Alaska Resource Data File 

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 99-579 

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 Distribution of mineral occurrences in the Kotzebue

1:250,000-scale quadrangle, northwestern Alaska

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

http://ardf.wr.usgs.gov. Comments or information regarding corrections or missing 

data, or requests for digital retrievals should be directed to: Frederic Wilson, USGS, 4200 

University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508-4667, e-mail fwilson@usgs.gov, telephone (907) 

786-7448. This compilation is authored by:

 Anita Williams

 Anchorage, AK

Kotzebue 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.
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 2 

Site name(s): Alder Creek 

Site type: Mine 

ARDF no.: KZ001 

Latitude: 66.056 Quadrangle: KZ A-1 

Longitude: 162.201 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Alder Creek beach placer mine is at the mouth of Alder Creek on Kotzebue Sound. 

This site is in the NW1/4 of section 35, T. 8 N., R. 17 W., of the Kateel River Meridian. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 The Alder Creek beach placer gold deposit consists of about one foot of beach gravel on 

eroded, dark gray, schist bedrock of early Paleozoic age. Fine, bright gold and some wire 

gold was found on the bedrock surface. Beach diggings of limited extent were reported to 

produce $8 to $10 per man in 1901 (Moffit, 1905). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

Quaternary 

Deposit model:

Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a) 

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

39a 

Production Status: Yes; small 

Site Status: Inactive 

KZ001 
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Workings/exploration:

 Small-scale hand mining took place at the turn of the century and reportedly in 1927. 

The area was sampled by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in the early 1960's. At that time 7 pan 

concentrates were taken at the stream mouth. 

Production notes:

 A few hundred ounces of gold was recovered in 1902 and 1903 or about $12,000 (gold 

at $20.67/ounce) (Moffit, 1904). A little gold was reportedly mined from Alder Creek in 

1927 (Cobb and Miller, 1981). 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Mendenhall, 1902; Moffit, 1904; Moffit, 1905; Smith, 1930; Berryhill,1962; Cobb, 1972 

(MF 421); Cobb, 1973 (B 1374); Cobb, 1975 (OFR 75-627); Hudson and others, 1977; 

Cobb and Miller, 1981 (OFR 81-847A). 

Primary reference: Moffit, 1905 

Reporter(s): Anita Williams (Anchorage, AK) 

Last report date: 11/30/99 

KZ001 
Alaska Resource Data File 

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Site name(s): Rex Point 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: KZ002 

Latitude: 66.078 Quadrangle: KZ A-3 

Longitude: 163.32 

Location description and accuracy:

 This beach placer is at the mouth of Rex Canyon on Kotzebue Sound about a mile 

southeast of Rex Point. This site is in section 21, T. 8 N., R. 22 W., of the Kateel River 

Meridian. Location is accurate to within 1,000 feet. 

Commodities: 

 Main: W 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Scheelite 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Beach sand at the mouth of Rex Creek contains a trace of scheelite, and minor to trace 

amounts of iron oxide minerals and zircon (Berryhill, 1962). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

Quaternary 

Deposit model:

Placer tungsten? 

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

 

Production Status: Undetermined 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 The U.S. Bureau of Mines collected 15 pan concentrate samples from the beach at the 

KZ002 
Alaska Resource Data File 

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mouth of Rex Point (Berryhill, 1962). 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Berryhill, 1962; Cobb, 1975 (MR-66); Cobb, 1975 (OFR 75-627). 

Primary reference: Berryhill, 1962 

Reporter(s): Anita Williams (Anchorage, AK) 

Last report date: 11/30/99 

KZ002 
Alaska Resource Data File 

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Site name(s): Anugi 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: KZ003 

Latitude: 66 Quadrangle: KZ A-1 

Longitude: 162.161 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Anuyi prospect is at an elevation of about 350 feet, approximately 5 1/2 miles south 

of Motherwood Point. This site is in the SW1/4 of section 13, T. 7 N., R. 17 W., of the 

Kanteel River Meridian. The main portion of this deposit is located just to the south 

southwest in the Bendeleben quadrangle. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Ag, Pb, Zn 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Galena, sphalerite 

Gangue minerals: Calcite, hematite, limonite, quartz 

Geologic description:

 The Anuyi prospect narrow, hematite-rich gossan that trends south-southwest for a distance of approximately 1/2 mile. The gossan is hosted predominately in black, graphitic, 

quartz-mica schist. Hematite cobbles are common on the surface. Hematite is also found 

as cement in quartz breccia. The metamorphic bedrock is considered to be early Paleozoic in age and has undergone several periods of deformation. Several rock types are 

present. They include quartz-mica schist, quartzite, limestone, rhyolite, and possible 

aplitic dikes. Soil sampling and shallowing trenching indicate that the gossan has weathered in place. Soil samples contain anomalous values of lead, zinc, antimony, arsenic, silver. and occasionally gold. The following sample values are from Williams (1991, 1992). 

Sample T2-20, taken from Trench 2 across the gossan, contained 14,579 ppm Pb, 737 

ppm Zn, 48 ppm Ag and 60 ppm Cu. Rock sample #1328 of gossan material contained 

7,264 ppm Pb, 5,243 ppm Zn, 15.6 ppm Ag and 116 ppm Cu. Sample 1374, graphitic, 

quartz-mica schist, contained 6,469 ppm Pb, 1,597 ppm Zn, 78.2 ppm Ag and 380 ppm 

Cu. On the basis of soil samples having lead values greater than 500 ppm, the mineralized area extends over 9,000 feet in a south-southwest direction with a width of 500 to 

2,000 feet. 

 The surface distribution of anomalous metal values, suggests that the deposit appears to 

be structurally controlled along a regional north-northeast trend. Samples from drill core 

KZ003 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 7 

contain galena and sphalerite in carbonate veins, as disseminations in schist, and as small 

crystals of sphalerite in open fractures. A sample of black, quartz-mica schist from trench 

3 had hematite alteration along small fractures. The model for Anugi is conjectural. It 

may be a Paleozoic strataform massive sulfide deposit remobilized during Cretaceous intrusion and/or Tertiary volcanism; or, perhaps more likely, a Cretaceous or younger structurally-controlled deposit hosted in Paleozoic rocks. 

Alteration:

Hematite and limonite 

Age of mineralization:

Mid-Paleozoic; Cretaceous or younger 

Deposit model:

A) Paleozoic, stratiform lead-zinc deposit remobilized during Cretaceous or younger tectonic and intrusive events; or B) Cretaceous or younger structurally-controlled veins and 

disseminations of lead and zinc minerals in Paleozoic bedrock. 

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

 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Active? 

Workings/exploration:

 The original discovery was made during a regional stream-sediment sampling program 

for NANA Regional Corp. Soil sampling has been done on a 500-foot grid over an area 

of approximately 3 square miles. Some select areas have been sampled on 250- and 100-

foot spacing. Soil, rock and pan concentrate samples have also been collected from adjacent areas. Seven trenches were dug with a backhoe and were mapped and sampled at 5-

foot intervals. VLF, magnetics and gravity surveys have been run across the deposit in 

several areas and six core holes were completed in 1994. An airborne magnetic survey of 

the area was done in 1995 by Kennecott. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 The Anugi Prospect is mostly in the Bendeleben quadrangle with the north-northeast 

portion extending into the Kotzebue quadrangle. Prospect is on NANA-owned lands. 

The area is underlain by permafrost. 

References:

Degenhart and Bigelow, 1974; Williams, 1991; Williams, 1992; Ebish and Williams,1994. 

KZ003 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 8 

Primary reference: This description 

Reporter(s): Anita Williams (Anchorage, AK) 

Last report date: 11/30/99 

KZ003 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 9 

Site name(s): Eskimo Gulch (near Motherwood Point) 

Site type: Mine 

ARDF no.: KZ004 

Latitude: 66.061 Quadrangle: KZ A-1 

Longitude: 162.183 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Eskimo Gulch placer mine is approximately 2 miles southwest of Motherwood 

Point. It is in a steep gully about 0.1 mile inland from Kotzebue Sound. This site is in 

section 26, T. 8 N., R. 17 W., of the Kateel River Meridian. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 This placer gold deposit consists of stream gravel several feet thick, overlain by 30 to 

50 feet of frozen muck. Bedrock in this area is black, quartz-mica schist which forms 

natural riffles to catch and trap the gold. The deposit is in a narrow gully, locally called 

Eskimo Gulch (Paul Savok, oral communication, 1989). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

Quaternary 

Deposit model:

Placer Au-PGE (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 39a) 

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

39a 

Production Status: Yes; small 

Site Status: Probably inactive 

KZ004 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 10 

Workings/exploration:

 The mine was worked in the early 1950's. No production data are available. Hand 

work was done on the property occasionally during the 1980's. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 The mine is on NANA-owned lands. 

References:

This description. 

Primary reference: This description 

Reporter(s): Anita Williams (Anchorage, AK) 

Last report date: 11/30/99 

KZ004 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 11 

 References

Berryhill, R. V., 1962, Reconnaissance sampling of beach and rivermouth deposits, Norton Bay and Kotzebue 

Sound, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 1, 13 p. 

Cobb, E.H., 1972, Metallic resources of the Kotzebue quadrangle, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-421, 1 sheet, scale 1:250,000. 

Cobb, E.H., 1973, Placer deposits of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1374, 213 p. 

Cobb, E.H., 1975, Tungsten occurrences in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Investigations Resources 

Map MR-66, 12 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:2,500,000. 

Cobb, E.H., 1975, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in five quadrangles in west central Alaska (Hughes, Kotzebue, Melozitna, Selawik and Shungnak): 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-627, 58 p. 

Cobb, E.H. and Miller, T.P., 1981, Summaries of data on and lists of references of metallic and selected nonmetallic mineral occurrences in the Hughes, Kotzebue, Melozitna, Selawik and Shungnak quadrangles, 

west-central Alaska, supplement to U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 75-627, 14 p. 

Degenhart, C.E. and Bigelow, C.G., 1974, Preliminary minerals evaluation NANA Regional corporation selection 

lands: unpublished industry report, WGM, Anchorage, Alaska, 62 p. (held by NANA Regional Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska). 

Ebish, J., Olson, D. and Williams, A., 1994, Anugi Report 1994: unpublished industry report, Kennecott Exploration Company, Spokane, Washington, 120 p. (held by NANA Regional Corporation, Anchorage, 

Alaska). 

Hudson, T., Miller, M.L. and Pickthorn, W.J., 1977, Map showing metalliferous and selected nonmetalliferous 

mineral deposits, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 77-796B, 46 p., 

1 sheet. 

Jansons, U., 1981, Preliminary evaluation of sample data from the proposed Chukchi Imuruk National Reserve 

(now Bering Land Bridge Preserve), Alaska: U. S. Bureau of Mines Open-File Report 28-81, 8 p. 

Kaufman, D. S., 1986, Surficial geologic map of the Solomon, Bendeleben and southern part of the Kotzebue 

quadrangles: U. S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-1838-A, 1 sheet, scale 

1:250,000. 

Mendenhall, W. C., 1902, Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 10, 68 p. 

Moffit, F.H., 1904, The Kotzebue placer gold field of Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 

225, p. 74-80. 

Moffit, F.H., 1905, The Fairhaven gold placers, Seward Peninsula, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 247, 

85 p. 

Smith, P.S., 1930, Mineral industry of Alaska in 1927: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 810, p 1-64. 

Williams, A., 1991, NANA Land selection evaluation 1990: unpublished industry report prepared for NANA Regional Corporation, 52 p. (held by NANA Regional Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska). 

Williams, A., 1992, NANA land selection evaluation 1991 Candle-Deering area: unpublished industry report 

References 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 12 

prepared for NANA Regional Corporation, 45 p. (held by NANA Regional Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska). 

References