Hot Springs Creek Occurrence, Serpentine Mining District, Nome Census Area, Alaska, USAi

Regional Level Types
Hot Springs Creek Occurrence	Occurrence
Serpentine Mining District	Mining District
Nome Census Area	Census Area
Alaska	State
USA	Country

Location: The location of this occurrence is very approximate; it can only be located to within one or two miles. Moxham and West (1953) note cinnabar 'in concentrates panned from a shallow gully in the south side of the eastern fork of Hot Springs CreeK'. Hot Springs Creek is a tributary of the Serpentine River with headwaters in the Oonatut Granite Complex (Hudson, 1979). The location description suggests that the occurrence is in an area underlain by Oonatut Granite; the presence of cinnabar has not been confirmed and the locality was not shown by Cobb (1972; MF 417). Cobb (1975; OFR 75-429) summarized references to this locality under the name 'Hot Springs Cr.'.
Geology: Moxham and West (1953) note cinnabar 'in concentrates panned from a shallow gully in the south side of the eastern fork of Hot Springs CreeK'. Hot Springs Creek is a tributary of the Serpentine River with headwaters in the Oonatut Granite Complex (Hudson, 1979). The location description suggests that the occurrence is in an area underlain by Oonatut Granite; the presence of cinnabar here has not been confirmed. In general, only the central, late-forming part of the Oonatut Granite Complex is hydrothermally altered (Hudson, 1979). This is an evolved tin granite complex (Hudson and Arth, 1983) and its accessory mineral content (apatite, allanite, sphene, and zircon) is responsible for its slightly elevated levels of uranium and thorium (Moxham and West, 1953). The weathering of the granite has contributed these minerals to alluvial gravels in the area.
Workings: None.
Age: Not known; the Oonatut Granite is Late Cretaceous (about 70 my, Hudson, 1979) but if cinnabar is present it may be different in age.

Commodities (Major) - Hg; (Minor) - Radioactive minerals
Development Status: No
Deposit Model: Placer cinnabar concentration (?)

Other Databases

Link to USGS - Alaska:	BN114

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References