this area led to the discovery of 

the Kady and Vidlee sulfide occurrences, which are sulfide-bearing quartz veins and breccias hosted by sandstone, 

siltstone, or conglomerate. The dominant sulfide minerals 

are galena, pyrite, and sphalerite, but minor chalcopyrite is 

also present. In addition to silver, lead, and zinc, mineralized 

rocks contain anomalous concentrations of gold and copper 
10 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER I 0 X3° QUADRANGLE 

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EXPLANATION 

SEDIMENTARY EXHALATIVE MASSIVE SULFIDE DEPOSITS (Sll. VER, LEAD, AND ZINC, wrrn OR wmiOUT BARIUM) 

Low resource potential (certainty level CO); permissive host rocks; no significant geochemical anomalies in stream- or lake-sediment samples 

Moderate resource potential (certainty level c•); permissive host roc:ks; many stream- and lake-sediment samples contain anomalous concentrations of silver, arsenic, barium, manganese, lead, or zinc; nonmagnetic 

heavy-mineral-concentrate samples contain anomalous concentrations of Ba; area contains occurrences of iron-rich sulfide-bearing concretions 

VEIN BRECCIAS (Sll. VER, LEAD, AND ZINC, wrrn OR wmiOUT GOLD AND COPPER) 

Moderate resource potential (certainty level B0 ) ; permissive host roc:ks; few scattered nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate and (or) stream-sediment samples contain momalous concentrations of silver, coppel'; 

lead, or zinc; few concentrate samples contain galena, pyrite, or sphalerite 

High resource potential (certainty level c•); permissive host roc:ks; many nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate and a few stream-sediment samples contain highly anomalous concentrations of silver, coppel', 

lead, or zinc; concentrate samples contain variable amounts of galena, pyrite, and sphalerite (with or without chalcopyrite) 

High resource potential (certainty level D0 ) ; permissive host roc:ks; numerous nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate and (or) stream-sediment samples contain highly anomalous concentrations of silver, copper, 

lead, or zinc (with or without gold); concentrate samples contain abundant galena, pyrite, and sphalerite; area contains two sulfide-hearing quartz-vein breccia occwrences 

SEDIMENTARY BARITE DEPOSITS (BARIUM) 

Low resource potential (certainty level c•); permissive host roc:ks; no significant geochemical anomalies in stream- or lake-sediment samples 

Moderate resource potential (certainty level B•); permissive host roc:ks; many stream-and lake-sediment and nonmlignetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples contain highly momalous concentrations ofBa (and 

abundant barite) 

CYPRUS-TYPE MASSIVE SULFIDE DEPOSITS (COPPER AND ZINC) 

Low resource potential (certainty level c•); permissive host roc:ks; no significant geochemical anomalies 

PLACER DEPOSITS (CHROMIUM AND GOLD), ROLL-FRONT URANIUM DEPOSITS (URANIUM, VANADIUM, AND COPPER), AND COAL DEPOSITS 

Low resource potential (certainty level B0 ) ; permissive host rocks; widespread distribution of stream- and lake-sediment samples containing anomalous concentrations of chromium and nickel; no significant 

gold anomalies; no significant uranium anomalies; coal is present but individual beds are mostly less than I m thick and are interbedded with shale, sandstone, or siltstone 

•Certainty levels 

B Available information only suggests the level of mineral resource potential 

C Available information gives a good indication of the level of mineral resource potential 

D Available information clearly defines the level of mineral resource potential 

Figure 4. Map showing boundaries of areas with potential for mineral resources, Killik River I 0 X3° quadrangle, northern Alaska. Solid circles indicate sulfide mineral occurrences. Modified from Kelley and Mull (1995a). 

0 

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12 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER 1 °X3° QUADRANGLE 

(Duttweiler, 1987; Kelley and Kelley, 1992; Meyer and Kurtak, 1992; Kelley and Mull, 1995a). 

Two other areas in the south-central and southeastern 

part of the quadrangle were delineated by geochemically 

anomalous samples. These areas are defined primarily by 

nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples containing 

anomalous concentrations of silver, copper, lead, and zinc 

and corresponding variable amounts of sulfide minerals; the 

stream-sediment samples contain mostly background concentrations of metals. The source of the sulfides was not conclusively demonstrated, but it is probably iiJ thin (1-2 em 

wide) quartz-calcite veins, which are ubiquitous in the 

weakly metamorphosed Hunt Fork Shale in this area. These 

veins contain a few scattered occurrences of galena, pyrite, 

or sphalerite (Duttweiler, 1987). 

North of the range front, in the central part of the 

quadrangle, the belt of complexly deformed rocks consists 

primarily of Mississippian to Jurassic sedimentary rocks 

(units JMs and JMc, fig. 3). Three areas within this belt are 

defined by lake- and stream-sediment samples containing 

anomalous concentrations of silver (0.5-3 ppm), arsenic 

(35-189 ppm), barium (5,000-15,000 ppm and a few containing as much as 6 percent Ba), manganese (0.48-1 percent), lead (50-72 ppm), and (or) zinc (250-524 ppm) 

(geochemical signature 2). Although the concentrate samples generally do not contain anomalous concentrations of 

base metals, they do contain highly anomalous concentrations of barium (more than 5,000 ppm Ba), due to the presence of more than 50 percent barite. 

Within this central belt of rocks, two occurrences of 

iron-rich sulfide-bearing concretions were identified. At the 

Otuk Creek occurrence (fig. 4), abund.ant concretions in the 

Kayak Shale are 7-20 em in diameter and contain calcite as 

well as trace amounts of sulfide minerals including sphalerite, 

galena, chalcopyrite, and pyrite (Kelley and others, 1995a, b; 

Kelley and Mull, 1995b). The Ivotuk Hills occurrence consists of coarse pyrite nodules, some of which contain minor 

sphalerite in the cores, that are in float on the west side of the 

Ivotuk Hills. A black shale sample collected from the top of 

the Lisburne Group in the Ivotuk Hills yielded as much as 20 

ppm Ag, 30 ppm As, 100 ppm Cd, and 2,000 ppm Zn. 

Although sulfide minerals were not identified in this sample, 

the geochemical values are interpreted to indicate the presence of sphalerite and perhaps other sulfide minerals (Kelley 

and others, 1995b; Kelley and Mull, 1995b). 

Within this central belt of rocks additional areas are 

characterized by sediment and concentrate samples containing anomalous concentrations of barium without associated 

base metals. Many of these sediment samples contain more 

than 10,000 ppm Ba, and concentrate samples contain 50-70 

percent barite. 

The third geochemical signature is defined by lakeand stream-sediment samples containing anomalous 

concentrations of chromium ( 1,400-2,340 ppm) and nickel 

(150-241 ppm). The spatial distribution of these anomalous samples correlates with the distribution of Cretaceous 

rocks of the Nanushuk Group (included in unit Ks, fig. 3) 

in the northernmost part of the quadrangle. Chromite was 

identified by X-ray diffraction studies to be the source 

mineral for the geochemical anomalies in the sediment 

samples (Kelley and Mull, 1995b). The Nanushuk Group is 

a deltaic clastic wedge composed of sediments derived primarily from preexisting sedimentary rocks and variably 

from mafic and ultramafic rocks (Huffman, 1989). The 

chromite is either a detrital mineral in the Nanushuk Group 

or a detrital mineral in Quaternary deposits that were 

reworked from the Cretaceous sedimentary deposits 

(Kelley and Mull, 1995a, b). Although the geochemical 

data suggest that chromite is widespread in areas that contain Nanushuk Group rocks, gold and other heavy-metal 

concentrations are generally near background levels 

(Kelley and Mull, 1995b ). 

POTENTIAL MINERAL RESOURCES 

The assessment of mineral resources in the Killik River 

1 °X 3° quadrangle is based primarily on geologic and 

geochemical data collected during the NURE and AMRAP 

studies. The emphasis in the assessment was on metallic 

minerals and selected nonmetallic minerals (barite and phosphate). Numerous reports on coal, hydrocarbons, and uranium within the Arctic Foothills of the Brooks Range were 

prepared as part of the NPRA studies, which include some of 

the Killik River quadrangle. These studies were briefly summarized and utilized in the assessment of energy resources 

(Kelley and Mull, 1995a). 

Criteria for determining resource potential and certainty of assessment were described by Goudarzi (1984). 

Mineral resources include known deposits or occurrences, 

which may not be economically or technologically recoverable at present, and unknown deposits that are inferred to 

exist. The degree of resource potential assigned to areas is 

based on geological and geochemical evidence and does not 

take into account the extreme remoteness of the Killik 

River quadrangle or the availability of land for development 

of these resources. 

The expected mineral deposits in the Killik River quadrangle are stratiform and (or) stratabound types hosted by 

sedimentary and mafic igneous rocks. No felsic plutonic 

rocks are present, and there are no aeromagnetic anomalies 

that would indicate the presence of buried intrusions (D.L. 

Campbell, oral commun., 1987). Therefore, deposit types 
POTENTIAL MINERAL RESOURCES 13 

that crosscut lithologic boundaries, such as skarns, porphyry 

deposits, and stockworks, are not expected. 

The types of deposits that may be expected to exist within 

the Killik River quadrangle and which are evaluated in terms 

of their resource potential include (1) vein breccia deposits, 

(2) sedimentary-exhalative massive sulfide deposits, (3) sedimentary barite, manganese, and phosphate deposits, (4) 

Cyprus-type massive sulfide deposits, (5) placer deposits, and 

(6) roll-front uranium deposits. Coal and petroleum resource 

potential was also evaluated based primarily on studies conducted previous to the AMRAP investigations. 

The southern third of the quadrangle is underlain by 

Devonian and Mississippian clastic sedimentary rocks of the 

Hunt Fork Shale, Noatak Sandstone, and Kanayut Conglomerate, which are considered permissive host rocks for sulfide-bearing vein breccia deposits. In addition to the known 

occurrences within the quadrangle (Kady and Vidlee ), these 

rocks host a number of deposits of this type west of the Killik 

River quadrangle (Kelley and Mull, 1995a). The vein breccias do not belong to any well-established deposit model. 

They are stratabound within the Devonian and Mississippian 

clastic rocks. Geochemical and isotopic data suggest that 

they may be related genetically to stratiform sedimentary-exhalative massive sulfide deposits; more specifically, 

they may represent the feeder systems of minimally developed, eroded, or structurally removed stratiform bodies. 

As previously discussed, stream-sediment and 

nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples collected 

downstream from these occurrences contain highly anomalous concentrations of silver, gold, copper, lead, or zinc. 

Based on the presence or absence of geochemical anomalies, 

three levels of potential and certainty of assessment for 

resources of silver, lead, and zinc (with or without gold and 

copper) in vein breccias were assigned for the southern part of 

the quadrangle (fig. 4 ). Most of the area was assigned a moderate potential, but three specific areas were considered to 

have a high potential (Kelley and Mull, 1995a). 

The broad belt in the central part of the quadrangle is 

characterized by chert, shale, and carbonate rocks of the 

Kayak Shale, Lisburne Group, Etivluk Group, Imnaitchiak 

Chert, and Akmalic Chert (units JMc and JMs, fig. 3). In the 

western and central Brooks Range, chert and shale of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian age are host to several sedimentary-exhalative massive sulfide deposits and occurrences, 

including the world-class Red Dog deposit. Stream-sediment 

samples collected downstream from these occurrences and 

deposits are characterized by highly anomalous concentrations of silver, barium, manganese, and zinc (with or without 

arsenic, cadmium, lead, and antimony) (Kelley and others, 

1992). Based on similar geochemical anomalies in the Killik 

River quadrangle, three small areas within the central belt of 

rocks were assigned a moderate potential for resources of 

lead, silver, and zinc (with or without barium) in sedimentary-exhalative massive sulfide deposits. The remaining area, 

which contains permissive host rocks but lacks significant 

geochemical anomalies, was assigned a low potential (fig. 4 ). 

Several areas are assigned a moderate potential for sedimentary barite deposits based on the presence of permissive 

host rocks and anomalous concentrations of barium in 

geochemical samples (fig. 4). Although not shown in figure 

4, areas having potential for resources of manganese and 

phosphate are also present within this central belt of rocks 

(Kelley and Mull, 1995a). 

Mafic pillow basalts and associated chert, exposed in 

two small areas in the central part of the quadrangle, are permissive host rocks for copper and zinc resources in 

Cyprus-type massive sulfide deposits. The relatively small 

volume of the mafic rocks and the absence of copper and 

zinc geochemical anomalies indicate, however, that these 

areas have a low resource potential (fig. 4 ). 

Nonmarine sedimentary rocks of the Cretaceous 

Nanushuk Group (unit Ks, fig. 3) comprise the northern part 

of the quadrangle. These rocks are permissive host rocks for 

roll-front-type uranium deposits, placers, and coal deposits. 

Few geochemical anomalies for uranium in this area suggests that the resource potential for uranium is low (Huffman, 1985; Kelley and Mull, 1995a). Although there are no 

geochemical anomalies for gold, there are significant 

geochemical anomalies for chromium and nickel due to 

abundant chromite in the sediment samples. These data indicate that chromite is widespread in areas that contain rocks 

of the Nanushuk Group; however, the degree of concentration of the chromite is not known from the available 

geochemical data, and therefore the area was assigned a low 

resource potential (certainty level B) for chromium and gold 

in placer deposits. Coal beds are abundant and widespread in 

rocks of the Nanushuk Group; however, individual beds are 

generally less than 1 m thick and are interbedded with shale, 

sandstone, or siltstone (Barnes, 1967; Affolter and Stricker, 

1987). The limited thickness and probable limited lateral 

extent of most of the beds reduce their resource potential. 

Although the mountainous southern third of the quadrangle is considered to have no hydrocarbon resource potential, the southern and northern foothills of the northern 

two-thirds of the quadrangle area have some potential; however, present data are not adequate to assign levels of 

resource potential. Potential source beds are present in black 

shale and limestone that have high organic contents, and the 

presence of solid degraded hydrocarbon in porous dolomite 

suggests that generation and migration of hydrocarbons has 

occurred. It is difficult, however, to evaluate the relationship 

between the timing of hydrocarbon generation, migration, 

and trapping, which must be considered to fully evaluate the 

level of potential (Kelley and Mull, 1995a). 
14 AMRAP-KILLIK RIVER 1 °X3° QUADRANGLE 

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from the Cretaceous Corwin and Chandler Formations, 

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I.L., and Weimer, Paul, eds., Alaskan North Slope geology: 

Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Book 

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1242-E, 37 p. 

Barton, H.N., Odland, S.K., O'Leary, R.M., and Day, G.W., 1982, 

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J.B., and Cady, J.W., 1988, Mineral resource assessment of the 

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Kanayut Conglomerate in the central and eastern Brooks 

Range, in Gryc, George, ed., Geology and exploration of the 

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Geologic map of Devonian rocks in parts of the Chandler Lake 

and Killik River quadrangles, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey 

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petroleum geology and hydrocarbon potential of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4, North Slope, Alaska: U.S. Geological 

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Churkin, Michael, Jr., Mayfield, C.F., Theobald, P.K., Barton, 

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and Roushey, B., 1992, Geochemically anomalous areas in the 

west-central part of the Howard Pass quadrangle, National 

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U.S. Geological Survey during 1991: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 2041, p. 60-69. 

Kelley, K.D., and Kelley, D.L., 1992, Reconnaissance exploration 

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Kelley, K.D., and Mull, C.G., 1995a, Maps showing areas of potential for mineral resources in the Killik River 1 °X3° quadrangle, 

Brooks Range, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous 

Field Studies Map MF-2225-A, scale 1 :250,000. 

---1995b, Geochemistry of minus-80 and minus-100 mesh 

sediment samples from the Killik River quadrangle, Alaska: 

U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map 

MF-2225-B, scale 1:250,000. 

Kelley, K.D., Mull, C. G., and Barton, H.N., 1995a, Geochemistry 

of minus 30-mesh stream sediment samples from the southern 

part of the Killik River quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological 

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1:250,000. 

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heavy-mineral concentrate samples from the southern part of 

the Killik River quadrangle: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2225-D, scale 1:250,000. 
REFERENCES CITED 15 

Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1982, Uranium hydrogeochmical 

and stream-sediment reconnaissance of the Killik River quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Department of Energy Report GJBX 

37(82), 80 p. 

Mayfield, C.F., Tailleur, I.L., Albert, N.R.D., Ellersieck, Inyo, Grybeck, Don,ald, and Hackett, S.W., 1983, The Alaska Mineral 

Resource Assessment Program-Background information to 

accompany folio of geologic and mineral resource maps of the 

Ambler River quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey 

Circular_793, 31 p. 

Mayfield, C.F., Tailleur, I.L., and Ellersieck, Inyo, 1983, Stratigraphy, structure, and palinspastic synthesis of the western Brooks 

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1985, Map showing distribution of mineral resources (excepting oil and gas) in the Philip Smith Mountains quadrangle, 

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Meyer, M.P., and Kurtak, J.M., 1992, Results of the 1991 U.S. 

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Motooka, J.M., Adrian, B.M., Church, S.E., McDougal, C.M., and 

Fife, J.B., 1989, Analytical data and sample locality map for 

aqua-regia leachates of stream sediments analyzed by ICP, and 

emission spectrographic and ICP results for many NURE 

stream sediments from the Killik River quadrangle, Alaska: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 89-12, 77 p., 2 

sheets, scale 1:250,000. 

Mull, C.G., Cro~der, R.K., Adams, K.E., Siok, J.P., Bodnar, D.A., 

Harris, E.E., Alexander, R.A., and Solie, D.N., 1987, Stratigraphy of the Picnic Creek allochthon, Killik River quadrangle, 

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p. 650-662. 

Mull, C.G., Moore, T.E., Harris, E.E., and Tailleur, I.L., in press, 

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no. 3, p. 348-362. 

Nilsen, T.H., Brosge, W.P., Dutro, J.T. Jr., and Moore, T.E., 1981, 

Depositional model for the fluvial Upper Devonian Kanayut 

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Hudson, Travis, eds., The United States Geological Survey in 

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Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado 

Manuscript approved for publication November 21, 1994 

Edited by Judith Stoeser 

Graphics by the author 

Photocomposition by Mari L. Kauffmann