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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
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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
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Alaska is Complex; Topographically & Geologically
63 mm/yr
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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”
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Alaska’s Strategic & Critical Minerals Assessment
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Existing Data Sets and Studies
From Work Performed by: DGGS, USGS, USBM, BLM, University, & Industry
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DGGS Airborne Geophysical/Geological Mineral Inventory (AGGMI) Program:
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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
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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
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Ray Mountains Assessment
2010 Moran Geophysical Survey
2011 Geological Mapping
Moran East
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Moran Area Assessment
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Rock Geochemistry
Ray Mountains Assessment
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Pan Concentrate -- REE
Ray Mountains Assessment
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Statewide Geochemical Analysis
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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
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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
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Summary of available information on fossil fuel and geothermal energy in Alaska
Available for Download www.dggs.alaska.gov
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Commitment