geology of the york tin deposits alaska

148 Pages·2007·25.52 MB·English

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DEPARTMENT OF TRE INTERIOR
kLBBm B. FAIL, Smhry
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*. GEOLOGY OF THE YORK TIN DEPOSITS
:
ALASKA
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WASHINGTON
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Tw. :.ha, QOVBRNMENT PBIBTIXQ O F F Z ~ ~
1922
ADDITIONAL FOPfEB
CONTENTS.
~ n t r o d a c t i o ~ - , - - - - - , - , - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - - - - - - - ~
SAmckpn?o woil eBregpmorent -t#-~ ,,*,- ,, ,,,,,,,- ,-,--~-- ---~--- -~---- ~- I-~--~--~--~- ~ ~ - - -
----
w a p h y, -------------------------------------------
Lomltlm and area
,--------1----1------------------
Togo~phy,,,,,,,d-~---"----lr-I-------,------d--.
Draina~-----,,,,,-------------------------------
ClImate---------,,-------------------------------------------
Rock wathetlng,,-,,,,-,--------------,+--+---------
~ o c ktr anmo*tion---,,-------------------+----------------
Ve@ntlon end anlmals, ,,----,,,,,,-,,,,,,,,,------,,,
AlmSRlbf Iity- -,,,,--------,,, ,,, -,-- --..-----I-----------
Harbor--------,,----I-----------------I---I----I-------------..
pvr TraUa
----,,,-,-------------r-----------,----------,-------,---,-
Eabltati~n,,-,,,---------,--------,,,,---------------------~~---
Indnstr~-,--,-------,d-----,,-,-,,--,-,,-..,,,T-T---,
Previous ~ploratl~n--,,,,,,,,,-------,---,,,,-------------------~~-----
hneral geology-,,---,----,---,,----------------------------------
Summry of wloglc history ,,----------,-----,,,,-,,,--,-,,,,,,
-.
Slate of the Pork region -,-------,-,-,----------"
General charact~rlstlm- -----,,---,- ----------- -,---- ----------
Contact metamorphism
----------------------------------,--d-
Conditioner of ddeposltion ----------+,---,-------,---: --------,-
Plle-Ordovlcien bamlt and gabbm
-------,----,--m----------,----,-
Wmmton~--------------------------,-,-------------------,------
LimPbtQne ot the Pork Mountaim
---,-,,,,,------,,---4--,--
Limestone of Cape Monntaln -,,-------------------------------
Structural relatlc6s of the date and Imegtme --,,,,-,,---
Contact metarnorphlm---,,-,,------,------------------
Foslls and age,----,,,--,,--------,,,,,,,-,,,,,,,,,,
1 Conditioos of depoaltion --,,,------,,----,,----,,,,
Gmnlte, aswclated dikes, and Hn o m
Amggrlaloidal oltvine basalt ---,-,,,,-,,,---,,------------
Sequence of imeous intxuslonrr
Structure-,-,,,,,,,-------,,-~,-IIIIIIIIIIIII-----
Topomaphlc history ------,-,,---,-,--,,,,,,,--
Mlneralogg,,,,,,,,,-,,-,,,,,,~-,,,,,,--,--,-~--~-----
Iast River arm,-,--,--,,--,,,,,,,-----------------------
Gwgrnphic festurea-,,,,,,-,,,,---------------,-------,-
General geology, ,,,,--,-,,-,,-------------~------
Summary, --,,,,-,-----,-------,---------,-,,
L I m e s t o n e ~ ~ I ~ ~ ~ - - - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .
Quartz gopghyry Blkea ,,,,,,,,,-,,------
Qrttnite---,--,,-----,,--,-,-----------------,---------
Erosi~n--------,-,,-------~----,-------------,----------
nE
IT CONTENTS,
h t R iver aren-4ontlnued. Pam.
Pmspects,,,,,,,----,-I-,,---,-,,,,,,-,,,---,,,,,,------- 51
Casslterlte Creek tin prmpm ,I,-, 51
. ----,,,,,,,,,,ee-ee-ee-eeeeee
General geologic relatiom of the tin depoat a,, ,? ,,,,,,,,,, 51 4
Llm&011e--,,,,,,,--,,,---,,,,,,,--,,,~~-~- 51
Faul---*--,---,--,--,-,-,,,~,~--,-- 63
Quartz porphyry diltes -,,,---,,----,-,,,-,,65, ,-'- ---
nreccla-----,,,,,,,----,,--,-,,,,-,,',,,, 58
EEects d the tln-bearing ~olutlonso n me. qunrtz porpbyky JY
dikee----,,-,,-,,,-----*,-,----,,,-,,,,------ 5s 'X*
Effects Of the tin-bearing solntlons on the Itmeatma ,,,,-, 81
DeveI~prnenta,,,,-,,,,,,,,~,--,,,------,,,----,,~ 6-3 L
Adit No. 8- -,-,,,,,,,,,,----------,6,4,-' ,,,,,,,
Adzt No. 2,--,,-,,,,--,,,,-,+----------*--~-,-- I . ' 06
AdIt No. l----,--,,,,---,,--------------,----, gR
Randt extendon tunnel ,,,,,,-,-,---------07- -,--,
Worklnga on Qreenatma lode ,,,-,,---,;- ,,-,,,,,,' (18
Ida BelI tunnel- ,,,--,,,,,,,,,-,,,----- L- --- '71
Probable tonringe oi th-bearhg dike &ova the level of ~BE-
43
siterite Creek
-----,,,,d,,,--------A------w,,,
Wn content of the Casslterlte dike -,,,,,-,,,--,,,--,-ZL.c1-l ,-
Probable extent of tbe tin dawlts of the Cassiterite dlge
beneath the level of Caafiiterlte Creek ,,,,--,,--2- ,,----
Placer tia on Cwtterite Creek ,,,-,-, ,,-,,,,-,--------
Tin Creek tin prospect- ,-,,,,,,,, -,-,-,--------,
Doleoeth th-hrIng dike- --------,,,-,,,---i ---------
Beasle and Maple antimony and lead claims, ,,,,,,,,--:-----
Yankee Gld lend and tin pros~~%-- -,,,----,,--,, ,,----
Other prdrrpectn-----------+----------------+--,--,-----
WoIframItetopar lode
AIaska Chief claim, ,,,,,--,,,,,---,,,,,,,,,
Idaho copper Clalm, ,,,--,,,-,,,,,,,,,,,,,
B m bM ountaln-~-----~,,,~,-~,~-~~-------,----,~,,~~~~,
Geogmphlc ieahlrea,,,,-,-,,,,----,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
General gaol^^-,--,,------------------^-^------,--,^^^-^
, 3 SSluatma,-m---a,-r-,y,,-,-~,-,--,-,,--,-,-~--~--,,-~-----,-~--,-,,------- ,,,,~-~---~-----,,,~,-~~
Lime~tone,---,--,,,,,,-,-,,,,------,,,,----------.--~-----
Uranlte,,------,,,,---1,,,1I-I----------------------+------
proms, --- - -- -,-- ------- ,----- - -- ,---- --
h d le ad ~pect-----,-,-,--,------------- --------------
MineTrrault lhz=ln gI esaaal aptrioos~p-es-c -t -- --. ..-..-...-...-..-...-..-...,. ------- ----
Probability of finding tln ao8 other minerals In mmmerdal qUm-
titiefi at Brooks MormtaIh -,,,,,,,,------,
--I---------4------
potaw Mountain----------------------------,,----+-+---
Geopaphlc ieatnres_,,------------++---------------------------
Rocks,-,,,,,,,,-,-------------------,----,--------+~,-------
-----
Economic geology- -,,,,-------- ---------------
Lode dewlopmeob,,,,-----,--,-------,-,-------------------
Tin pl~cem,---~---,,------------------~------------------ -
CapeG BeIoOglmmtprhtlnfc , ,M,-t-n-m,, ,,,,,,,- -------------------- ----------.- ------- ---------1--- --------- -I-
, Cape MonntainatEnud.
Wtal geology
,,----,-,,------------------------*-----------
LImmtone--,---,,--,----------------------I----------d--,,-+-
. Altexatlon of the granite by tin-bearing mlolattons
-----,,,--n%n%n%-n%
#.leuunary of mrrence of tin at Cape Mountain
------,,-ll------d-
Developrnents-,,-,,------------------------~-------------*-
Production of tin me,ll---------------~-----l----------------
Gmgr~phlef mtnres ----------- - ---,,--,,,,,,--,-,,,--,-,--
----------
Qeneral geololff
-------------*-----------------
hmmam,,,,,,--,,-,--,,,,-,--,,,,,,,,,-,--,,,-,,---
Qoart~-mlcao chlst and amociated basic loltraslve mdo~-,,,,--
. Gra~ite,,,,,--,,,--,-------,,-------------~--------~~-------
Quarts-angite mrghyry -----. ................................
-
Contact metamorphism- ,,,--------+- ------*------------
Limmtone--,--,,--,,--,---,,,,,,,,,,-,-----,,------
Qranite-----,--,----,------------------------------------
Quartz porpbyry dik~,,,,-,,---,,,-,-h-,---------~-----
Tin degosits----,,---,,,,--------------------------------------*-
Dwelngments
-----------,,-----,,,-h---------,,---------w
Blnck Monn~in-,-----,,,-~--,,-,--~~~-~----~---,-----~,--~,~-,-, ,
-tion nnd gem& featurn- --,,,,-,------ --,--------------
Summary
----,,,,------,,,-,---*--,,-------4--+--d----------
Slate
,-----,-------------l-----d-----,-,--,,,,,,,,
Fre.Ordoviclan basalt m'd pabbm ------------,,--,,,-,--,,
dttoratlon of the llrne&ne beds by the granite
Qnartz vein$ ,,-------------------------,-----------L-------
Quartz pmhyrg diges,,---,-,,,,,,-d-m---hd----4------
Arnygddoidnl ol lrine basnlk- -------------*----,----------
Cornprison of the tln deposit~d the Pork region with the other tln d e
posltn of the ~orld-,,,,,,,,,,,,-~-------~--------*-------------
ksMlciaffon with granlte, ,------,-----------------------
A
Composition of granite mociakd with tin dep0sit.1,~, ,,,,,,-,,__
Kinds of roch into which tln-be~ringg ranites are introded,,,,,,,,,
LDcation of ore with reference to granite- ----------------**-----
Age of tin dewits-----,,,,---------------,--------*----
Clamlficatfon of tin deposlts
,,,,,,-------------------*----*----,,
Rock bltetatione'asmlaterl wfth tin dewltrs- ------,-,--,,,,,,-,
Orwn of 'the tin d~poaitao f the York region
Tin dewsite msoclat&i with granlte- ---,,---,,,-----------,,--
,% Tin mlnsrale deposited from aolutlons amr mli~mtlonof -item
.i CSehqaureanctceer ofa ntdh es otiunr-cbee aorfin sgo sloultuiotniosn, s,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,- ,,_'_,- ,-,----,-,,-,-,,- ------------
El-stlona on lode tin prospecting In the York region,,---,,,,
Ida, -,,,, *, ,,,-,*,- ---- ----..-dm e+e+-e+e+---e+e+--------------~
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PLATE I. Tommphlc andl gmlnglc reeonnalmance map of Fork tln n~
don, show1nE lmtlon of prospect and lomlitlea from which
imik have been collected, ,,,, ,,,, ------
TI. Fmt cracks in alope wash east of h tW ver, ,-,,---,,,
1x1. Surface ieaturm near the month of Lmt River: A, Canyon
nenr the mouth of Unt River; E, The sea terrnce nmr LoPt
Rlver nnd the York Mountains in the backgmend---,,,,,
IV. A, Contorted Port Cleamnce limmtone and wa ellm we& of
Iast River: B, Sea clidls and terrace Met of Rim,,,--
V. A, Workings on Ga~alterited ike on east side of CassitesIte Umk
,
and on the Greenetone lod-e-:- -R- , rde worklnga- and- camp on
Camter1ce Creek ----,-,,,-,,,IrIr-Ir-- ,--IrIr-IrIrI r-IrIr
, YI. MlnerrtllmtIon of H-one, CnssIterlte Creek: A, Pollah& mf-
face of altered 1Imer;tone near Camlterlte lode; B, Thin me-
tion or mumitedte vein In limestone near Oamlterlte lode,,,,
PII. Mlnerallmtlon or " reef " limestone, C~mit~riteC rwL : A,
Rounb sozfr-~ceo f reef'' Urntone, near CassEterlte loile: B,
Hourb mtfae of "reelw limestone- -,,---,-,,,,,,,,,,,,
VIII, A, Carrslterltt: and wolframIte replndn~C asdterlte dih; R,
Caseiterlte vetn from Ida Bell dike ----,,,..,-,,----,,,,,,,,
TX. Goncentrlc band8 or orbulea near llrneRtone contact at Tin
Cmek : A, Orhnle prducerl by contact metamorphism : B, Re-
veme side of orbure ahom In A : C, Mnxlmnn~o rhnle, dhm-
etrr 8 locherr: D,I rregular orbulea ,----,-,,,,,----------
K Geolofic map and rrectlona oi Brook~M ountain ,-,,,,---,,
XI. A, Arctic conatal flab, C u lP~r lnce of Wales. and Kingegan Mls-
slon from Cape Mountain; R, Upland surtace (l,OD&foot ter-
m!~-a)t Cnp Bfountafn --,,-----------------,--- -,
XIX. aeolo~icm ap of Rlaek Mountain ,,-,,-,,--
----n-nn--n-n--
Fmm~1. Outline mnp of PpwRr(1 Yenlnnulfi mhowbng lucaffon of York
on------,,,,,,-,,,--,--^^^----^------^--------
2. Sketch of the mat fFom Cape Pork to Cape Prlnce of Wde8,
a. Frost-crack pattern--,,-,,,,,,,,,,,---,,,,--,------------^--
4. Proale mHnn long wmt h~akM Jmt River from mouth
n~rthwanl---,,,,,-,--,,-,--,-,---,~---,---
5. Geologic sketch map of Gamltwlte Cmk and vicknlty,,,,,,,,
a Idealized sketch showing mIneraihtlon of limeston-e u t Cus-
-..-----
~itedtaC reek tln prospeck ,,,,-,,,,-,-------
7. Plan of lode workingn on Cmlterite Cresk and cross d o n
of work in^^ on Cassiterite dlke- -,,,,,,,,,-,,,--------,,
8. Cfeo1~csk etch znap of Rmdt Extmslon tunnel ,,,,,,,,,,-,
9. Plan and sect!ona of workLnga on Gmrrtone lode ,--,-------
10. Geologic sketch map of Dolcoath tunnel
A--, --,,-,,,,,,,,
21. !Vest wall nf Dolcoath shaft
--+--,-----,--,----,--,---Ir-
Paw
---
h e m SkeM at area around Bwde nnd Maple claim, ,------7 8 .
19. Geologic aketch map of Southern Cmm EunneL-,,,,,--,---- TP
14. GeoEaglc sketch map of Potato Xountain area,-,,,,,,,-- 91
--------
16. Geologlc sketch map of Cape Mountain- ----,,,,, 97
,,-
18. Geologic rrectton acrm Lagwn Creek, Gape Moantaln,,---- 93
17, Section through Caw Monntnin --,---------98 ,-------------
18. Qeologfc sketch map of Ear Mountain- ----,,,,-,-,I,M, ,,
, [email protected] ection through Ear Mountain ,,,-,,-,-,,-,,,,,,,,-, 1%
10. Sketch of wi~lfleld worklnm, Har MountaL, ,,-,-,--, 110
21. Sertion at had of Deer Branch 112
4,-,-,,-,,,,,,----- ,
22. Sectton near W i l l ~Br~an ch, ,----,,,-,-,,,,,,1,12- ,,
by slates through faulting and eroalon ,---,,--,-,,,, -,1 13 '
3,B rock diagram showing a Itmestone lens became surrounded
9 OEOUWfY OF THE YOBK TIN DEPQSITS, AUSKA.
&ved from Messrs. A S. Grahsrn, Gmrp Mahla. nnd Ton]
Petersen.
Ackno.wledpents are also due to Mms. G. C. Martin, Edmin
Kirk, and E,9 , Larsen, of the Unitt-d States Geological Sarvep.
The York tin region is the most westerly portion of the North
American continent, extend in^ within 60 mi1w of the coast of Asia.
(,See fig. I.) It lies about 40 miles south of the Arctic circle. The *
-
--
n o a M n Y~D
F10Olll 1.--0utllne map of %ward Peninmula nhonhs Iomtloa of Pork regl6n,
M i c O man hunds it on the north, Bering Sea on the south, and
Bering Strait on the weat. This region is a part of Sewarrd Penin-
sula, the westerly projection of Alaska.
w
The area bas the form of r trisngle whose baee extends frqn Teller
northward to Ear Aiountsin ant1 whose apex is formed by Cape Prince
of Wales. It includes abut GoO square miles lying about 1013 miles -
northwest of Nome. the Inrgest town and distributing point for all of
Sward Peninsula.
TOPOaBAFX5r*
Three topographic t-pes predominate-the mountain type, rep-
resented by York, Cape, and Ear mopntains; the plateau type, repre-
sgnted by the slate ama btween the York .end Cape mouahbs and
by a me terrace fronting Bering Sea between Hanauguk and Don
rivers; and the cobtd-plain typ, represented m the Amtic coast
and on the Bering mast north of Port Clarence. In addition to these
magh considered the present keachas. (See P1. I.)
The Pork Mountains constitute the patest upland arsa of the
region. They are steep and mgged and rise from the co& to gen-
eral altitudes of 2,W to 2,500 feet, The altitude of Brooks Moun-
tain, the bigkt of the group, is 2,900 feet. The trend of the ran@
is east-northeast. On the north the mountains slope gradually sea-
ward and are represented in the broad tundra plain of tha Arctic
coast by rounded hilla a few hundred feet above the see. On the
south, where they abut upon the Bering mast, they terminate in a
sea cliff 400 to 6 0 f wt high, capped by a terrace 1 to 4 miles in
width. To the east the mountains recede from the mast, and cliffs
y ~ tadrra ee are lost in the valleys of Don and California rivers,
which, ;for 6 miles above their mouths, flow across a tundra plain.
Sortheast and east of California River the rugged, sharp-crested
ridges of the main mountain rnassl gradually give way to more
rounded hills that have an altitude slightly more than 1,000 feet.
On the west the York Mountains give way abruptly to the Yark
Plateau. Themplateau area is a rolling tundra-covered plein with
an aver&@ relief of to 60fl feet. Potato Mountain, et its northern
extremity, is the only notable prominence and has an altitude-of
1,m feet.
The western extremity of the mrsa is marked by the isolaM mass
of Cap Mountain, which rises abruptly from the water's edge to ton
altitude of 2950 .feet.
Ear Monntnin is an isolated butte in the northeast corner of the
area, separated from tkc! outlying ridps of the York Mountains by
20 miles sf. tundra-covered plsirr.
The coastal marsh and tupdra plain bordering the Arctic cmd
ranw from 2 to 10 miles in width, and the tundra extends np some
of the larger stream valleys 20 miles or mom. The marsh is char-
acterized by duggish meandering streasla end numerous lakes. On
%ring Sea the coastal mash mum only within the sheIter of Pert
Clarence;, where it covers a trianplar area af about 70 square miles.
It is bordered by a shdlom lawn impounded I y n barrier beach,
which extends for 12 miles along $he Bering (Scc figg2 .)
I1EAIXAI)E.
Probably two-thirds of the area is drained northward into Zopp
LQgoon. The streams are numerous and of no great size. The
?C?.llkr, A. J., Tbfi tin depmitn ot the York reglon, Alaska: U. %. WI. 8umy Burl.
229. gl. a. isoc
-
1V , ""-," 7 ..;: q;.< , .. , ".,' +"9t*. , .
or3
\
4 GEOLOGY OF TEE YORK TlH DEPOSITS, ALASKA.
In~ge&st ream8 are easily forded, &en at their mouth, and the many
tributaries that dissect the mountains, pl~teansa, nd tarraw are but
a few feet in width and in depth.
In the higbnr hills of the York Mountains the streams flow through
. V-shaped vaUep. The smaller stream vdep are almost without
bottom lands, and the walk are steep talus ;glopep, which give to the
valleys canyon-like characteristics. The larger stmrng, such as Last 4
River, have developed vnPley bottoms half a mile or mom in width,
and their confining hills are less precipitous rand are interrupted at
-.
short intervals by well-developed tributary vaIlep.
In the York Plateau, in t hl ower hills that extend northward and '
eastward from the main mass of the York Mountains, and in hlated
date areas throughout the region, the streams flow through valleys
of mild relief and in general have well-developed lowlands.
Where the streams enter the mstal-plain area and flow through
tundra marsh, their currents are sluggish and their course me*
dering.
glonlu -2. of the coad from Cape York to Cng~Pr 1ncf 011 WLIC* hlneka.
In the areas not covered by tundra most of the rainfall disappears
immediately rn m-d,o wing ta the steep slopes, the frozen condi-
tion of the ground at no great depth, and the total absence of vege-
tation. Ia the areas covered by tundra the run-off is retarded, as if
held by a sponge, and supplied gradually to the stream.
Gullies and ravines are the sites for the accumulation of ice and
of much of the winter's.snowfal1, which ia swept from the lowlands
and ridges by the high winds that prevail throughout the region.
In the spring most of the snow and ice disappears from the Iowl~nds
and expmd ridges and snppliw water for t.he usual spring run-of?,
to which the placer miner looks forward.
Isolated masses of ice and snow persist in the sheltered ravines into
and even throughout the summer. They furnish a constant source
of supply to the streams, but in fly s m n a t he miner often finds '
them insufficient.
CLIXATE.
The climate of the region is arctic and is, controIled largely by the
Arctic Ocean and Bering Sm. High winds from the north or south
are the rule, and fog and rain prevail in the'mmmer. 'X'h8 preeipih-