TERRITORY OF ALASKA

DEPARTMENT OF MINES

BOX 1391

JUNEAU, ALASKA

 MOUNT PARKER MINE - MT. FAIRWEATHER QUADRANGLE                   

Phil R. Holdsworth  April 1955

The Mount Parker Mine, formerly known as the LeRoy Mine, has been visited by two TDM engineers in the past.  J. C. Roehm visited the property in 1942 and wrote a report. At this time the mine was producing and was operated by the LeRoy Mining Company who held a lease from Leslie Parker, owner.  Approximately 1200 tons of ore were mined and milled during 1941 and 1942 with an average recovery of about $100 per ton.

The holdings subsequently became the property of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Parker and in 1950 were examined by Howard N. Fowler at their request.  A brief report was written and the mine was mapped during this visit.  The resulting map, on a scale of 1” = 20 feet, has been used as a basis for the following.

During 1954 the undersigned made two visits to the Mount Parker Mine.  The property was visited and some samples taken on June 27.  Samples 54-7 and 54-13 were taken both on the surface and underground as indicated on the accompanying map.  A strong flow of water was running in the lower level preventing the sampling of the main vein.  Arrangements were made to return at a later date to complete the sampling as the flow of water reportedly ceased during August and early September.

The property was again visited by the undersigned on August 14 and the main vein was sampled on the floor of the lower level with the assistance of Darwin Rossman and Charles Ratte, of the U.S. Geological Survey, who were in the area on geological reconnaissance.  The floor of the drift was carefully cleaned and eight channel samples taken along the exposed vein.  Results are shown in the tabulation on the accompanying map.

The indicated length, width, and grade of the downward extension of the mined-out ore chute is certainly not large enough to warrant driving a new long, lower level from the surface for exploration purposes.   The fractured nature of the quartz vein material, coupled with spotty values, argues against diamond drilling as a means of exploration.

The first logical step to be taken appears to be the sinking of the winze at the widest, and highest grade point in the vein.  This would be a point approximately 185 feet in from the portal, about where sample No. 54-29 was taken.  In small high-grade veins on this type it usually pays to stay with the vein, at least until enough ore has been proven to justify driving a lower level.

Sampling results show an indicated ore shoot with a horizontal length of 50 feet.  The vein averages 2 feet in width and $43.30 per ton in value.  Using the customary method of calculating inferred ore (an inferred depth equal to half the known length), an estimated 200 tons of $43.30 ore is indicated.

Should sinking of a winze be undertaken, it should be started during the dry period when no water is flowing in the lower level.  Before the water does commence flowing again, a sand-bag dam can be built just upstream from the collar of the winze and a pipe used to by-pass the accumulated water over the winze, eliminating a lot of unnecessary pumping.

Continued sloughing of the dike material which forms the foot-wall of the vein near the face of the lower lever, indicates that this level has nearly penetrated the dike.  A little work could be done here to see if vein material and mineralization occur on the footwall side of the dike.

The only other exploration recommended by the undersigned would be surface trenching to expose the intersection of vein and dike in an attempt to locate the extension of the vein on the south side of the dike.   Results, of surface exploration would guide any underground exploration on horizontal extension of the orebody.

Three surface samples taken to the west of the main vein (54-8, 54-9, 54-10) indicate commercial grade material, but widths are narrow and no continuity is indicated in horizontal extent.  Sample No. 54-12 was taken at the top of the raise near the end of the west drift.  Results were not very encouraging.

                                                                 Phil R. Holdsworth

                                                                 Commissioner of Mines

TERRITORY OF ALASKA

DEPARTMENT OF MINES

BOX 1391

JUNEAU, ALASKA

 MOUNT PARKER MINE - MT. FAIRWEATHER QUADRANGLE                   

Phil R. Holdsworth  April 1955

The Mount Parker Mine, formerly known as the LeRoy Mine, has been visited by two TDM engineers in the past.  J. C. Roehm visited the property in 1942 and wrote a report. At this time the mine was producing and was operated by the LeRoy Mining Company who held a lease from Leslie Parker, owner.  Approximately 1200 tons of ore were mined and milled during 1941 and 1942 with an average recovery of about $100 per ton.

The holdings subsequently became the property of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Parker and in 1950 were examined by Howard N. Fowler at their request.  A brief report was written and the mine was mapped during this visit.  The resulting map, on a scale of 1” = 20 feet, has been used as a basis for the following.

During 1954 the undersigned made two visits to the Mount Parker Mine.  The property was visited and some samples taken on June 27.  Samples 54-7 and 54-13 were taken both on the surface and underground as indicated on the accompanying map.  A strong flow of water was running in the lower level preventing the sampling of the main vein.  Arrangements were made to return at a later date to complete the sampling as the flow of water reportedly ceased during August and early September.

The property was again visited by the undersigned on August 14 and the main vein was sampled on the floor of the lower level with the assistance of Darwin Rossman and Charles Ratte, of the U.S. Geological Survey, who were in the area on geological reconnaissance.  The floor of the drift was carefully cleaned and eight channel samples taken along the exposed vein.  Results are shown in the tabulation on the accompanying map.

The indicated length, width, and grade of the downward extension of the mined-out ore chute is certainly not large enough to warrant driving a new long, lower level from the surface for exploration purposes.   The fractured nature of the quartz vein material, coupled with spotty values, argues against diamond drilling as a means of exploration.

The first logical step to be taken appears to be the sinking of the winze at the widest, and highest grade point in the vein.  This would be a point approximately 185 feet in from the portal, about where sample No. 54-29 was taken.  In small high-grade veins on this type it usually pays to stay with the vein, at least until enough ore has been proven to justify driving a lower level.

Sampling results show an indicated ore shoot with a horizontal length of 50 feet.  The vein averages 2 feet in width and $43.30 per ton in value.  Using the customary method of calculating inferred ore (an inferred depth equal to half the known length), an estimated 200 tons of $43.30 ore is indicated.

Should sinking of a winze be undertaken, it should be started during the dry period when no water is flowing in the lower level.  Before the water does commence flowing again, a sand-bag dam can be built just upstream from the collar of the winze and a pipe used to by-pass the accumulated water over the winze, eliminating a lot of unnecessary pumping.

Continued sloughing of the dike material which forms the foot-wall of the vein near the face of the lower lever, indicates that this level has nearly penetrated the dike.  A little work could be done here to see if vein material and mineralization occur on the footwall side of the dike.

The only other exploration recommended by the undersigned would be surface trenching to expose the intersection of vein and dike in an attempt to locate the extension of the vein on the south side of the dike.   Results, of surface exploration would guide any underground exploration on horizontal extension of the orebody.

Three surface samples taken to the west of the main vein (54-8, 54-9, 54-10) indicate commercial grade material, but widths are narrow and no continuity is indicated in horizontal extent.  Sample No. 54-12 was taken at the top of the raise near the end of the west drift.  Results were not very encouraging.

                                                                 Phil R. Holdsworth

                                                                 Commissioner of Mines