Alaska Science Center


Tintina Gold Belt

Establishes environmental geochemistry and ore genesis of the Red Mountain exposed, unmined volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in the Bonnifield district. Provides pre-mining baseline geochemistry should the deposit ever be developed, and the metallogeny and tectonic settings of the deposits.

Abstract


Environmental geochemistry and ore genesis studies (headed by Bob Eppinger and Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, respectively) were conducted for a belt of unmined volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in the Bonnifield district, most notably the peralkaline rhyolite-hosted Red Mountain deposit (also referred to as the Dry Creek deposit). The environmental study establishes the pre-mining baseline geochemistry from the unmined Red Mountain massive sulfide deposit, should the deposit ever be developed (the most recent exploratory drilling ended in 1999), and serves as an analog for similar deposits where mining is or was underway and where pre-mining baseline geochemistry is lacking. Ore genesis studies determined the metallogeny of the ca. 360 Ma deposits, including their tectonic and geologic settings and global analogs. These studies were combined in a single task within the Tintina Gold belt project headed by Larry Gough.
Products
Title Type
The Biogeochemistry and Occurrence of Unusual Plant Species Inhabiting Acidic, Metal-Rich WaterPublication
Whole-Rock and Sulfide-Mineral Geochemical Data for Samples from Volcanogenic MassivePublication
Mapping Known and Potential Mineral Occurrences and Host RocksPublication
Environmental Geochemical Study of Red MountainPublication
Tectonic Setting and Metallogenesis of Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits in the BonnifieldPublication
Geologic Mapping and Mineral Resource Assessment of the Healy and Talkeetna Mountains QuadranglesPublication
Environmental geochemistry at Red Mountain, an unmined volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit Publication
U-Pb zircon and geochemical evidence for bimodal mid-Paleozoic magmatism and syngenetic base-metalPublication

Contacts

Dusel-Bacon, Cynthia , 650-329-5719
Eppinger, Robert G., 303-236-2468

Status: completed
Start Year: 2002
End Year: 2007
Project Sites

USGS Mission Area and Program
Energy and Minerals → Mineral Resources