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Data Series 608

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Geophysical, Geochemical, and Mineralogical Data from the Pebble Cu-Au-Mo Porphyry Deposit Area, Southwest Alaska: Contributions to Assessment Techniques for Concealed Mineral Resources

By E.D. Anderson, S.M. Smith, S.A. Giles, Matthew Granitto, R.G. Eppinger, P.A. Bedrosian, A.K. Shah, K.D. Kelley, D.L. Fey, B.J. Minsley, and P.J. Brown

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Abstract

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey began a multidisciplinary study in southwest Alaska to investigate the setting and detectability of mineral deposits in concealed volcanic and glacial terranes. The study area hosts the world-class Pebble porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit, and through collaboration with the Pebble Limited Partnership, a range of geophysical and geochemical investigations was carried out in proximity to the deposit. The deposit is almost entirely concealed by tundra, glacial deposits, and post-mineralization volcanic rocks. The discovery of mineral resources beneath cover is becoming more important because most of the mineral resources at the surface have already been discovered. Research is needed to identify ways in which to assess for concealed mineral resources. This report presents the uninterpreted geophysical measurements and geochemical and mineralogical analytical data from samples collected during the summer field seasons from 2007 to 2010, and makes the data available in a single Geographic Information System (GIS) database.

First posted June 14, 2011

Supersedes Open-File Report 2008–1132
and Open-File Report 2009–1239

For additional information contact:

USGS Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center
Box 25046, Mail Stop 964
Denver, CO 80225

http://crustal.usgs.gov/

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Suggested citation:

Anderson, E.D., Smith, S.M., Giles, S.A., Granitto, Matthew, Eppinger, R.G., Bedrosian, P.A., Shah, A.K., Kelley, K.D., Fey, D.L., Minsley, B.J., and Brown, P.J., 2011, Geophysical and geochemical data from the area of the Pebble Cu-Au-Mo porphyry deposit, southwestern Alaska: Contributions to assessment techniques for concealed mineral resources: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 608, 46 p., 2 plates, https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/608.


Contents

Introduction

Geophysical Studies

Geochemical and Mineralogical Studies
Sampling Methods

Analytical Methods

Geochemistry Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Summary and Conclusions of the Quality Control Evaluation for the
Various Geochemical Data Sets

Geochemical Relational Database

Geographic Information System (GIS)
Acknowledgments
References Cited