Nelson Mine, Nizina Mining District, Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, USAi
Regional Level Types | |
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Nelson Mine | Mine |
Nizina Mining District | Mining District |
Valdez-Cordova Census Area | Census Area |
Alaska | State |
USA | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
61° 27' 2'' North , 142° 23' 2'' West
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
KΓΆppen climate type:
Mindat Locality ID:
199098
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:199098:3
GUID (UUID V4):
d896f6f4-ad66-4455-bb0f-8d6b8c8fbe46
The locality is in the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve.
Location: This mine is low on the west valley wall of lower Glacier Creek. It is at an elevation of about 2,900 feet, 1,400 feet southwest of the Glacier Creek landing strip, and 2,500 feet north-northwest of elevation 3675. The site is in the NW1/4 of section 9, T. 5 S., R. 17 E. of the Copper River Meridian. This is locality 69 of MacKevett (1976) and it is accurately located. Cobb and MacKevett (1980) include this mine under the name 'Nelson (Glacier Cr.)'.
Geology: This mine is near basalt just above the basal part of a faulted block of Upper Triassic Chitistone Limestone (MacKevett and Smith, 1972). The mineralization characteristically is discontinuous stringers and masses of chalcocite and lesser covellite, enargite, bornite, chalcopyrite, malachite, and native copper along steeply inclined narrow fissures and bedding planes (Bateman, 1932; Miller, 1946; Sainsbury, 1951; MacKevett, 1976). Chip samples across veins of massive sulfide assayed more than 2 percent copper, 0.3 percent arsenic, and 50 parts per million silver (MacKevett and Smith, 1968). The mineralized area is extensively fractured and faulted. The deposits were explored in the 1930s by surface cuts and about 1,100 feet of underground workings in 5 adits on 4 levels (Miller, 1946; Sainsbury, 1951). Some diamond drilling also explored the deposits. Copper mineralization is common in the Chitistone Limestone and underlying Nikolai Greenstone and is thought to have accompanied regional deformation and low-grade metamorphism in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (MacKevett and others, 1997).
Workings: The deposits were explored in the 1930s by surface cuts and about 1,100 feet of underground workings in 5 adits on 4 levels (Miller, 1946; Sainsbury, 1951). Some diamond drilling also explored the deposits.
Age: Cretaceous? Copper mineralization is common in the Chitistone Limestone and underlying Nikolai Greenstone and is thought to have accompanied regional deformation and low-grade metamorphism in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (MacKevett and others, 1997).
Alteration: Oxidation was very minor and restricted to thin veneers of malachite and azurite (Bateman, 1932).
Production: Several tons of chalcocite-rich ore were mined by Kennecott Copper Corporation in 1929-30.
Commodities (Major) - Cu; (Minor) - Ag, As
Development Status: Yes; small
Deposit Model: Kennecott-type copper deposit (after MacKevett and others, 1997)
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
8 valid minerals.
Detailed Mineral List:
β Azurite Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
β Bornite Formula: Cu5FeS4 |
β Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S |
β Chalcopyrite Formula: CuFeS2 |
β Copper Formula: Cu |
β Covellite Formula: CuS |
β Enargite Formula: Cu3AsS4 |
β Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
Group 1 - Elements | |||
---|---|---|---|
β | Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
β | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
β | Bornite | 2.BA.15 | Cu5FeS4 |
β | Covellite | 2.CA.05a | CuS |
β | Chalcopyrite | 2.CB.10a | CuFeS2 |
β | Enargite | 2.KA.05 | Cu3AsS4 |
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
β | Azurite | 5.BA.05 | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
β | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
H | Hydrogen | |
---|---|---|
H | β Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
H | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
C | Carbon | |
C | β Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
C | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
O | Oxygen | |
O | β Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
O | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
S | Sulfur | |
S | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
S | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
S | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
S | β Covellite | CuS |
S | β Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
Fe | Iron | |
Fe | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Fe | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Cu | Copper | |
Cu | β Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
Cu | β Bornite | Cu5FeS4 |
Cu | β Chalcopyrite | CuFeS2 |
Cu | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
Cu | β Covellite | CuS |
Cu | β Copper | Cu |
Cu | β Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
Cu | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
As | Arsenic | |
As | β Enargite | Cu3AsS4 |
Other Databases
Link to USGS - Alaska: | MC154 |
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Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
North America PlateTectonic Plate
- Wrangellia DomainDomain
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