Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological...

Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Alaska Strategic & Critical Minerals Potential and Assessment

Strategic & Critical Minerals Summit

Fairbanks, AK 11/30/2012

Bob Swenson

State Geologist & Director Alaska Division of Geological

& Geophysical Surveys

Current USGS List of Strategic & Critical Minerals

USGS (Long 2009; Long and others 2010)

• This list will change over time • Merely a subset of Alaska Mineral Potential

Antimony Barite Chromite Cobalt Fluorite Gallium Graphite Indium

Platinum Group Elements (PGE) Rare Earth Elements (REE) Rhenium Tantalum Titanium Tungsten Yttrium Niobium

Alaska is Complex; Topographically & Geologically

63 mm/yr

Base Metals - Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo + Au, Ag,

Geologic Terrains in Alaska

Regions of Primary Mineral Occurrence

Coal, Oil, and Gas - Conventional & Unconventional Energy Resources

Colpron et. al., 2007

Tectonic Terrain Map of Alaska and Northwestern

Canada

Precious Metals - Au, Ag + Sb Strategic Minerals - PGE, REE, Graphite, In, Nb, Ta, Ge

Mineralization Traverses Most of Alaska The “Prize is Hidden in the Details”

Alaska’s Strategic & Critical Minerals Assessment

Existing Data Sets and Studies

From Work Performed by: DGGS, USGS, USBM, BLM, University, & Industry

DGGS Airborne Geophysical/Geological Mineral Inventory (AGGMI) Program:

New DGGS Farewell Geophysical Survey Rare-Earth Elements Mafic/Ultramafic-related Cu, Ni, PGE Epithermal/Hot Springs Plutonic-related gold -Hypabyssal -Porphyry Cu ± Mo ± Au -Skarn Polymetallic veins of uncertain origin Sediment-hosted base metals Placer gold

Styx River Survey

New Farewell Survey

New Donlin-Area Geophysical Survey

Aniak & Sleetmute Surveys

Epithermal/Hot Springs Plutonic-related gold -Hypabyssal -Plutonic -Hornfels/Skarn Polymetallic veins of uncertain origin Mafic/Ultramafic-related Cr, Ni Placer gold

Iditarod Survey

New Donlin Area

Survey

Donlin Gold Deposit

Ray Mountains Assessment

2010 Moran Geophysical Survey

2011 Geological Mapping

Moran East

Moran Area Assessment

Rock Geochemistry

Pan Concentrate -- REE

Statewide Geochemical Analysis

Strategic & Critical Minerals (SCM) Assessment

Summary of Assessment Milestones to date:

• 3,500-square-mile field project in the Ray Mountains-Dalton Highway

• 2,075-square-mile SCM-related airborne geophysical surveys

• Compiled historic geochemical data for more than 5,387 analyses

• Donations of 2 privately held SCM-related databases

• Modern geochemical analyses for 1,209 historic U.S.B.M samples

• Comprehensive geochemical sampling in the Western Moran area • Documented new gold-REE bearing stream drainages

• Discovered new lode gold occurrence near William Henry Bay, SE Alaska • MOU with USGS for modern chemical analyses of sample databases • Supporting graduate thesis work at UAF • Evaluating State-selected land for SCM potential • Scanning and making historic databases and reports available online

Future Work Plans: Continue focus in areas of mineral entry and highest potential Perform high resolution geologic mapping and geochemical sampling

Acquire and distribute high-resolution geophysics

Continue compiling digital database of all available information

Finalize modern geochemical analyses of archived samples

Publish results and make all data available on the web (free access)

Strategic & Critical Minerals (SCM) Assessment

Summary of available information on fossil fuel and geothermal energy in Alaska

Available for Download www.dggs.alaska.gov

Commitment

Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological...

Documents

Architectural analysis of fluvial conglomerate in the ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2005_002.pdf · PIR 2005-2 Fluvial conglomerate, Nanushuk Formation, Brooks Range

Division of Geological Geophysical Surveys 2000-3 ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/rdf/text/rdf2000_003.pdf1996-1997, Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Public-data

FIELD TRIP GUIDE: SEDIMENTOLOGY, …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/mp/text/mp161.pdffield trip guidebook . sedimentology, reservoir quality, and tectonic setting of late miocene–early

TSUNAMI INUNDATION MAPS OF SEWARD AND NORTHERN …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/ri/text/ri2010_001.pdf · 2010-06-17 · TSUNAMI INUNDATION MAPS OF SEWARD AND NORTHERN RESURRECTION

Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys RAW-DATA …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/rdf/text/rdf2008_005.pdf · Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys RAW-DATA

PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY AND GEOHAZARDS ON ‘KIGIQTAM …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2013_003.pdf · 2013-03-12 · Preliminary evaluation of

PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF BASIN MARGIN EXHUMATION …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2009_004.pdf · 2010. 3. 26. · Inlet basin margin relationships because well-exposed,

Geologic Materials Center - Alaska DGGS · 2019. 2. 1. · Geologic Materials Center Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Learn more online: dggs.alaska.gov/gmc 3651 Penland

Vitrinite Reflectance Measurement of Cuttings and Coal ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/gmc/text/gmc067.pdfAtlantic Refining Company Rainbow Federal No.1, and Atlantic Refining Company

EVALUATION OF GROUND WATER AT A PROPOSED …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pdf/text/pdf1994_028.pdfEVALUATION OF GROUND WATER AT A PROPOSED WASTEWATER DISPOSAL SITE, GAMBELL, ALASKA

HERENDEEN BAY-CHIGNIK COALS, SOUTHERN ALASKA …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/sr/text/sr008.pdfHerendeen Bay-Chignik Coals, Southern Alaska Peninsula ABSTRACT By C.N. Conwell1 and D.M

Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys RAW ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/rdf/text/rdf2016_001.pdf · Model (DSM) raster, (3) Hillshade raster produced from DSM, and

STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/rdf/text/rdf2007_004.pdf · analytical methods All trace-element geochemical analyses (table 2) collected

ALLUVIAL FACIES AND PALEOSOLS IN THE CRETACEOUS …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2003_001.pdfThe facies associations defined for the Nanushuk Formation contain paleosols

OVERVIEW OF RECENT GEOLOGIC FIELD INVESTIGATIONS, …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2008_001a.pdf · exposures that provide insight into the geologic evolution of the North

LEAD ISOTOPIC RATIOS, ICP AND XRF ANALYSES, AND FLUID ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pdf/text/pdf1998_043.pdf · December31, 1998 Price: $2.00 Division of Geological & Geophysical

Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys ...dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/mp/text/mp134.pdf · American plate, in addition to smaller earthquakes in the magnitude range

SEDIMENTOLOGY OF AN OLIGOCENE–MIOCENE INCISED …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2009_008b.pdfSEDIMENTOLOGY OF AN OLIGOCENE–MIOCENE INCISED PALEOVALLEY, TYONEK FORMATION,

DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pdf/text/pdf1986_046.pdf · DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL AND GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS ... Alaska Division of Geological

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE LISBURNE …dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/dggs/pir/text/pir2005_003.pdfPRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE LISBURNE GROUP, UPPER NANUSHUK ... Range. At the