Alaska Resource Data File, Taylor 

Mountains quadrangle, Alaska 

By Travis Hudson 1 

Open-File Report 01-200 

2001 

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, 

firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

1

 Sequim, Washington 
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 01-200 

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Distribution of mineral occurrences in the Taylor Mountains

1:250,000-scale quadrangle, 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:

 Travis Hudson

 Sequim, WA

Taylor Mountains 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): Cinnabar Creek lode 

Site type: Mine 

ARDF no.: TA001 

Latitude: 60.800 Quadrangle: TA D-8 

Longitude: 158.851 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Cinnabar Creek lode mine is located at the head of Cinnabar Gulch (TA002), a 

north headwater tributary of Cinnabar Creek. The mine is at an elevation of about 1,350 

feet in the NW1/4 of section 12, T 8 N, R 55 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is 0.75 mile 

north-northeast of the north end of the Cinnabar Creek airstrip. The site is accurately located. It is included locality 1 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg, Sb 

 Other: Au 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar, gold, mercury, pyrite, stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Dickite, dolomite, limonite, quartz 

Geologic description:

 The Cinnabar Creek lode mercury deposit was discovered by following up the headwater source of the Cinnabar Creek placer deposit (TA002). Although initial headwater exploration, including 390 feet of U. S. Bureau of Mines dozer trenching, was unsuccessful 

in discovering lode deposits, the potential of an upslope area underlain by mineralized 

mafic intrusive rock was noted (Rutledge, 1950, p. 9; Cady and others, 1955, p. 115). By 

1955, lode cinnabar mineralization had been delineated along or near this mafic intrusive. 

Between 1955 and 1959, an open pit 160 feet long and 20 to 40 feet wide was excavated 

for selective mining of high-grade ore averaging 3 to 4 percent mercury (Sainsbury and 

MacKevett, 1965, p. 38). 

 Mapping of bedrock geology in the open pit shows that a branching mafic dike about 5-

feet wide intrudes altered and sheared Triassic graywacke and siltstone (Sainsbury and 

MacKevett, 1965, Plate 4). Bedding in the pit strikes northwest and dips steeply west. 

Northwest-trending faults subparallel to bedding and to the contact of the mafic intrusive 

body shear the bedded rocks to the west and possibly hanging wall side of the mafic intrusive. The sheared zone is a few feet to 8 feet wide and over 200 feet long as exposed in 

the open pit. Striations on fault planes plunge 22 degrees northwest suggesting a significant component of lateral displacement. The mafic dike has been traced 1,000 feet to the 

TA001 
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northwest in surface pits and trenches. It is locally extensively altered and associated 

with quartz veining and stibnite mineralization along its northwest extensions, but alteration and mineralization appear strongest in the vicinity of the open pit. 

 Mineralization includes irregular cinnabar and stibnite veinlets in graywacke, siltstone, 

and locally in the mafic dike. Cinnabar and native mercury accompany quartz along fault 

zones and in brecciated siltstone and graywacke. Some cinnabar is colloidally dispersed 

through cryptocrystalline quartz and disseminated through altered rocks. Cinnabar, stibnite, and some pyrite fill fractures in quartz and locally replace quartz and graywacke. 

Clay minerals including dickite, replace breccia fragments and in places are replaced by 

cinnabar. The graywacke, siltstone, and mafic dike are altered. The graywacke and siltstone are iron-stained, sheared, and argillized. The mafic dike is locally extensively replaced by combinations of clay (including dickite), quartz, dolomite or ankeritic dolomite, 

and some pyrite, and is cut by limonite veinlets. 

 Selected high-grade ore averaging 3 to 4 percent mercury was recovered from the open 

pit and transported along a dozer trail to a small retort on Cinnabar Creek during the 1955 

to 1960 mining operations. This period of operations produced several hundred flasks of 

mercury (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965, p. 35). A sample of ore from the Cinnabar 

Creek lode containing 6.53 percent Hg also contained 0.14 ppm Au and greater than 

10,000 ppm Sb (Hawley and others, 1969). 

Alteration:

 Silicification, argillization, oxidation and iron-staining. 

Age of mineralization:

 Cretaceous or Tertiary. Inferred to be similar in age to other mercury deposits of southwest Alaska that postdate deposition of mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and intrusion of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary igneous rocks. 

Deposit model:

Cinnabar and native mercury in veins, breccia, and replacements (Hot-spring Hg ?; Cox 

and Singer, 1986; model 27a) 

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

27a? 

Production Status: Yes; small 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 The Cinnabar Creek mine was explored by surface pits and trenches in the 1950s and by 

at least some diamond drilling in 1961 (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965, p. 35). A dozer 

trail connects the mine with a retort, airstrip and other facilities less than a mile to the 

southwest along Cinnabar Creek. Additional surface examination, mapping, sampling, 

and trenching was completed in 1986-87. Clark and others (1971 [OF 458]) reported results of a reconnaissance stream sediment survey in the Taylor Mountains D-8 quadranTA001 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 4 

gle. This survey included data on mercury, and replicate analyses confirmed anomalous 

Hg concentrations in several areas; no samples were collected in the Cinnabar Creek 

drainage. 

Production notes:

 Production from 1955-60 amounted to several hundred flasks of mercury (Sainsbury 

and MacKevett, 1965, p. 35). 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Hawley and 

others, 1969; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606); Clark and others, 1971 

(OF 458). 

Primary reference: Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA001 
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Site name(s): Cinnabar Creek placer 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA002 

Latitude: 60.795 Quadrangle: TA D-8 

Longitude: 158.864 

Location description and accuracy:

 This placer cinnabar prospect is located in a northeast headwater tributary of Cinnabar 

Creek locally called Cinnabar Run and Cinnabar Gulch. The placer is about 1 mile long 

from its origin as a residual deposit over the Cinnabar Creek lode deposit (TA001) at the 

head of Cinnabar Gulch. The map site is the approximate midpoint of the placer on Cinnabar Run, in the SW1/4 of section 12, T 8 N, R 55 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is 0.5 

mile north-northeast of the north end ot the Cinnabar Creek airstrip. This prospect is accurately located. It is locality 9 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg 

 Other: Sb 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar, stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz 

Geologic description:

 Russell Schaeffer and Harvey Winchell found this placer cinnabar deposit in 1941, the 

year they staked placer claims on Cinnabar Creek, Cinnabar Run, and Cinnabar Gulch 

(Rutledge, 1950, p. 3). The deposit was subsequently explored by dozer cuts in its upper 

part and by many test pits. The alluvium in the drainage is only about 100 to 150 feet 

wide, and in places the paystreak is only about 25 feet wide. The paystreak is at least 

3,100 feet long. It is covered by up to 18 feet of colluvium/alluvium in Cinnabar Gulch 

and by about 7 feet of alluvial gravel along Cinnabar Run and Cinnabar Creek. Although 

Cady and others (1955) reported that the paystreak was only about 2 to 6 inches thick, test 

pits indicate that the minable section commonly is 5 feet thick and in the upstream part of 

the deposit, up to 14 feet thick (Rutledge, 1950, fig. 7). The placer contains many coarse 

nuggets to fist size of finely crystalline cinnabar, and many nuggets of cinnabar intergrown with quartz, stibnite, and breccia fragments of siltstone. The nuggets are angular 

in Cinnabar Gulch and well-rounded downstream along Cinnabar Run. Data from 14 test 

pits, mostly along Cinnabar Run, show that the paystreak is continuous, although locally 

narrow, and contains 0.21 to 0.84 percent Hg over mining sections varying from 5 to 14 

TA002 
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Page 6 

feet thick (Rutledge, 1950, fig. 7). A few nuggets were obtained from a remnant bench 

placer deposit 40 feet above the Cinnabar Run flood plain. 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

 Quaternary. 

Deposit model:

Alluvial placer cinnabar 

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

 

Production Status: Undetermined. 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 Many test pits and some dozer trenches, including one 390 feet long and up to 18 feet 

deep excavated by the U. S. Bureau of Mines, have explored this placer deposit. 

Production notes:

 Production from this placer deposit has not been reported; it is not clear if mining has 

taken place (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965, p. 42). 

Reserves:

 It is possible that much of this deposit is still in place. If the deposit is 4,000 feet long, 

25 feet wide, 5 feet thick, and averages 0.4 pounds of Hg per cubic yard, then the contained resource is about 2,200 pouinds of mercury. 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Cobb, 1972 

(MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Rutledge, 1950 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA002 
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Site name(s): Schaeffer 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA003 

Latitude: 60.79 Quadrangle: TA D8 

Longitude: 158.85 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Schaeffer prospect is located on the ridge north of Cinnabar Creek (TA002). The 

map site is at an elevation of about 1,550 feet, in the NE1/4 of section 13, T 8 N, R 55 W, 

of the Seward Meridian. It is 0.8 mile southeast of Cinnabar Gulch (TA001). This is locality 2 of Cobb 1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg 

 Other: Sb 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar, marcasite (?), pyrite (?), stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Limonite, quartz 

Geologic description:

 This prospect was discovered by Russell Schaeffer in 1958 and subsequently explored 

by a few shallow, hand-dug (?) trenches (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965, p. 40). The deposit is cinnabar- and stibnite-bearing, quartz-cemented breccia of Triassic chert and siltstone. The breccia is irregular in thickness and trends N 20 W, parallel to bedding in the 

host rocks. Cinnabar and stibnite are irregularly disseminated in the breccia and locally 

replace quartz and breccia fragments; the owner reported to Sainsbury that fossils replaced by cinnabar had been found at this prospect. The richest ore contains 1 to 2 percent cinnabar. The breccia is limonite-stained, but pyrite and/or marcasite has only been 

observed in the altered siltstone. 

Alteration:

 Silicification and limonite-staining. 

Age of mineralization:

 Cretaceous or Tertiary. Inferred to be similar in age to other mercury deposits of southwest Alaska that postdate deposition of mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and intrusion of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary igneous rocks. 

TA003 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 8 

Deposit model:

Cinnabar and stibnite disseminated in quartz-cemented breccia (Hot-spring Hg ?; Cox and 

Singer, 1986; model 27a) 

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

27a? 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 A few shallow trenches were dug on this prospect. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA003 
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Page 9 

Site name(s): Lucky Day 

Site type: Mine 

ARDF no.: TA004 

Latitude: 60.75 Quadrangle: TA C-8 

Longitude: 158.85 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Lucky Day mine is on the divide between the headwaters of locally named Canary 

Gulch and Cinnabar Creek (TA002), a west tributary to Beaver Creek. The map site is at 

an elevation of about 1,850 feet, near the west end of the boundary between sections 25 

and 36, T 8 N, R 55 W, of the Seward Meridian. The mine is 1.5 miles west of the north 

end of the Beaver Creek airstrip. It is locality 3 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-

606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg, Sb 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar, mercury, pyrite, stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Carbonate, dickite, limonite, quartz 

Geologic description:

 The Lucky Day mine area includes cinnabar- and stibnite-bearing deposits along the 

west side of upper Canary Gulch and at the divide between Canary Gulch and Cinnabar 

Creek (Rutledge, 1050). During WWII, 3,600 pounds of cinnabar-rich materials recovered from residual colluvial deposits at the head of Canary Gulch yielded 26 flasks of 

mercury (Rutledge, 1950, p. 4; Cady and others, 1955, p. 114). The lode deposits are in 

sedimentary and igneous rocks inferred to be part of a Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary and volcanic sequence; several Triassic fossil localities are in the Cinnabar Creek 

area about 3 miles north of the Lucky Day mine (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965). 

 The Lucky Day mine area has been explored by many surface pits, dozer trenches, and 

shallow shafts (Rutledge, 1950; Cady, 1955). In the 50-foot wide and 350-foot long mineralized zone along the west side of upper Canary Gulch, cinnabar, quartz, and stibnite 

form thin and sparse films along bedding plane faults, fractures, and joints, and occur as 

fillings between graywacke and shale fragments in breccia; some native mercury is also 

present (Rutledge, 1950). Three samples of the highest grade material in this zone respectively contained 0.31, 0.18 and 0.07 percent Hg and 0.16, 0.19, and 0.15 percent Sb 

(Rutledge, 1950, p. 6). Seven samples collected from this zone by the owners contained 

TA004 
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Page 10 

a trace to 0.10 percent Hg (Rutledge, 1950, p. 6). 

 Mineralization on the divide between Canary Gulch and Cinnabar Creek is localized 

along and near the faulted contact of an altered, approximately 10-foot wide mafic dike or 

sill. The mafic intrusive body is almost parallel to bedding in the enclosing graywacke 

and siltstone, which strikes N 5-10 W and dips moderately west (Sainsbury and 

MacKevett, 1965). The mineralized zone is along the west contact of the mafic intrusive; 

it is about 900 feet long, 50 feet wide, and exposed over a vertical distance of about 130 

feet (Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965). Highgrade mineralization within this zone consists of discontinuous, massive, cinnabar veins 

and lenses, averaging about 1 inch thick, along the intrusive contact and in narrow offshoots along bedding plane faults in structurally overlying graywacke. Cinnabar is accompanied by quartz, stibnite, dickite, limonite, and some native mercury. Eight samples 

from this zone contained 0.14 to 15.7 percent Hg and 0.32 to 3.0 percent Sb (Rutledge, 

1950, fig. 5). Hawley and others (1969) reported that two ore samples respectively contained 70.10 and 35.87 percent Hg, 0.008 and 0.05 ppm Au, 1,500 and 700 ppm Zn, and 

greater than 10,000 and 300 ppm Sb. The graywacke, siltstone, and mafic intrusive country rocks are variably altered and replaced by quartz, carbonate, and clay minerals; some 

pyrite is present in the altered mafic intrusive rocks but it has not been observed in association with cinnabar. 

Alteration:

 Variable quartz-carbonate-clay alteration of graywacke,siltstone, and mafic intrusive 

country rock. 

Age of mineralization:

 Cretaceous or Tertiary. Inferred to be similar in age to other mercury deposits of southwest Alaska that postdate deposition of mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and intrusion of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary igneous rocks. 

Deposit model:

Cinnabar- and stibnite-bearing veins (Hot-spring Hg? Cox and Singer, 1986; model 27a) 

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

27a 

Production Status: Yes; small 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 The Lucky Day mine area has been explored by many surface pits, dozer trenches, and 

shallow shafts (Rutledge, 1950; Cady, 1955). 

Production notes:

 During WWII, 3,600 pounds of cinnabar-rich materials recovered from residual colluvial deposits at the head of Canary Gulch yielded 26 flasks of mercury (Rutledge, 1950, p. 

TA004 
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Page 11 

4; Cady and others, 1955, p. 114). The recovered ore was transported to Sleetmute by 

backpacking and boat. It was retorted at the Red Devil mine in 1942-43. 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Hawley and 

others, 1969; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Rutledge, 1950 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA004 
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Site name(s): Redskin 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA005 

Latitude: 60.74 Quadrangle: TA C-8 

Longitude: 158.84 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Redskin prospect is at an elevation of about 1,400 feet on the ridge south of Beaver 

Creek. The map site is in the E1/2 of section 6, T 8 N, R 55 W, of the Seward Meridian. 

The prospect is at the head of locally named Alder Gulch, 1.15 miles west-southwest of 

the Beaver Creek airstrip. It is locality 4 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 At the Redskin prospect, cinnabar occurs as sparse films along bedding planes and cross 

joints, and in zones of brecciation in graywacke and shale (Rutledge, 1950). This prospect has not received much study, but is reported to be similar to the mercury-bearing deposit along locally named Canary Gulch at the Lucky Day mine (TA004), 0.75 mile to the 

northwest (Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955, p. 115). The country rocks are inferred to be part of a Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary and volcanic sequence; several 

Triassic fossil localities are in the Cinnabar Creek area about 4 miles to the northwest of 

the Redskin prospect (Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965). Rutledge (1950) also reports that 

cinnabar float has been found in locally named Alder Gulch below the Redskin prospect. 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

 Cretaceous or Tertiary. Inferred to be similar in age to other mercury deposits of southwest Alaska that postdate deposition of mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and intrusion of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary igneous rocks. 

Deposit model:

TA005 
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Page 13 

Cinnabar-bearing veins and fractures (Hot-spring Hg? Cox and Singer, 1986; model 27a) 

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

27a? 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 The prospect probably has been explored by surface examination, sampling, and some 

shallow pits. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Cobb, 1972 

(MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Rutledge, 1950 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA005 
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Page 14 

Site name(s): Tippy 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA006 

Latitude: 60.50 Quadrangle: TA C-8 

Longitude: 158.74 

Location description and accuracy:

 This occurrence is at an elevation of about 3,000 feet on a ridge 1,000 feet south of 

USGS benchmark Tippy, near the south boundary of the Taylor Mountains C-8 quadrangle. The map site is in the NW1/4 of section 27, T 5 N, R 54 W, of the Seward Meridan. 

It is locality 13 of Clark and others (1970) and locality 6 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 

[OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au, Cu 

 Other: Ag, Hg 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz, tourmaline 

Geologic description:

 At this locality, shale and graywacke, inferred to be part of the mid-Cretaceous Kuskokwim Group, is intruded and baked by a 15-foot wide, Cretaceous or Tertiary felsic dike 

(Clark and others, 1970). The limonite-stained dike contains some small cavities lined 

with apple green crystals of bindheimite (?), and small clots of acicular tourmaline. 

Quartz veins in the hornfels are up to 0.25 inch wide and contain 1 to 2 percent arsenopyrite and minor chalcopyrite; fracture surfaces are stained by malachite. Rock samples 

from this locality (Clark and others, 1970, samples AMM 777 and 799) contained up to 

2,000 ppm B, 15,000 ppm Cu, 200 ppm Ag, 15 ppm Mo, 10,000 ppm Sb, 1.5 ppm Au, 

and greater than 10 ppm Hg. Rock samples collected up to 3,000 feet north-northwest 

along the ridge from this locality also contained anomalous levels of some metals, especially Ag, Cu, B, and Hg (Clark and others, 1970, sample localities 11 and 12). 

Alteration:

 Silicification (quartz veining in hornfels) and oxidation. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Tertiary. Mineralization postdates deposition and deformation of 

TA006 
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Page 15 

mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and emplacement of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary intrusive rocks. 

Deposit model:

Polymetallic veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c) 

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

22c 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Active? 

Workings/exploration:

 At least surface examination and sampling has taken place. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Clark and others, 1970; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA006 
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Page 16 

Site name(s): Shotgun (Mose) 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA007 

Latitude: 60.41 Quadrangle: TA B-6 

Longitude: 158.12 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Shotgun prospect is in the south part of the Shotgun Hills, a rugged. glaciated upland at the divide between the King Salmon and Kogrukluk/Holitna River drainages. The 

map site is in the NW1/4 of section 27, T 4 N, R 51 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is on 

the crest and eastern slope of a northwest-trending ridge at an elevation of about 2,575 

feet. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, bismuth, Bi-Te sulfides, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, copper, 

covellite, gold, lollingite, marcasite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, scheelite, sphalerite 

Gangue minerals: Albite, carbonate, quartz, sericite, tourmaline 

Geologic description:

 This prospect was discovered in the 1980s as a result of a regional exploration program 

by Cominco Alaska in a joint venture with ENSTAR. They named this prospect Mose 

and completed surface mapping, sampling, and the drilling of six shallow diamond drill 

holes. In the 1990s, ENSTAR's interest was sold to NovaGold Resources Inc., the prospect was renamed Shotgun, and a renewed exploration effort took place. This exploration 

included extensive diamond drilling in 1998 that included 19 drill holes totaling 10,170 

feet (Novagold Resources Inc., 2000). 

 The Shotgun prospect is an intensely quartz-veined felsic porphyry stock that sharply 

crosscuts biotite hornfels developed in mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the 

Kuskokwim Group (Rombach, 2000). As exposed along the ridge crest and downslope to 

the east, the stock is an irregularly shaped composite intrusive that is about 1,000 feet 

long in a northwest direction and over 500 feet long in a northeast direction. The hornfels 

near the stock and across the ridge crest to the southwest commonly is breccia healed by a 

toumaline-rich matrix and locally cut by veinlets that contain arsenopyrite, pyrite, and 

some chalcopyrite. In the stock, some zones near the contact are extensively silicified; 

quartz replacement is massive and complete in these zones. Elsewhere, the stock is cut 

TA007 
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Page 17 

by quartz veins that in places form an intense, anastomosing stockwork. Albite-sericitequartz +/- carbonate replacement of host intrusive rocks accompanies the quartz veining. 

The deposit is deeply oxidized and iron-staining is widespread. Ore minerals identified at 

Shotgun include arsenopyrite, primary native gold and bismuth, Bi-Te sulfides, chalcopyrite, lollingite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, scheelite, sphalerite, and supergene covellite, chalcocite, 

native copper, and marcasite (Rombach, 2000). 

 Vapor-rich and saline-rich fluid inclusions coexist in the quartz veins. The vapor-rich 

inclusions contain, in order of abundance, water, carbon dioxide, and methane; these inclusions homogenize to vapor at about 360 degrees C. The saline-rich inclusions have 

salinities of 40 to greater than 60 weight percent NaCl equivalent and homogenize to liquid at 280 to more than 600 degrees C (Rombach, 2000). 

 Surface rock samples define a large geochemical anomaly with several areas where gold 

values exceed 1 ppm. Examples of drill hole intercepts include 233 feet grading 0.077 

ounce of Au per ton, 399 feet grading 0.050 of ounce Au per ton, and 43 feet grading 

0.155 ounce of Au per ton (NovaGold Resources Inc., 2000; all drill hole intercepts are 

listed online at http://www.nrigold.com/shotgun.htm). Preliminary metallurgical tests indicate that gold recoveries of more than 93 percent can be achieved using conventional 

cyanidation. A resource estimate, using a 0.018 ounce of Au per ton cutoff, is 32,765,000 

tons grading 0.033 ounce of Au per ton. The mineralization is open to the north, west, 

and at depth. Airborne and ground magnetometer surveys have been used in conjuction 

with extended mapping and sampling to evaluate the potential for additional mineralization in surrounding areas. 

 A large granitic pluton makes up the core of the Shotgun Hills. The contact between 

this pluton and the hornfels that surrounds the Shotgun prospect coincides with a northwest-trending linear swale and drainage less than 0.5 mile north of the prospect. The 

shallow-seated intrusive environment south of this contact (extensive hornfels locally cut 

by fine-grained porphyry) compared to that to the north, suggests that this contact is a 

large, down-to-the-south fault. K/Ar and Ar/Ar dating of intrusive rocks and mineralization in the Shotgun prospect area indicate that magmatism and mineralization is latest 

Cretaceous in age, about 68 to 70 Ma (Rombach, 2000; Travis Hudson, unpublished data, 

2000). 

Alteration:

 Silicification and albite-sericite-quartz +/- carbonate replacement of host intrusive 

rocks. 

Age of mineralization:

 Latest Cretaceous. K/Ar and Ar/Ar dating of intrusive rocks and mineralization in the 

Shotgun prospect area indicate that magmatism and mineralization is latest Cretaceous in 

age, about 68 to 70 Ma (Rombach, 2000; Travis Hudson, unpublished data, 2000). 

Deposit model:

Gold-bearing quartz-stockwork veining in felsic porphyry 

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

 

TA007 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 18 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Active 

Workings/exploration:

 This prospect was discovered in the 1980s as a result of a regional exporation program 

by Cominco Alaska in joint venture with ENSTAR. They named this prospect Mose and 

completed surface mapping, sampling, and the drilling of six shallow diamond drill holes. 

In the 1990s, ENSTAR's interest was sold to NovaGold Resources Inc., the prospect was 

renamed Shotgun, and a renewed exploration effort took place. This exploration included 

extensive new diamond drilling in 1998 that included 19 drill holes totaling 10,170 feet. 

Airborne and ground magnetometer surveys have been used in conjuction with extended 

mapping and sampling to evaluate the potential for additional deposits in surrounding areas. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 Novagold Resources Inc. (2000) has made the following resource estimates: using a 

cutoff pf 0.018 ounce of Au per ton, the resource is 32,765,000 tons grading 0.033 ounce 

of Au per ton; using a cutoff of 0.026 ounce of Au per ton, the resource is 16,550,000 

tons grading 0.045 ounce of Au per ton; using a cutoff of 0.035 ounce of Au per ton, the 

resource is 11,650,000 tons grading 0.05 ounce of gold per ton. 

Additional comments:

 

References:

NovaGold Resources Inc., 2000; Rombach, 2000. 

Primary reference: Rombach, 2000 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA007 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 19 

Site name(s): Taylor Creek 

Site type: Mine 

ARDF no.: TA008 

Latitude: 60.88 Quadrangle: TA D-4 

Longitude: 157.34 

Location description and accuracy:

 Taylor Creek is the main drainge on the southeast side of the Taylor Mountains. Taylor 

Creek flows east and north from headwaters 3.75 miles south of the highest peak (3,581 

feet elevation) in the Taylor Mountains. Placer gold mining has occurred along at least the 

upper 3 miles of Taylor Creek, although prospects have been noted as far as 1.5 miles below the mouth of Fork Creek, a south tributary. The map site is at the principal mine 

buildings, in the NW1/4 of section 18, T 9 N, R 46 W, of the Seward Meridian. This is 

locality 11 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: Hg, Sn 

Ore minerals: Cassiterite, cinnabar, gold, pyrite 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Placer gold mining has occurred along at least the upper 3 miles of Taylor Creek, although prospects have been noted as far as 1.5 miles below the mouth of Fork Creek, a 

south tributary (Cady and others, 1955, Plate 1). The alluvial gravels are about 10 feet 

thick, the paystreak is about 250 feet wide, and bedrock is mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. The heavy-mineral concentrates contain cinnabar and cassiterite; pyrite is abundant in concentrates from below the mouth of Fork 

Creek (Cady and others, 1955, p. 119). Cady and others (1955) reported that the Taylor 

Creek mine had produced a total of $90,000 worth of gold (about 2,500 ounces), mainly 

in 1950 and 1951. The mine has been active at different times since Cady and others' report, including small-scale mining and prospecting through the 1990s (M. Henning, personal commun., 2000). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

TA008 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 20 

 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: Active 

Workings/exploration:

 Placer gold mining has occurred along at least the upper 3 miles of Taylor Creek although prospects have been noted as far as 1.5 miles below the mouth of Fork Creek, a 

south tributary (Cady and others, 1955, Plate 1). An airstrip, water ditch, and mine buildings are present. Taylor Creek has been explored for a distance of about 1.5 miles downstream of the mouth of Fork Creek. The mine has been active at different times since 

Cady and others' report, including small-scale mining and prospecting through the 1990s 

(M. Henning, personal commun., 2000). 

Production notes:

 Cady and others (1955) reported that the Taylor Creek mine had produced a total of 

$90,000 worth of gold (about 2,500 ounces), mainly in 1950 and 1951. 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Cady and others, 1955; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Cady and others, 1955 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA008 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 21 

Site name(s): Unnamed (ridge west of Stevens Creek) 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA009 

Latitude: 60.95 Quadrangle: TA D-4 

Longitude: 157.35 

Location description and accuracy:

 Stevens Creek flows northeast from headwaters in the highest part of the Taylor Mountains. This occurrence is on the ridge on the west side of Stevens Creek. The map site is 

at an elevation of 2,400 feet, in the SE1/4 of section 13, T 10 N, R 46 W, of the Seward 

Meridian. It is approximately located, perhaps within 1 mile. This occurrence is locality 

7 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: W 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Wolframite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz 

Geologic description:

 The core of the Taylor Mountains is an Upper Cretaceous or LowerTertiary granite pluton that sharply crosscuts and thermally metamorphoses mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group (Cady and others, 1955, p. 83, 121). Quartz veins 

are common in the pluton near its border and in the contact-metamorphic rocks. Wolframite was identified in vein quartz float that apparently weathered from the contactmetamorphic zone on the ridge west of Stevens Creek. 

Alteration:

 Hornfels is developed in the country rocks adjacent to the Taylor Mountain pluton. 

Quartz veining is common in the border of the pluton and in the hornfels. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary, the age of the Taylor Mountain pluton. 

Deposit model:

Wolframite in quartz veins 

TA009 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 22 

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

 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Cady and others, 1955; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Cady and others, 1955 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA009 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 23 

Site name(s): Sleitat Mountain 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA010 

Latitude: 60.046 Quadrangle: TA A-3 

Longitude: 157.080 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Sleitat prospect is centered on a saddle at an elevation of 1,725 feet, between the 

two high peaks of Sleitat Mountain (1,979 and 1,903 feet elevation). Sleitat Mountain is 

the highest part of northeast-southwest trending uplands between the valleys of Harris 

Creek and the Nushagak River. This prospect is accurately located. It is locality 8 of 

Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Sn, W 

 Other: Ag 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, bismite, cassiterite, chalcopyrite, ferrotantalite, loellingite, pyrite, sphalerite, stannite, wolframite 

Gangue minerals: Clay, muscovite, quartz, topaz, tourmaline, zinnwaldite 

Geologic description:

 The occurrence of granite and peripheral gold-bearing quartz gash veins was reported 

on Sleitat Mountain by Mertie (1938, p. 91), but subsequent exploration has shown that 

the principal mineral deposit is a tin-, tungsten-, and silver-bearing sheeted greisen system 

(Farnstrom, 1991; Burleigh, 1991; Hudson and Reed, 1997). The greisen deposit was discoverd by a Cominco Alaska regional exploration program in 1983, and subsequently 

evaluated in the mid-1980s by detailed surface mapping, sampling, and diamond drilling 

(Farnstrom, 1991). 

 A composite granite stock that hosts most of the greisen sharply crosscuts and thermally 

metamorphoses mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. The 

stock has a discontinuous border zone of medium-grained biotite granite and biotitemuscovite granite, and a core of fine-grained zinnwaldite granite. Felsic porphyry dikes 

crosscut hornfels peripheral to the stock. A K/Ar age of 56.8 +/- 2.8 Ma on muscovite 

from a late veinlet was reported by Burleigh (1991, p. 6). Greisen sheets trend east-west 

and are developed within the biotite-muscovite granite, zinnwaldite granite, and hornfels. 

 The east-west trending cassiterite-bearing greisen zones are nearly vertical quartz-topaztourmaline +/- white mica veins and tabular bodies that vary from inches to 20 feet in 

TA010 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 24 

thickness and coalesce to greater thicknesses in places. They are concentrated in the 

north half of the stock and in a second zone along the south border that includes some 

greisen sheets in peripheral hornfels. The individual greisen sheets are granular, massive, 

separated by less-altered granite, have disseminated clay-lined voids, and have cores that 

locally contain a few inches of coarse quartz veins carrying high concentrations (50 to 60 

percent) of cassiterite (Burleigh, 1991, p. 14). Cassiterite is disseminated in the greisen, 

concentrated in cores of greisen veins, and in quartz-topaz veins that fill fractures in hornfels. Cassiterite-bearing veins in hornfels are up to 1.5 feet wide and a few hundred feet 

long. Small amounts of wolframite are disseminated in the greisen but it also occurs with 

arsenopyrite in quartz veins, especially in hornfels peripheral to greisen zones. Arsenopyrite is common in the greisen and veins. Up to 5 percent loellingite with inclusions of 

bismite has been identified as disseminations in biotite-muscovite granite (Burleigh, 

1991, p. 16). Sphalerite is a minor but common constituent of the greisen and some stannite and chalcopyrite are associated with the sphalerite. One small grain of ferrotantalite 

was identified during SEM analysis of the greisen (Burleigh, 1991, p. 16). Individual 

greisen zones locally have high tin grades. For example, one 47.7 foot (true) drill intercept averaged 1.56 percent tin, and included a 5-foot (true) thick section grading 12.6 percent tin and 5.7 ounces of Ag per ton (Farnstrom, 1991; Burleigh, 1991, p. 18). An 1,800 

pound bulk sample contained 0.37 percent tin, 0.04 percent W, and 17 ppm Ag; the 

Sleitat deposit is estimated to contain a total of 28.6 million tons with the average grade 

of this bulk sample (Burleigh, 1991). This size and grade is consistent with that found in 

other large cassiterite-bearing greisen deposits around the world (Menzie and Reed, 

1986). 

 The Sleitat prospect is a deeply eroded tin-bearing system. The sheeted greisens, particularly those on the north side of the stock, are expected to diminish in size and in intensity of cassiterite mineralization at depth. However, mineralization in the relatively wide 

hornfels zone on the south side of the stock may indicate that the upper contact of the 

granite body is not steeply dipping there, or that a mineralizing zinnwaldite granite cupola 

could be present at depth (Hudson and Reed, 1997, p. 461). Burleigh (1991) showed that 

much of the eroded tin-bearing material had migrated downslope and along the small 

streams that head against the lode deposit. 

Alteration:

 Greisenization, late clay development, oxidation including iron- and scorodite-staining. 

Age of mineralization:

 Early Tertiary. A composite granite stock that hosts most of the greisen sharply crosscuts and thermally metamorphoses mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. A K/Ar age of 56.8 +/- 2.8 Ma on muscovite from a late veinlet was reported by Burleigh (1991, p. 6). 

Deposit model:

Sn greisen deposits (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 15c) 

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

15c 

TA010 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 25 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Active 

Workings/exploration:

 The Sleitat prospect was discovered and explored by Cominco Alaska in the 1980s. 

This work included detailed surface mapping, sampling, and some diamond drilling 

(Farnstrom, 1991). In 1989, the U. S. Bureau of Mines conducted additional surface examinations, geochemical sampling, surface magnetometer and radiometric surveys, and a 

pan concentrate survey in nearby drainages (Burleigh, 1991). 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 An 1,800 pound bulk sample contained 0.37 percent tin, 0.04 percent W, and 17 ppm 

Ag; the Sleitat deposit is estimated to contain a total of 28.6 million tons of ore having the 

average grade of this bulk sample (Burleigh, 1991). 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Mertie, 1938; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606); Menzie and Reed, 1986; 

Burleigh, 1991; Farnstrom, 1991; Hudson and Reed, 1997. 

Primary reference: Burleigh, 1991 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA010 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 26 

Site name(s): Keefer Creek 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA011 

Latitude: 60.3 Quadrangle: TA B-1 

Longitude: 156.1 

Location description and accuracy:

 Keefer Creek is an approximately 7-mile-long south tributary to the Mulchatna River. 

Its confluence with the Mulchatna River is about 7 miles upstream from the mouth of 

Mosquito River, a north tributary to the Mulchatna River. This occurrence is very approximately located, probably within several miles. For this record, the map site is on 

Keefer Creek at the north border of section 9, T 2 N, R 39 W, of the Seward Meridian. 

The occurrence was referred to as 'Keefer Creek' by Cobb (1972 [MF 384]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 A written communication from F. H. Waskey (1935), probably to J. B. Mertie Jr., reported that placer gold had been identified on Keefer Creek (Cobb, 1972 [MF 384]). 

Keefer Creek is an approximately 7-mile-long south tributary to the Mulchatna River. 

The Mulchatna River approximately coincides with a major structural boundary between 

mid-Cretaceous Kuskowim Group clastic rocks to the west and Mesozoic sedimentary 

and igneous rocks to the east (Decker and others, 1994). 

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):

TA011 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 27 

39a 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Decker and others, 1994. 

Primary reference: Cobb, 1972 (MF 384) 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA011 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 28 

Site name(s): Mulchatna River 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA012 

Latitude: 60.3 Quadrangle: TA B-1 

Longitude: 156.1 

Location description and accuracy:

 Martin and Katz (1912) reported that flour gold was present on gravel bars of the Mulchatna River above the mouth of the Koktalee (Koktuli) River. The map site of this occurrence is a gravel bar about 1.5 mile above the mouth of Keefer Creek. It is arbitrarily 

chosen to represent the general area of occurrences noted by Martin and Katz (1912). 

Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]) included these occurrences under the name 

'Mulchatna River'. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Martin and Katz (1912) reported that fine flour gold was present on gravel bars of the 

Mulchatna River above the mouth of the Koktalee (Koktuli) River. The Mulchatna River 

approximately coincides with a major structural boundary between mid-Cretaceous 

Kuskowim Group clastic rocks to the west and Mesozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks 

to the east (Decker and others, 1994). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

 Holocene. 

Deposit model:

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

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

39a 

TA012 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 29 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Martin and Katz, 1912; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606); Decker and others, 1994. 

Primary reference: Martin and Katz, 1912 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA012 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 30 

Site name(s): Unnamed (Tikchik Mountain area) 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA013 

Latitude: 60.07 Quadrangle: TA A-6 

Longitude: 158.18 

Location description and accuracy:

 Mertie (1938, p. 91) reported that fine placer gold was found on creeks draining the 

north and west sides of Tikchik Mountain. This location, on the north flank of Tikchik 

Mountain, is arbitrarily chosen to represent these occurrences. The map site is in the 

NW1/4 of section 26, T 1 S, R 52 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is very approximately 

located, perhaps within miles. Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]) included these 

occurrences under the name 'Tikchik Mountain'. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Mertie (1938, p. 91) reported that fine placer gold was found in creeks draining the 

north and west sides of Tikchik Mountain. Bedrock in the area of Tikchik Mountain is 

clastic sedimentary rocks, inferred to be part of the mid-Cretaceous Kuskokwim Group, 

which is intruded by Upper Cretaceous or Lower Teritary granitic rocks (Mertie, 1938). 

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 

TA013 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 31 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Mertie, 1938; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Mertie, 1938 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA013 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 32 

Site name(s): McGeary Creek 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA014 

Latitude: 60.3 Quadrangle: TA B-2 

Longitude: 156.6 

Location description and accuracy:

 McGeary Creek is a large, south tributary to the upper Nushagak River. The location is 

arbitrarily chosen on upper McGeary Creek. The map site is in the NW1/4 of section 29, 

T 3 N, R 42 W, of the Seward Meridan. It is very approximately located, perhaps within 

as much as 10 miles. Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]) included information 

about this occurrence under the name 'Pulchatnachakcharak R.' an early name for 

McGeary Creek. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Mertie (1938, p. 91) reported that colors of gold have been found on McGeary Creek. 

This record represents that occurrence, at an arbitrarily chosen site along upper McGeary 

Creek. Bedrock in this drainage is probably mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of 

the Kuskokwim Group, perhaps locally intruded by felsic igneous rocks (Decker and others, 1994). 

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 

TA014 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 33 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Mertie, 1938; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606); Decker and others, 1994. 

Primary reference: Mertie, 1938 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA014 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 34 

Site name(s): King Salmon River 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA015 

Latitude: 60.31 Quadrangle: TA B-6 

Longitude: 158.12 

Location description and accuracy:

 Mertie (1938, p. 91) reported that coarse gold was found in the upper valley of King 

Salmon River. This location is arbitrarily chosen to represent this occurrence. For this 

record, the map site is on the river, 1.25 miles southeast of USGS benchmark King, in the 

SW1/4 of section 27, T 3 N, R 51 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is approximately located, probably within a few miles. Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]) included 

this occurrence under the name 'King Salmon River'. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Mertie (1938, p. 91) reported that coarse gold was found in the upper valley of the King 

Salmon River in1907. King Salmon River is a large west tributary to the Nushagak 

River. It flows east from headwaters along a low divide that separates it from the drainage of Tikchik River. Bedrock in the King Salmon River drainage is mid-Cretaceous 

clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group locally intruded by Upper Cretaceous 

or Lower Tertiary granitic and hypabyssal felsic rocks. Clark and others (1970 [OF 438]) 

reported analytical data for stream sediments and one rock sample in the area of USGS 

benchmark King. Several of the stream-sediment samples in this area contained anomalous amounts of metals, including Ag, As, B, and Cu. The rock sample, from near the 

benchmark, contained weakly anomalous amounts of Ag and As. Bedrock in this area includes a small area of felsic intrusive rocks surrounded by hornfels (Clark and others, 

1970 [OF 438]). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

TA015 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 35 

 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: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Mertie, 1938; Clark and others, 1970 (OF 438); Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 

76-606). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 (OF 438) 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA015 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 36 

Site name(s): Gemuk Mountain 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA016 

Latitude: 60.60 Quadrangle: TA 

Longitude: 159.00 

Location description and accuracy:

 Gemuk Mountain is a 3,441 foot-high peak near the west boundary of the Taylor Mountains C-8 quadrangle. It is in the west headwaters of the Gemuk River. This occurrence 

is at an elevation of about 2,850 feet on a ridge a few thousand feet southwest of the summit of Gemuk Mountain. It is locality 6 of Clark and others (1970) and locality 5 of Cobb 

(1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au, Sb 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold, pyrite, stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz 

Geologic description:

 This occurrence is a mineralized shear zone between granitic rocks and thermally metamorphosed quartzite and shale (Clark and others, 1970). Discontinuous gold-bearing 

quartz-stibnite masses, 1- to 6-inches wide, occur as pods and lenses in fault gouge and 

breccia. Polished sections show the vein margins to be quartz and stibnite and the cores 

to be silificied fragments of biotite diorite in a quartz matrix. Pyrite is common at the 

margins of the silicified biotite diorite fragments. The mineralized zone trends N 50 W, 

is nearly vertical, and at least 2 feet wide. Native gold is at the margins of the stibniterich pods and lenses. Three vein samples contained gold values of 82, 94, and 100 ppm 

(Clark and others, 1970). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary (?). Possibly the age of many granitic plutons in the 

region. 

Deposit model:

TA016 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 37 

Simple Sb deposits (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 27d) 

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

27d 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 Surface examination and sampling has occurred, probably including some by private 

companies since that of Clark and others (1970). 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Clark and others, 1970; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA016 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 38 

Site name(s): Unnamed (near Gemuk Mountain) 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA017 

Latitude: 60.59 Quadrangle: TA C-8 

Longitude: 158.98 

Location description and accuracy:

 This occurrence is in a headwater drainage of the Gemuk River, 1.1 miles southeast of 

the summit of Gemuk Mountain. The map site is in the NW1/4 of section 29, T 6 N, R 

55 W, of the Seward Meridian. It is sample locality 161 of Clark and others (1970) and 

locality 10 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar 

Gangue minerals: 

Geologic description:

 Clark and others (1970) reported panning cinnabar from stream sediments at this locality. This occurrence is along a small headwater tributary of the Gemuk River that heads 

in an area of gold and stibnite mineralization (TA016). 

Alteration:

 

Age of mineralization:

 Quaternary. 

Deposit model:

Placer Hg 

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

 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Inactive 

TA017 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 39 

Workings/exploration:

 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Clark and others, 1970; Cobb, 1972 (MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA017 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 40 

Site name(s): Broken Shovel 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA018 

Latitude: 60.806 Quadrangle: TA D-8 

Longitude: 158.841 

Location description and accuracy:

 The Broken Shovel prospect is in the headwaters of an unnamed, north-flowing drainage, 0.5 mile northeast of upper Cinnabar Creek (TA001) and 3.5 miles southwest of 

USGS benchmark Prom (2,709 feet elevation). The map site is at an elevation of about 

1,250 feet, in the NE1/4 of section 12, T 8 N, R 55 W, of the Seward Meridian. The deposit is exposed on the northwest flank of a small ridge separating headwater tributaries 

to the north-flowing creek; the westernmost of these tributaries is locally called Broken 

Shovel Gulch. It is accurately located (see Rutledge, 1950, fig. 6) and included in locality 

1 of Cobb (1972 [MF 384]; 1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Hg, Sb 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Cinnabar, stibnite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz 

Geologic description:

 The Broken Shovel prospect is 0.5 mile northeast of the Cinnabar Creek lode mercury 

mine (TA001). It consists of a zone of discontinuous quartz-stibnite veins along the 

faulted contact of a vertical mafic dike in Triassic sedimentary rocks (Sainsbury and 

MacKevett, 1965). The dike, exposed in a few shallow dozer trenches, is 1- to 3-feetthick and trends N 5-20 E for a distance of at least 320 feet (Sainsbury and MacKevett, p. 

40). The quartz veins are narrow, discontinuous, and only locally contain small stibnite 

lenses and minor cinnabar. Cinnabar was reportedly panned in the gulch drainage 

downslope from the Broken Shovel prospect. Cady and others (1955) report that sills of 

silica-carbonate rock (inferred to be altered mafic intrusive rocks) are also present in the 

gulch. 

Alteration:

 Quartz veining and silica-carbonate alteration of mafic rocks. 

TA018 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 41 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Tertiary (?). May be similar in age to other mercury deposits in 

southwest Alaska. Several of these postdate deposition and deformation of midCretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks and emplacement of Upper Cretaceous or Tertiary 

intrusive rocks. 

Deposit model:

Simple Sb deposits (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 27d) 

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

27d 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Probably inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 A few shallow dozer trenches have explored the prospect. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Rutledge, 1950; Cady and others, 1955; Sainsbury and MacKevett, 1965; Cobb, 1972 

(MF 384); Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Sainsbury and Mackevett, 1965 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA018 
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Site name(s): Unnamed (south of Taylor Mountains) 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA019 

Latitude: 60.86 Quadrangle: TA D-4 

Longitude: 157.38 

Location description and accuracy:

 This occurrence is reported to be about 1 mile south of the upper Taylor Creek airstrip 

(T.K. Bundtzen, personal commun., 1992). For this record, the map site is at an elevation of 1,400 feet in the NE1/4 of section 23, T 9 N, R 46 W, of the Seward Meridian. It 

is very approximately located, perhaps within a mile. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au 

 Other: Ag, Hg 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, cinnabar, gold, pyrite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz, tourmaline 

Geologic description:

 T. K. Bundzten (personal commun., 1992) reports that disseminated arsenopyrite, cinnabar, pyrite, and minor gold are in hypabyssal rhyolite about 1 mile south of the Taylor 

Creek airstrip. Sparse sulfides are also in quartz-tourmaline veinlets that cut the rhyolite. 

Cady and others (1955, p. 71, plate 1) noted east-west-trending rhyolite dikes or sills on 

the ridges just west of lower Forks Creek, about about 2.5 miles east-northeast of this occurrence. The felsic hypabyssal rocks intrude mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks 

of the Kuskokwim Group. 

Alteration:

 Quartz-tourmaline veining is present. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary, the age of felsic plutons in southwest Alaska that intrude the mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. 

Deposit model:

Sulfide-bearing veins in or near felsic hypabyssal intrusive rocks 

TA019 
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Deposit model number (After Cox and Singer, 1986 or Bliss, 1992):

 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 Some surface examination and sampling has occurred but the nature of any additional 

work is not known. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Cady and others, 1955. 

Primary reference: Cady and others, 1955 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA019 
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Page 44 

Site name(s): Little Taylor Mountains 

Site type: Occurrence 

ARDF no.: TA020 

Latitude: 60.85 Quadrangle: TA B-6 

Longitude: 157.19 

Location description and accuracy:

 This occurrence is on the crest of the Little Taylor Mountains, 3.1 miles southeast of the 

confluence of Fork and Taylor Creeks. The map site is at an elevation of about 2,100 

feet, in the SW1/4 of section 24, T 9 N, R 45 W, of the Seward Meridian. This occurrence 

was included under the name 'Little Taylor Mts.' by Cobb (1976 [OF 76-606]). 

Commodities: 

 Main: Au (?), Cu 

 Other: 

Ore minerals: Gold, pyrite 

Gangue minerals: Quartz, sericite 

Geologic description:

 Several felsic dikes or sills cut mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group in the higher parts of the Little Taylor Mountains (Cady and others, 1955, p. 

71, plates 1 and 6). At a locality a little northwest of the summit of the Little Taylor 

Mountains, the felsic sheets trend northwest, and dip southwest, parallel to the enclosing 

sedimentary rocks. The felsic intrusions and the enclosing sedimentary rocks are strongly 

silicified and pyrtitized. 'Traces of copper' were also noted by Cady and others (1955, p. 

122) in the Little Taylor Mountains. For this record, it is assumed that at least a little gold 

is present in the altered rocks. 

Alteration:

 Silicification, pyritization, and sericitization. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary, the age of felsic plutons in southwest Alaska that intrude the mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. 

Deposit model:

Gold (?)-bearing altered felsic intrusive rocks 

TA020 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 45 

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

 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Undetermined 

Workings/exploration:

 Some surface examination and sampling has probably occurred, but the nature of any 

additional work is not known. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Cady and others, 1955; Cobb, 1976 (OF 76-606). 

Primary reference: Cady and others, 1955 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 12/30/00 

TA020 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 46 

Site name(s): Unnamed (southern Shotgun Hills area) 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA021 

Latitude: 60.37 Quadrangle: TA B-6 

Longitude: 158.15 

Location description and accuracy:

 This prospect is centered on an upland (elevation of 2,516 feet) that is 2.8 miles north of 

USGS benchmark King. This is in the headwaters of unnamed north tributaries to the 

King Salmon River, in the southern Shotgun Hills area. The map site is in the NW1/4 of 

sec. 9, T 3 N, R 51 W, of the Seward Meridian. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Ag, Au 

 Other: As, B, Bi, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn, Hg 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, malachite 

Gangue minerals: Limonite, quartz, scorodite 

Geologic description:

 Clark and others (1970 [OF 438]) report analytical results for several rock samples collected along about 5,000 feet of the crest of this upland. Several of these samples have 

weakly to strongly anomalous concentrations of Ag (to 7 ppm), As, B, Bi, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn, 

Au (to 0.1 ppm), and Hg. Bedrock is mostly hornfels in mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks of the Kuskokwim Group. Clark and others (1970 [OF 438]) generally describe this hornfels as strongly limonite stained and cut by numerous small quartz veins 

rarely exceeding 1/8 inch in width. Some of the quartz veins carry minor amounts of arsenopyrite and arsenopyrite is also locally disseminated in hornfels. Some scorodite and 

malachite are also locally present. 

Alteration:

 Silicification, oxidation, and probably tourmaline replacement, inasmuch as many rock 

samples contain over 2,000 ppm B. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous. Hornfels is developed in mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks 

and is probably similar in age to hornfels at the Shotgun prospect (TA007), 3 miles to the 

north-northeast. Intrusive rocks in the area of the Shotgun prospect are about 68 to 70 Ma 

TA021 
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Page 47 

in age. 

Deposit model:

Polymetallic veins? (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c) 

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

22c? 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Active? 

Workings/exploration:

 Reconnaissance surface observation and sampling has taken place on this prospect. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Clark and others, 1970 (OF 438). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 (OF 438) 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 3/16/01 

TA021 
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Page 48 

Site name(s): Unnamed (south of King Salmon River) 

Site type: Prospect 

ARDF no.: TA022 

Latitude: 60.26 Quadrangle: TA B-6 

Longitude: 158.09 

Location description and accuracy:

 This prospect is at an elevation of about 2,700 feet on a ridgecrest in the headwaters of 

unnamed south tributaries to the upper King Salmon River. For this record, the map site 

is near the west end of the north boundary of section 23, T 2 N, R 51 W, of the Seward 

Meridian. 

Commodities: 

 Main: Ag, Au 

 Other: As, B, Hg 

Ore minerals: Arsenopyrite, malachite 

Gangue minerals: Limonite, quartz, scorodite 

Geologic description:

 Clark and others (1970 [OF 437]) report analytical data for several rock samples collected over about 6,000 feet of this ridgecrest. The samples contain weakly to strongly 

anomalous concentrations of Ag (to 3 ppm), Au (to 0.7 ppm), As, B, Cu, Mo, and Hg. 

These samples were collected in a large area of hornfels. Clark and others (1970 [OF 

438]) generally describe hornfels with anomalous metal contents as strongly limonite 

stained and cut by numerous small quartz veins rarely exceeding 1/8 inch in width. Some 

of the quartz veins carry minor amounts of arsenopyrite, and arsenopyrite is also locally 

disseminated in hornfels. Some scorodite and malachite are also locally present. 

Alteration:

 Silicification and oxidation. 

Age of mineralization:

 Late Cretaceous. Hornfels is developed in mid-Cretaceous clastic sedimentary rocks 

and is probably similar in age to hornfels at the Shotgun prospect (TA007). Intrusive 

rocks in the area of the Shotgun prospect are about 68 to 70 Ma in age. 

Deposit model:

TA022 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 49 

Polymetallic veins? (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 22c) 

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

22c? 

Production Status: None 

Site Status: Probably inactive 

Workings/exploration:

 Reconnaissance surface observation and sampling has taken place on this prospect. 

Production notes:

 

Reserves:

 

Additional comments:

 

References:

Clark and others, 1970 (OF 437). 

Primary reference: Clark and others, 1970 (OF 437) 

Reporter(s): Travis L. Hudson 

Last report date: 3/16/01 

TA022 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 50 

 References 

Burleigh, R. E., 1991, Evaluation of the tin-tungsten greisen mineralization and associated granite at Sleitat 

Mountain, southwestern Alaska: U. S. Bureau of Mines Open File report 35-91, 38 p. 

Cady, W. M., Wallace, R. E., Hoare, J. M., and Webber, E. J., 1955, The central Kuskokwim region, Alaska: U. 

S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 269, 132 p. 

Clark, A. L., Condon, W. H., Hoare, J. M., and Sorg, D. H., 1970, Analyses of rock and stream sediment samples 

from the Taylor Mountains C-8 quadrangle, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 437, 94 

p. 

Clark, A. L., Condon, W. H., Hoare, J. M., and Sorg, D. H., 1970, Analyses of rock and stream sediment samples 

from the Taylor Mountains C-8 quadrangle, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 438, 89 

p. 

Clark, A. L., Condon, W. H., Hoare, J. M., and Sorg, D. H., 1970, Analyses of rock and stream sediment samples 

from the Taylor Mountains C-8 quadrangle, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 439, 

110 p. 

Clark, A. L., Condon, W. H., and Hoare, J. M., and Sorg, D. H., 1971, Analyses of stream-sediment samples from 

the Taylor Mountains D-8 quadrangle, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 458, 60 p. 

Cobb, E. H., 1972, Metallic mineral resources map of the Taylor Mountains quadrangle: U. S. Geological Survey 

Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-384, scale 1:250,000. 

Cobb, E. H., 1976, Summary of references to mineral occurrences (other than mineral fuels and construction materials) in the Dillingham, Sleetmute, and Taylor Mountain quadrangles, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-606, 92 p. 

Decker, J. E., and 11 others, 1994, Geology of southwestern Alaska, in Plafker, George, and Berg, H. C., eds., 

The Geology of Alaska: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America, The Geology of North 

America, v. G-1, p. 285-310. 

Farnstrom, H., 1991, Sleitat: A new tin-silver prospect in southwestern Alaska: Alaska Miner, v. 19, p. 12-14. 

Hawley, C. C., Martinez, E. E., and Marinenko, John, 1969, Geochemical data on the South ore zone, White 

Mountain mine, and on the gold content of other mercury ores, southwestern Alaska, in Some shorter 

mineral resources investigations in Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Circular 615, p. 16-20. 

Hudson, T. L., and Reed, B. L., 1997, Tin deposits in Alaska: Economic Geology Monograph 9, p. 450-465. 

Martin, G. C., and Katz, F. J., 1912, A geologic reconnaissance of the Iliamna region, Alaska: U. S. Geological 

Survey Bulletin 485, 138 p. 

Menzie, W. D., and Reed, B. L., 1986, Grade and tonnage model of Sn greisen deposits: U. S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1693, p. 71-72. 

Mertie, J. B., Jr., 1938, The Nushagak district, Alaska: U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 903, 91 p. 

NovaGold Resources Inc., 2000, Shotgun Project: http://www.nrigold.com/shotgun.htp 

Rombach, C. S., 2000, Genesis and mineralization of the Shotgun deposit, southwestern Alaska, in The Tintina 

gold belt: Concepts, exploration, and discoveries: British Columbia and Yukon Chamber of Mines, 

Special Volume No. 2, p. 181-196. 

References 
Alaska Resource Data File 

Page 51 

Rutledge, F. A., 1950, Investigation of mercury deposits, Cinnabar Creek area, Georgetown 

and Akiak districts, Kuskokwim region, southwestern Alaska: U. S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 4719, 9 p. 

Sainsbury, C. L. and MacKevett, E. M., Jr., 1965, Quicksilver deposits of southwestern Alaska: U. S. Geological 

Survey Bulletin 1187, 89 p. 

References