Ross Prospect, Nelchina Mining District, Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Ross Prospect	Prospect
Nelchina Mining District	Mining District
Valdez-Cordova Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: This prospect is one mile north of Mount Tiekel on the ridge between the south fork of Boulder Creek and the Tiekel River. It is at an elvation of about 4,850 feet in the SE1/4 section 26, T. 6 S., R. 1 W., of the Copper River Meridian. This prospect is probably located to within one-half mile. It is locality 45 of Cobb and Matson (1972) and locality 37 of Winkler and others (1981 [OFR 80-892-B]).
Geology: Gold-bearing quartz veins with arsenopyrite and galena cut metaflysch of the Valdez Group at this prospect; the metaflysch is locally cut by felsic dikes (Moffit, 1918). These veins are probably similar to others that are widespread in the southern Valdez quadrangle. Data summarized by Goldfarb and others (1997) show that gold-bearing quartz veins in the Valdez Group commonly contain pyrite, arsenopyrite, carbonate minerals, chlorite, and white mica and formed from water-rich fluids with 5 to 15 mole percent CO2 and significant amounts of CH4, N2, and H2S. The vein-forming fluid salinities were less than 8 percent, vein formation temperatures ranged from 225 to 375 degrees centigrade, and emplacement depths varied from 3 to 10 kilometers. The vein-forming fluids were produced by metamorphic devolatization reactions. Radiometric dating indicates that the veins formed from 57 to 49 Ma (Goldfarb and others, 1997, p. 171) when deep parts of the accreted Valdez Group flysch underwent high-grade metamorphism and partial melting (Hudson, 1994).
Workings: A 200-foot adit was driven on this prospect (Moffit, 1918).
Age: Radiometric dating indicates that the gold-bearing quartz veins in the Valdez Group formed from 57 to 49 Ma (Goldfarb and others, 1997, p. 171) when deep parts of the accreted Valdez Group flysch underwent high-grade metamorphism and partial melting (Hudson, 1994).
Alteration: Country rocks to gold-bearing quartz veins in Valdez Group metaflysch can be variably silicified, carbonitized, and sericitized (Goldfarb and others, 1997).
Production: It is not known if gold was produced from this deposit. It is possible that a small amount of gold was recovered because some small high-grade zones were reported (Moffit, 1918).

Commodities (Major) - Au; (Minor) - Pb
Development Status: Undetermined.
Deposit Model: Low-sulfide Au-quartz veins (Cox and Singer, 1986; model 36a)

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	VA061

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References