Geologic Studies in Alaska by the US Geological Survey, 1995

334 Pages·2011·57.61 MB·English

Geologic Studies in Alaska by the
U.S. Geological Survey, 1995
Julie A. Dumoulin and John E. Gray, Editors
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1574
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1997
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Gordon P. Eaton, Director
For sale by
U.S. Geological Survey
Information Services
Box 25286
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
Any use of trace, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does
not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
COVER PHOTO: Aerial view looking north across the Malaspina Glacier toward Mount Saint Elias (elevation 5,489
m), the third highest peak on the North American continent. Uplifted marine strata of Neogene age form the Samovar
Hills in the foreground. Topographic relief in this area is dramatic (more than 4,800 vertical meters across less than 21
horizontal kilometers) and demonstrates rapid Neogene uplift and denudation (see article by O'Sullivan and others).
Photograph by Austin Post.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Julie A. Dumoulin and John E. Gray .....................;............................................................................. 1
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE
Hydrogeochemistry of mine-drainage waters associated with low-sulfide,
gold-quartz veins in Alaska
Richard J. Goldfarb, Cliff D. Taylor, Alien L. Meier, William M. d'Angelo, and
Richard M. O'Leary ............................................................................................................................... 3
Environmental geochemical study of the Nabesna gold skarn and Kennecott
strata-bound copper deposits, Alaska
Robert G. Eppinger, Stephen J. Sutley, and John B. McHugh.......................................................... 19
Mercury in the terrestrial environment, Kuskokwim Mountains region,
southwestern Alaska
Elizabeth A. Bailey and John E. Gray ................................................................................................. 41
Distinguishing between natural geologic and anthropogenic trace element
sources, Denali National Park and Preserve
Larry P. Gough and James G. Crock.................................................................................................... 57
Preliminary evaluation of emergent postglacial shorelines, Naknek and
Iliamna Lakes, southwestern Alaska
Darrell S. Kaufman and Karen B. Stilwell.......................................................................................... 73
HAZARDS AND RELATED STUDIES
Geodetic studies in the Novarupta area, Katmai National Park, Alaska, 1990
to 1995
Jack W. Kleinman, Eugene Y. Iwatsubo, John A. Power, and Elliot T. Endo ................................ 83
The "Twin Peaks fault": not a tectonic or seismogenic structure
Peter J. Haeussler and Robert S. Anderson ......................................................................................... 93
RESOURCES
Silver-lead-zinc mineral occurrences in the Howard Pass quadrangle, Brooks
Range, Alaska
Karen D. Kelley, Cliff D. Taylor, and Barrett A. Cieutat.................................................................. 101
Areas favorable for metallic mineral resources and newly discovered mineral
occurrences in the Buckstock Mountains area, southwestern Alaska
John E. Gray and Peter M. Theodorakos ............................................................................................. Ill
Paleocene molybdenum mineralization in the eastern Coast batholith, Taku
River region, and new age constraints on batholith evolution
Lance D. Miller, Richard J. Goldfarb, Lawrence W. Snee, William C. McClelland, and
PaulD. Klipfel....................................................................................................................'.................... 125
III
IV CONTENTS
RESOURCES Continued
Tidal influence on deposition and quality of coals in the Miocene Tyonek
Formation, Beluga coal field, upper Cook Inlet, Alaska
Romeo M. Flores, Gary D. Stricker, and Robert B. Stiles ................................................................ 137
GEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK
Tectono-geophysical domains of interior Alaska as interpreted from new
gravity and aeromagnetic data compilations
Richard W. Saltus, John F. Meyer, Jr., David F. Barnes, and Robert L. Morin ............................. 157
Provenance of the Carboniferous Nuka Formation, Brooks Range, Alaska: a
multicomponent isotope provenance study with implications for age
of cryptic crystalline basement
Thomas E. Moore, Sidney Hemming, and Warren D. Sharp............................................................. 173
Comparison of conodont and calcareous microfossil biostratigraphy and
lithostratigraphy of the Lisburne Group (Carboniferous), Sadlerochit
Mountains, northeast Brooks Range, Alaska
Anita G. Harris, Paul L. Brenckle, John F. Baesemann, Andrea P. Krumhardt, and
Paul D. Gruzlovic ................................................................................................................................... 195
Lower Mississippian (Kinderhookian) biostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy
of the western Endicott Mountains, Brooks Range, Alaska
Charles G. Mull, Anita G. Harris, and John L. Carter ....................................................................... 221
Kinderhookian (Lower Mississippian) calcareous rocks of the Howard Pass
quadrangle, west-central Brooks Range
Julie A. Dumoulin and Anita G. Harris ............................................................................................... 243
Late Middle Cambrian trilobites of Siberian aspect from the Farewell
terrane, southwestern Alaska
James M. St. John and Loren E. Babcock ........................................................................................... 269
Apatite fission-track thermotectonic history of crystalline rocks in the
northern Saint Elias Mountains, Alaska
Paul B. O'Sullivan, George Plafker, and John M. Murphy ............................................................... 283
Paleomagnetic results from Devonian and Permian rocks at Saginaw Bay,
Kuiu Island, southeastern Alaska
Sherman Gromme and John W. Hillhouse............................................................................................ 295
Description and regional setting of the Silver Bay segment of the Sitka
fault zone, southeastern Alaska, and evidence for possible sinistral
separation
David A. Brew ........................................................................................................................................ 307
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
U.S. Geological Survey reports on Alaska released in 1995
John P. Galloway and Susan Toussaint................................................................................................ 317
Reports about Alaska in non-USGS publications released in 1995 that
include USGS authors
John P. Galloway and Susan Toussaint................................................................................................ 323
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS PROFESSIONAL PAPER
Anchorage Ocala
U.S. Geological Survey U.S Geological Survey
4200 University Drive Water Resources Division
Anchorage, Alaska 99508-4667 4500 SW 40th Avenue
Ocala, Florida 34474-5731
Bailey, Elizabeth A.
Dumoulin, Julie A, d'Angela, William M., MS 973
Haeussler, Peter J.
Power, John A.
Reston
U.S. Geological Survey
Denver
National Center, MS-
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
U.S. Geological Survey MS-
Reston, Virginia 20192
Box 25046 Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225-0046
Harris, Anita G., MS 926
Crock, James G., MS 973
Vancouver
Eppinger, Robert G., MS 973
Flores, Romeo M., MS 939
U.S. Geological Survey
Goldfarb, Richard J., MS 973
Cascades Volcano Observatory
Cough, Larry P., MS 973
5400 MacArthur Boulevard
Gray, John E., MS 973
Vancouver, Washington 98661
Kelley, Karen D., MS 973
McHugh, John B., MS 973
Endo, Elliot T.
Meier, Alien L, MS 973
Iwatsubo\ Eugene Y.
O'Leary, Richard M., MS 973
Kleinman, Jack W. (deceased)
Saltus, Richard W., MS 964
Snee, Lawrence W., MS 913
Others
Stricker, Gary D., MS 939
Sutley, Stephen J., MS 973
Anderson, Robert S.
Taylor, Cliff D., MS 973
Theodorakos, Peter M., MS 973 Earth Sciences
University of California
Santa Cruz, California 95064
Menlo Park
Babcock, Loren E.
U.S. Geological Survey MS-
St. John, James M.
345 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, California 94025-3591 Department of Geological Sciences
Orton Hall
Barnes, David F., MS 989 The Ohio State University
Brew, David A., MS 904 155 South Oval Mall
Galloway, John P., MS 904 Columbus, Ohio 43210-1397
Gromme, Sherman, MS 937
Hillhouse, John W., MS 975
Baesemann, John F.
Morin, Robert L, MS 989
Brenckle, Paul L.
Moore, Thomas E., MS 904
Plafker, George; MS 904 Amoco Corporation
Toussaint, Susan, MS 955 Exploration and Production Technology Group
P.O. Box 3092
Houston, Texas 77253
VI
Carter, John L. Meyer, John F., Jr.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Alaska State Division of Oil and Gas
4400 Forbes Avenue 3601 C Street, Suite 1380
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Cieutat, Barren A.
Miller, Lance D.
ERM Southwest
3501 North Causeway Boulevard, Suite 200 Echo Bay Mines
Metairie, Louisiana 70002 3100 Channel Drive
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Gruzlovic, Paul D.
Delta Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Mull, Charles G.
5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 400
Alaska State Division of Geological and
Tampa, Florida 33609
Geophysical Surveys
794 University Avenue, Suite 200
Hemming, Sidney
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Route 9W
Palisades, New York 10964
Murphy, John M.
Department of Geology and Geophysics
Kaufman, Darrell S.
University of Wyoming
Stilwell, Karen B.
Laramie, Wyoming 82071-3006
Department of Geology
Utah State University
Logan, Utah 84322-4505
0'Sullivan, Paul B.
School of Earth Sciences
Klipfel, Paul D.
LaTrobe University
Placer Dome Exploration, Inc. Bundoora, Victoria, 3083
2085 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 150 Australia
San Jose, California 95125
Krumhardt, Andrea P. Sharp, Warren D.
Tectonics and Sedimentation Research Group Berkeley Geochronology Center
Geophysical Institute 2455 Ridge Road
University of Alaska Fairbanks Berkeley, California 94709
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775
McClelland, William C. Stiles, Robert B.
Department of Geological Sciences DRVEN Corporation
University of California 711 H Street
Santa Barbara, California 93106 Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Geologic Studies in Alaska
by the U.S. Geological Survey, 19951
By Julie A. Dumoulin and John E. Gray
INTRODUCTION
This collection of 20 papers continues the annual series of U.S. Geologi
cal Survey (USGS) reports on geologic investigations in Alaska1. Contribu
tions cover a broad spectrum of earth science topics and report results from
all parts of the State (fig. 1).
USGS activities in Alaska include studies of environment and climate,
hazards, resources, and geologic framework. Five papers in this volume dis
cuss aspects of environment and climate. Environmental geochemistry of
parts of southwestern and south-central Alaska is the focus of four articles; a
fifth study, of emergent postglacial lake shorelines in southwestern Alaska,
contributes to ongoing investigations of paleoclimate. Two papers address
geologic hazards. The first assesses ground deformation in Katmai National
Park at Novarupta dome, site of the largest volcanic eruption in this century,
and the second evaluates earthquake risks related to the "Twin Peak fault"
near Anchorage. Resources, including metallic minerals in northern, south
western, and southeastern Alaska and coal in south-central Alaska, are dis
cussed in four articles. Nine geologic framework studies apply a variety of
techniques to a wide range of subjects throughout Alaska, including tecton
ics, geophysics, geochronology, bio stratigraphy, sedimentology, paleogeogra-
phy, and paleomagnetism.
Two bibliographies at the end of the volume list reports about Alaska in
USGS publications released in 1995 and reports about Alaska by USGS au
thors in non-USGS publications in 1995.
'This volume is the first to be published as a USGS Professional Paper. Prior volumes were
published as USGS Bulletins (1988-1994) and USGS Circulars (1975-1987). The current title format was
adopted for the 1985 volume; previous volumes were published under the title "The United States Geo
logical Survey in Alaska: Accomplishments during 19_."
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Hydrogeochemistry of Mine-Drainage Waters Associated with
Low-Sulfide, Gold-Quartz Veins in Alaska
By Richard J. Goldfarb, Clifford D. Taylor, Alien L. Meier, William M. d'Angelo, and
Richard M. O'Leary
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Surface waters were sampled above and below both Low-sulfide, gold-quartz veins are common through
abandoned and active mine workings associated with low- out the medium-grade metamorphic terranes of Alaska and
sulfide, gold-quartz veins in the Fairbanks, Willow Creek, historically have been the most widely developed deposit
and Juneau gold belt mining districts. All samples were type in the state. Previous studies in Alaska focus on the
analyzed for pH, dissolved and total cations, and dissolved environmental effects resulting from relatively small-scale
anions. Waters were generally found to have near-neutral mining of some of these vein systems, on and near U.S.
pH, with two exceptions. Waters flowing through mill tail Forest Service and Park Service lands (Cieutat and others,
ings in the stream valley adjacent to the Hi-Yu mine in the 1994; Trainor and others, 1996). Data from these small
Fairbanks district had a pH of 5.2. Near Juneau, processing deposits indicate minimal environmental impact as a result
of ore in the early 1900's at the Mexican mine on Douglas of acid mine drainage, although surface waters may be
Island included concentrating sulfide minerals and dump locally enriched in arsenic and iron. The purpose of this
ing them in the adjacent forest. Effluent collected down study is to evaluate how the development of much larger,
stream from these mine wastes had a highly acidic pH of low-sulfide, gold-quartz vein deposits may have impacted
2.9. local surface-water quality. Resulting data are critical for
Iron, arsenic, and antimony in mine effluent are the identifying environmental problems associated with aban
constituents that are most consistently elevated above back doned mine lands and for helping land planners better pre
ground concentrations. Because of the acidity of water dict potential adverse effects of acid mine drainage and
draining the mill-waste pile near the Mexican mine, dis- toxic metal contaminants that may result from future min
solved-iron concentrations exceeded 300,000 ppb. In more ing in Alaska. Additionally, identification of baseline lev
neutral waters, total-iron concentrations were elevated where els of many elements are important in establishing
an abundance of colloidal and suspended hydrous oxides reasonable standards for restoration of disturbed areas.
were released into surface waters from lode and nearby Hydrogeochemical studies were conducted in a num
placer-tailings piles. A concentration of 31,000 ppb total ber of Alaska's most economically significant past gold
iron was measured for waters flowing from placer tailings districts the Willow Creek district, the Fairbanks district,
along Too-Much-Gold Creek near Fairbanks, whereas dis and the Juneau gold belt (fig. IA). Water samples were
solved iron at the same site was only 490 ppb. Within the collected from adits and below waste piles at the Indepen
Fairbanks district, maximum dissolved-arsenic levels of 260- dence, Gold Cord, and High Grade mines in the Willow
270 ppb in stream waters were interpreted as background Creek district (fig. IB). Near Fairbanks, surface waters were
at one site and as elevated owing to mining activity at sampled that drained from adits and below mine and mill
another site. Concentrations of as much as 8,900 ppb total tailings of the Hi-Yu, Christina, and Scrafford mines (fig.
arsenic were measured for waters associated with placer 1C). Gold placer deposits are located downstream from
piles, the result of suspended or colloidal arsenic-bearing many of the gold-quartz lodes in the Fairbanks district. We
phases that were eroded from the piles or the absorbtion of therefore also collected waters flowing through some of
dissolved arsenic onto ferric hydrous oxides. Where abun the placer-tailings piles. In the Juneau gold belt, we col
dant stibnite occurs in the gold veins, waters associated lected waters from the two largest lode gold deposits in
with mine workings contained as much as 510 ppb Sb. Alaska (fig. ID). We sampled surface waters at the
GEOLOGIC STUDIES IN ALASKA BY THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1995
149°30' 149°
62°
B
6 300600 KILOMETERS High Grade
mine
(sites 6, 7) V" Gold Cord \
,x'\ mine (sites 4, 5, 8) » / Boun(iaryof
61°45' Independence
mine (sites 1-3, 9,10)
Wasilla Palmer I
65° -
Treadwell pit,
Mexican mine mill
(sites 25-27)
Alaska-Juneau/
' Ebner mine
(sites 28, 29)
64°45'
136°