Revisiting the Ruby Terrane: Insights from Geologic Mapping in the Moran Area, Central-Interior Alaska L.K. Freeman1, G.A. Griesel2, R.J. Newberry3, B.A. Elliott4, D.J. Szumigala5, T.A. Lough6, M. Werdon1 1

Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2Barrick Gold Corporation, Elko, NV, 3Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 4Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, 5 Kinross Gold Corporation, Fairbanks, AK, 6Shannon & Wilson, Inc., Anchorage, AK

In 2011, the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) conducted 300 mi2 of 1:63,360-scale geologic mapping in the Moran Dome area of Central-Interior Alaska. The Moran project map area is located 150 miles west of Fairbanks, in the eastern Kokrines Hills, immediately north of the Yukon River, which follows the Kaltag, regional-scale, right-lateral, strike-slip fault system. DGGS geologists have distinguished eight mappable units, two regional metamorphic events, at least four ductile deformation events, and a single intrusive event followed by brittle deformation; at least three metallogenetic events overlap the area. The Proterozoic to Paleozoic Ruby Terrane (RT) underlies most of the Moran area. DGGS subdivides the RT into five meta-sedimentary units, which spatially correspond with interpretations of the DGGS Moran airborne geophysical data. From structurally lowest to highest they are paragneiss and pelitic schist, calcareous-mica-albite-quartz schist, massive to foliated graphitic quartzite, pelitic schist and metagrit, and an interlayered graphitic quartz schist and quartzite unit. Detrital zircon U/Pb ages in three samples of the RT are predominantly Paleozoic with a minimum interpreted age of middle Triassic. In contrast, a fourth sample from the pelitic schist-metagrit unit is characterized by abundant Paleoproterozoic detrital zircons, similar to samples from the Wickersham grit and the Yukon-Tanana terrane. Shallow-dipping S2 foliation is axial planar to recumbent F2 isoclinal folds, and refolded by upright, open-to-closeprofile NE- and SW-plunging F3 folds and lesser upright, open-to-close-profile NW- and SE-plunging F4 folds. Stretching lineations plunge shallowly to the NW and SE. A Kaltag-parallel, steep, E–W-trending, S3 foliation cuts S2 along the Yukon River. Intermixed within the meta-sedimentary units are outcrop- to map-scale pods of mafic amphibolefeldspar schist, with local relict magmatic augite and hornblende. Trace-element geochemistry indicates diverse tectonic settings: (1) two distinct groups of volcanic arc basalts (VAB), (2) within-plate basalt (WPB), and (3) a low Ti, P, and Zr group of unknown affinity. (continued)

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  The allochthonous Jurassic Tozitna Terrane (TT) structurally overlies the RT, presumably in thrust contact. Meta-mafic rocks have a trace-element-indicated mid-ocean-ridge basalt setting, there are only minor intercalated metasediments and ultramafic rocks in the map area. Shallow NE- and SW-dipping foliation is folded about an upright NW-trending axis, which is parallel to shallow-plunging L1 stretching lineations. Shear-sense indicators parallel to L1 are mixed, with six samples showing top-to-the-NW, two samples showing top-to-the-SE, and two samples with mixed sense. RT mafic schists record a high-pressure epidote-amphibolite±garnet M1 event strongly overprinted by an M2 greenschistfacies albite+chlorite+actinolite assemblage. Relict late-magmatic hornblende replacing augite in mafic cumulate indicates an even earlier hydrothermal metamorphism. In pelitic rocks abundant chloritoid and paragonite suggests high-P M1 conditions; mineral compositional geobarometry indicates P of 9-11 kb. M1 syn-S1 garnet porphyroblasts are wrapped by S2 biotite and overprinted by an M2 greenschist-facies event. In contrast, microprobe analyses of TT rocks confirm the presence of pumpellyite and blue amphibole species riebeckite, crossite, and compositionally zoned ferro-glaucophane to ferro-hornblende. Late magmatic to early-post-magmatic hornblende in clinopyroxenite cumulate indicates preregional metamorphic P of 4-6 kb. TT rocks typically contain sub-to-euhedral augite porphyroclasts within a lowergreenschist-facies mylonitic foliation defined by chlorite+albite±riebekite±actinolite±pumpellyite. The Early Cretaceous Melozitna pluton (MP) intrudes the RT. It is predominantly a very coarse-grained, porphyritic, Kfeldspar-megacrystic, biotite monzogranite, with lesser medium-grained, equigranular, two-mica granite and granite porphyry dikes. Locally abrupt textural and compositional changes suggest multiple levels of the pluton are juxtaposed by late, brittle faulting. Rocks of the MP contain 67-76 wt.% SiO2 (average ~74 wt.%), display slightly peraluminous composition (average Al Saturation Index ~1.2), and generally plot in the high-K calc-alkaline field (average K2O wt.% = 4.93). Tectonomagmatic plots indicate a within-plate granite signature, with elevated Rb, Nb, and locally Y, suggesting extensional or transtensional emplacement processes. Lode-gold accompanied by strongly anomalous arsenic occurs in inclined to steeply dipping veins and breccia zones that appear to be unrelated to the Melozitna pluton. The identified lodes are not the direct sources of most of the historically mined placer gold, however. Microprobe analyses of placer gold grains from the Moran area show a wide range of fineness (950) and core Hg contents (1.2 wt% Hg), indicating multiple lode sources types (both igneous and metamorphic), and suggest prolonged residence in the surface environment. Metamorphic lode deposits may be coeval with and related to metamorphic fluids necessary for the massive greenschist overprint in the RT. Tin and tungsten-bearing skarns and tourmaline veins are present in and adjacent to the Melozitna pluton. Polymetallic cassiterite, argentifereous galena, and sphalerite occur peripherally to and are coeval with the Melozitna Pluton, and are a likely source of abundant cassiterite pebbles and an identified placer-tin resource in Tozimoran Creek. Igneous lode-gold at Monday Creek in the RT is associated with quartz-arsenopyrite veins with an Ar-Ar reset age (white mica) of 70 Ma. An extension of the northeastly trend of 65 Ma plutons associated with placer gold-tin in the Ruby –Poorman district may represent an igneous heat source for the Monday Creek veins after right-lateral Kaltag offset is restored. The RT represents a metamorphosed composite terrane comprised of sedimentary protoliths with diverse provenance and mafic protoliths with multiple tectonic affinities. Some protoliths are analogous to the Casadepaga Schist and Mixed unit on the Seward Peninsula while others are similar to rocks of the Yukon-Tanana terrane. All rocks within the RT in the Moran area have undergone similar tectonic and metamorphic histories with a synchronous high-grade D1/M1 and isoclinal F2 folding and development of S2 foliation. Widespread greenschist metamorphism overprints the early metamorphic history. Subsequent upright F3 folds record moderate NW-SE compression, which predates intrusion of the Melozitna pluton. Both the RT and TT exhibit NE-SW compressional D4 features, shallow NW- and SE-plunging F4 fold axes and stretching lineations, suggesting they were juxtaposed to each other by this time. This metamorphic history, similar in timing to that recorded elsewhere in the RT, varies in the metamorphic grade recorded, suggesting that blueschist metamorphism in the RT is not ubiquitous, and that blue amphiboles in the footwall of the TT are not direct indicators of high pressure metamorphism unless positively identified as glaucophane. This work will be published as a DGGS Report of Investigations geologic map with companion text and data files.

About the Speaker: Larry Freeman is the Section Chief of the Mineral Resources Section of the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. He has a B.S. in Geology from Western Washington University and an M.S. in Geology from Oregon State University. He joined DGGS in 2000, following 23 years in the minerals industry covering much of Alaska on projects ranging from grass-roots exploration to mining. He is a coauthor of the Annual Alaska Minerals Report which documents mineral industry activity and mineral resources of Alaska, and leads a team of geologists that complete mineral resource assessments and geologic mapping in potential mineralized areas of the state. The Mineral Resources Section completes geologic mapping covering 300 square miles at 1:63360 scale and publishes airborne geophysical surveys of more than 1000 square miles annually. http://www.dggs.alaska.gov/sections/minerals/ Photo courtesy of Evan Twelker, DGGS 

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AGS Luncheon Date & Time:

[NEW DATE] Monday, October 27th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm [NEW DATE]

Program:

Revisiting the Ruby Terrane: Insights from Geologic Mapping in the Moran area, Central-Interior Alaska

Speaker:

Larry K. Freeman, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Place:

BP Energy Center

Reservations:

Make your reservation before noon Friday, October 24st, 2014

Cost:

Seminar only, no meal: Reserve a box lunch: Lunch with no reservation:

Free $15 On an “as-available” basis only

E-mail reservations: [email protected] or phone (907) 564-4028.

For more information visit: www.alaskageology.org

From the President’s Desk: I have been very impressed by the high standard of the presentations made by our guest lecturers throughout the year. In the 2014/2015 session, the AGS board hopes to continue that tradition. As in previous years, we intend to include a distinguished lecturer talk through our association with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and will continue to seek out other geologists who are experts in their field for future talks. There are still some 2015 slots to be filled, so if you have an idea for a lecture, please contact Steve Wright. I am the first to concede that other local professional societies provide a plethora of “competing” meetings that are of interest to our members. These cover the engineering, environmental and mining sectors; not forgetting UAA and USGS events. It can be a struggle to make all of these events but it is always a pleasure to see some familiar faces. Anchorage is a highly desirable venue for international conferences. I had the opportunity to participate in field trips organized as part of the 10th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering this summer. This conference attracted almost 1,200 delegates to the state and showcased our incredible geology in glorious July sunshine. 2015 is already shaping up to be an exceptional year, with the GSA Cordilleran Section meeting in May and the annual meeting of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) in September. AGS plans to support and contribute to both events to continue our commitment to geology education and professional development. I hope that you also take the opportunity to get involved.

~ Keith

My Pet Rock

Kenneth P. Helmold Alaska Division of Oil & Gas

Miocene deposits of the Cappadocian Volcanic Province (CVP), Urgup, Turkey. The cones are comprised of soft, easily eroded tuffs while the caps consist of more resistant ignimbrites. Extensive erosion has resulted in typical badlands topography. During the Roman period dwellings were carved into the CVP. Send a photo of your favorite pet rock to: ken.helmold@alaska. gov

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ALASKA FOSSILS OF THE MONTH FOSSIL POINT, ALASKA’S “JURASSIC PARK”, COOK INLET, ALASKA:  A ROSETTA STONE TO MIDDLE JURASSIC BIOSTRATIGRAPHY by Robert B. Blodgett1, Chad P. Hults2, and Linda Stromquist2 1 Consulting Geologist, 2821 Kingfisher Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99502 2 National Park Service, 240 W. 5th Ave, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 

Figure 1. View of the prominent northeast terminus of the promontory comprising Fossil Point, south shore of Tuxedni Bay, west side of upper Cook Inlet.

The Fossil Point area on the south shore of Tuxedni Bay (Figs. 1-3), forms a prominent headland situated on the west side of Cook Inlet, nearly due west of Ninilchik, and has long been known for the great abundance of fossil marine invertebrates of Early Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) age. A significant fossil collection was made by the Russian mining engineer Peter Doroschin and sent to the Russian capital at St. Petersburg, where they were ultimately studied and described by Eichwald (1871). Subsequent publications dealing with the fossil fauna from here include: Blodgett (2012, 2014); Blodgett and Santucci (2014); Blodgett and Tainter (2013); Detterman (1963); Detterman and Hartsock (1966); Imlay (1961, 1964, 1984); Martin (1926); Martin and Katz (1912); Moffit (1927); Poulton et al. (1992) and Stanton and Martin (1905). Natural resource managers of Lake Clark National Park & Preserve requested the project to assess the geology at Fossil Point in Tuxedni Bay and to build a representative collection of fossils. The authors visited the site during summer 2014 to collect fossils and measure a stratigraphic section. One of the primary purposes of the fossil collection was to undertake a census of the full species diversity of the exposed formations, and establish a biostratigraphic framework of the faunal succession of the Red Glacier and Fitz Creek Siltstone formations, both of which had previously been considered to be of middle Bajocian age (Imlay, 1964, 1984). With this fossil collection housed at the NPS Alaska Region Curatorial Center, the fossils will be available to the public and park staff for research and education. In August we traveled to Fossil Point from Homer using the Lake Clark boat “Chigmit” and spent seven days in the field. However, four of those days were spent crammed in the small Silver Salmon ranger cabin due to strong northeast winds and rain hammering the normally well protected shore along Fossil Point. Our collections showed that both the Red Glacier Formation and the stratigraphically higher Fitz Creek Siltstone contain abundant and diverse invertebrate marine faunas (Fig. 4) typical of mid-shelf depths. In contrast, the overlying Cynthia Falls Sandstone has yielded only a sparse, non-diverse fauna probably reflecting a higher-energy nearshore, strandline depositional environment. In general the ammonite fauna of the Red Glacier is quite distinct from that of Fitz Creek, although they do share some long-ranging common species. The bivalve fauna of the Fitz Creek (Fig. 4) is especially notable for the extreme abundance of large inoceramid bivalves belonging to the genus Retroceramus, notably Retroceramus porrectus (Eichwald, 1871) and Retroceramus ambiguus (Eichwald, 1871). The Red Glacier Formation, separated by a major vertical fault from Fitz Creek to the east (Figs. 2-3), on the other hand yielded only to two inoceramid specimens. One specimen belonging to Retroceramus lucifer (Eichwald, 1871) and the other specimen possibly representing a species previously not reported in Alaska. While Eichwald recognized four distinct inoceramid species at Fossil

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  Point, Ralph W. Imlay, who was for many years the USGS Jurassic molluscan expert, recognized only two of Eichwald’s species as being valid (the other two being synonymous). One of our purposes was to establish the taxonomic validity of these species, and our initial findings fall out in favor of Eichwald’s original four species as all being valid and distinct from one another. Some of the bivalves described by Eichwald from Fossil Point are found to be common in both the Red Glacier Formation and Fitz Ceek Siltstone, the most notably example being the distinctive species Pinna aleutica Eichwald, 1871 and a trigoniid species. Our study of the fossil fauna from these units is in its preliminary phase (mostly photography and initial taxonomic identification). We are involving a number of international paleontologists in this effort including Russians, an Argentinian, and a Romanian. We will attempt to get a full assessment of the molluscan elements (bivalves, ammonites, and belemnites) as well as Foraminifera. As noted by Arkell (1956) in his classic “Jurassic Geology of the World”, the Jurassic succession in Cook Inlet and the Alaska Peninsula is the best and most complete representation of Jurassic rocks in North America. The ammonites have already been relatively well studied by R.W. Imlay and G.E.G.Westermann, but we intend to likewise describe the complete Jurassic bivalve and brachiopod fauna and biostratigraphic zonation of the Peninsular terrane of the Cook Inlet and Alaska Peninsula region as well. To date only minor attention has been paid to the latter faunal elements (Lazar et al. 2009; Schemm-Gregory and Blodgett, 2012). Stratigraphic control for the fossils collected was completed by measuring a detailed stratigraphic section. Previous work included a detailed stratigraphic section provided in Stanton and Martin (1905), and a generalized section in Detterman and Hartsock (1966). The detailed stratigraphic section by Stanton and Martin (1905) was completed before the rocks of the Tuxedni Sandstone of Martin and Katz (1912) was promoted to group status and divided into six formations by Detterman (1963). Evaluating the geologic map by Detterman and Hartsock (1966), and the unit descriptions therein, we were able to identify the Fitz Creek Siltstone portion of the Stanton and Martin (1905, p. 399-400) Snug Harbor section (formerly the Enochkin Formation), which is the portion above the fault noted in their section. The stratigraphic section from this study has good correlation with their section, but there are some interesting differences (Fig. 5) . The Fitz Creek Siltstone is, as its name implies, primarily medium bedded siltstone, but also contains thin bedded shale and medium to thick bedded fine to coarse-grained sandstone (Figure 5). Most beds were massive or horizontally laminated and were laterally continuous. The sandstone beds in the middle of the section were normally graded from gravelly coarse-sandstone to pebbly coarse sandstone with irregular and wavy bases. The sandstones are rich in feldspars and lithic volcanic grains and large angular clasts. The siltstone beds were very fossiliferous with a high biodiversity; the shale beds contained some fossils, primarily pelecypods and Pinnas; and the sandstone beds contained rare belemnite fossils. The highest fossil abundance is in the upper 8 meters of siltstone underlying the Cynthia Falls Sandstone. The biggest difference between the measured section for this study and the Stanton and Martin (1905) Snug Harbor section is the thickness of coarse-grained sandstone beds in the middle of the section (Fig. 5). In most places a laterally continuous 3 meter thick coarse sandstone bed is overlain by approximately 4 meters of medium bedded sandstone beds, which are visible in every fault block of the Fitz Creek Siltstone. However, locally the sandstone beds are up to 12 m thick, were not laterally extensive, and abruptly truncated other beds (Fig. 6 and “eroded section” in Fig. 5) . The fossil abundance and the lack of sedimentary structures in the siltstone and sandstone beds, which are expected with high tidal currents or wave action, suggest that the environment of deposition was probably mid-shelf below wave base. The laterally restricted coarse-sandstone beds were probably deposited in submarine channels. The laterally extensive, feldspar and volcanic lithic rich, gravelly coarse sandstone bed may have been deposited by a submarine pyroclastic flow . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We’d like to extend our gratitude to our boat captain Jared Irvine for keeping us safe in the rough waters during the storm, the Lake Clark Natural Resources Manager Jeff Shearer who pushed for getting the project funded and handled the logistics, and the Silver Salmon Ranger Bill Edwards who put up with us in his small cabin during the storm, loaned us his fishing poles, and fed us fresh silver salmon. We also extend our thanks to R.G. Stanley, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, for his helpful discussion related to the geology of Fossil Point and the Tuxedni Bay area. REFERENCES Arkell, W.J., 1956, Jurassic Geology of the World: Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh, 806 p. Blodgett, R.B., 2012, The bivalve genus Retroceramus Koshelkina, 1959: Alaska Geology (Newsletter of the Alaska Geological Society, Inc.), v. 45, no. 1, p. 5-8. Blodgett, R.B., 2014, Resurrecting ancient fossils (“Bring out your dead”) from the Middle Jurassic of Tuxedni Bay, Cook Inlet: Alaska Geology (Newsletter of the Alaska Geological Society, Inc.), v. 42, no. 8, p. 5-8. Blodgett, R.B., and Santucci, V.L., 2014, Fossil Point (Lake Clark National Park & Preserve): Alaska’s “Jurassic Park” for Middle Jurassic invertebrate fossils. Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fossil Resources, Rapid City, SD May 2014: Dakoterra, v. 6, p. 98-106. Blodgett, R.B., and Tainter, A.W., 2013, Marine life in the Middle Jurassic of the Iniskin Peninsula, Lower Cook Inlet, south-central Alaska: Alaska Geology (Newsletter of the Alaska Geological Society, Inc.), v. 44, no. 4, p. 5-8. Detterman, R.L., 1963, Revised stratigraphic nomenclature and age of the Tuxedni Group in the Cook Inlet region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 475-C, p. C30-C34.

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  Detterman, R.L., and Hartsock, J.K., 1966, Geology of the Iniskin-Tuxedni region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 512, 78 p., 6 sheets, scale 1:63,360. Eichwald, E., 1871, Geognostisch-Palaeontologische Bemerkungen über die Halbinsel Mangischlak und die Aleutischen Inseln: Buchdr. der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, St. Petersburg, 200 p., 20 pls. Imlay, R. W., 1961, New genera and subgenera of Jurassic (Bajocian) ammonites from Alaska: Journal of Paleontology, v. 35, no. 3, p. 467-474. Imlay, R.W., 1964, Middle Bajocian ammonites from the Cook Inlet region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 418-B, p. B1-B61. Imlay, R.W., 1984, Early and middle Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) ammonites from southern Alaska: U.S. Geol. Survey Professional Paper 1322, 38 p. Lazar, Iuliana, Sandy, M.R., and Blodgett, R.B., 2009, Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) bivalve and brachiopod fauna from the Peninsular terrane, southern Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska - paleobiogeographic signatures and tectonic significance: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 41, no. 5, p. 27-28. Martin, G.C., 1926, The Mesozoic stratigraphy of Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 776, 493 p., 4 sheets. Martin, G.C., and Katz, F.J., 1912, A geologic reconnaissance of the Iliamna region, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 485, 138 p. Moffit, F.H., 1927, The Iniskin-Chinitna Peninsula and the Snug Harbor district, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 789, 71 p. Poulton, T.P., Detterman, R.L., Hall, R.L., Jones, D.L., Peterson, J.A., Smith, P., Taylor, D.G., Tipper, H.W., and Westermann, G.E.G., 1992, Western Canada and United States, p. 29-92, in Westermann, G.E.G., ed., The Jurassic of the Circum-Pacific: Cambridge University Press, 676 p. Schemm-Gregory, Mena, and Blodgett, R.B., 2012, The first occurrence of the Jurassic brachiopod genus Sphenorhynchia in Alaska: Alaska Geology (Newsletter of the Alaska Geological Society, Inc.), v. 43, no. 2, p. 6-7. Stanton, T.W., and Martin, G.C., 1905, Mesozoic section on Cook Inlet and Alaska Peninsula: Geol. Society of America Bulletin, v. 16, p. 391-410.

Figure 2. Panorama of the Fossil Point section. (Fossil Point on the left side of the photo). The Fitz Creek Siltstone is exposed at Fossil Point in the darker beds under the obvious light-colored sandstone bed, which is the base of the Cynthia Falls Sandstone. The Red Glacier Formation is faulted against the Fitz Creek Siltstone on the right side of the photograph.

Figure 3. Geologic map of part of the western side of Cook Inlet showing Fossil Point, Tuxedni Bay, and Chisik Island (modified from Detterman and Hartsock, 1966). The strata of the Fossil Point area are assigned to the Tuxedni Group, which is divided into the fossiliferous strata of the Fitz Creek Siltstone (shown in light-green, Jtf), which is overlain by the Cynthia Falls Sandstone (shown in dark green, Jtc), and on the west is juxtaposed along a fault with the Red Glacier Formation (shown in medium green, Jtr).

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A 

D 

B 

C 

E 

F 

Figure 4. Typical fossils found in the Fitz Creek Siltstone (middle Bajocian, Early Middle Jurassic at Fossil Point, south side of Tuxedni Bay. A. Chondroceras sp., an ammonite; B. Retroceramus porrectus (Eichwald, 1871), a bivalve; C. Pinna aleutica Eichwald, 1871, a bivalve; D. large fossiliferous block containing numerous specimens of Retroceramus porrectus; E and F. the bivalve Trigonia sp. Figure 5. Detailed stratigraphic sections for the Fitz Creek Siltstone at the Fossil Point area from this study and the Stanton and Martin (1905, p. 399-400) section overlain on two photos of the cliffs containing the Fitz Creek Siltstone.

Figure 6. Photograph showing the edge of pebbly coarse-grained sandstone beds truncating fossiliferous siltstone beds (bottom left). The apparent fold is actually a cementation “halo” commonly found adjacent to the coarse-grained sandstone beds.

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Alaska Geologic Materials Center Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Dear Friends and Colleagues, The State of Alaska, Departments of Administration and Natural Resources are happy to inform you that Governor Parnell will be performing a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Geologic Material Center (GMC) the last week of October 2014 – final date TBD. We hope you can find time to celebrate this milestone with us. The new GMC will be an incredible improvement from our existing Eagle River facility and contains many features and improvements that will improve your ability to access and utilize our library of geologic materials. We’ll celebrate this new facility completed ahead of the original GMC draft plan, well under the original budget projected, and supported by a generous contribution from Walmart for purchase of the original structure to further educational opportunities at the new facility. Among the geologic materials that will be housed in this 100,000 square foot heated building are thin sections, core and cuttings representing over 13 million feet of oil and gas drilling, 300,000 feet of core drilling from mineral projects, 115,000 surface rock samples, and 96,000 pulps. The new facility has significantly expanded and improved core viewing facilities, including large private viewing rooms, conference rooms, new microscopes, new sampling equipment and wireless internet access. It is also located in a much more convenient location at 3651 Penland Parkway in Anchorage. 2-D and 3-D seismic data will also be available from the new facility as they are made available. We wanted to give you advanced notice of the opportunity to join Governor Parnell at the ribbon-cutting and to tour the new facility. We will inform you of the date and time closer to the actual event, and hope to see you there. Please contact Andy Mills (907-465-1176, [email protected]) or Elizabeth Bluemink (907-269-8434) for additional information.

Enhanced Alaska Digital Well Log Data Since 1989 OCS, 95 out of 100 Alaska OCS wells. Mud logs for some. North Aleutian Basin wells, onshore and offshore. North Slope, 556 wildcats and key field wells. Kuparuk River Field, first 567 wells drilled (pre-1985). Southern Alaska, 1063 wells including all wildcats and many field wells. Directional surveys for most. All digital log files  Are depth shifted to match resistivity curves.  Have core data rendered as a depth-shifted well log curve.  Have SP both in original form and as a straightened curve.  Have standardized mnemonics.  Have Volume of Shale curves, derived from gamma ray for North Slope, derived from SP for Cook Inlet.  Allow you to specify your own choice of mnemonics before delivery.  Are updated periodically with new wildcat wells. 

Are delivered in LAS 2.0 format.

Contact Dan Shier: 303-278-1261 [email protected] www.rockypine.com Volume 45 Number 2

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Calendar of Events Date  th

Oct 8   Oct 9th  Oct 27th 

Oct 21st 

 

Time 

Organization 

Event 

Location 

11:30am – 1:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm 

Alaska Miners Association 

AMA Luncheon - Keith Torrance “If it can’t be mined it must be grown” – the economic geology of semiconductors.  “Airborne Geophysics Applied to Hydrocarbons” Mr. Adam Shales, CGG, Calgary 

Sourdough Mining Company, Anchorage  BP Main Building Room 146 

Larry Freeman Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, Fairbanks “Revisiting the Ruby Terrane: Insights from Geologic Mapping in the Moran Area, Central-Interior Alaska”  American Society of Civil Engineers Luncheon Meeting “Anchorage Landfill” 

BP Energy Centre Anchorage 

SPE 

Brooks Range Petroleum - Mustang 

Association. of Environmental & Engineering Geologists  ANTHC 

American Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists Fall lecture John Callas NASA JPL – “The Second Copernican Revolution: Our Changing View of Our Place in the Universe””  Alaska Tribal Environmental Conference 

BP Energy Centre Anchorage  UAA Planetarium – CPISB, Anchorage 

Alaska Miners Association  Alaska Geological Society/ SPE  RDC 

AMA Fall Convention 

11:30am – 1:00pm   

Oct 24th 

5:00pm – 6:00pm 

Oct 28 – Oct 30  Nov 3 – Nov 10  Nov 10th 

 

Nov 19th – Nov 20th  Dec 10th  Dec 18th  Jan 14th  Feb 9 – Feb13th  Feb 11th 

March 11th  April 8th  11th – 15th May 2015  Sept 19 – 22nd 2015 

  11:30am – 1:00pm  8:00am – 5:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm     

Geophysical Society of Alaska  Alaska Geological Society  ASCE 

Anchorage Moose Lodge 

John Morgan “LNG Changing Quickly” SPE Distinguished Lecturer 

Hilton Hotel, Anchorage  Dena’Ina Centre, Anchorage  BP Energy Centre Anchorage 

Resource Development Council Annual Conference 

Dena’Ina Centre, Anchorage 

Alaska Miners Association 

AMA Luncheon 

Sourdough Mining Company 

Alaska Geological Society  Alaska Miners Association  Alaska Forum Inc.  Alaska Miners Association 

To be announced 

BP Energy Centre Anchorage 

AMA Luncheon 

Sourdough Mining Company  Dena’Ina Centre, Anchorage  Sourdough Mining Company 

11:30am – 1:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm  11:30am – 1:00pm     

AIPG 

Alaska Forum on the Environment  AMA Luncheon 

Alaska Miners Association 

AMA Luncheon 

Sourdough Mining Company 

Alaska Miners Association 

AMA Luncheon 

Sourdough Mining Company 

GSA 

Geological Society of America - Cordilleran Section Meeting  American Association of Professional Geologists – Annual Meeting 

UAA campus, Anchorage  Hilton Hotel, Anchorage 

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The Alaska Geological Society, Inc.  P.O. Box 101288  Anchorage AK   99510  On the web at:    h p://www.alaskageology.org  The Alaska Geological Society is an organiza on which seeks to promote interest in and understanding of Geology and the related Earth Sciences, and to  provide a common organiza on for those individuals interested in geology  and the related Earth Sciences.  This newsle er is the monthly (September-May) publica on of the Alaska  Geological Society, Inc. Number of newsle ers/month: ~300  EDITOR  Ken Helmold  Alaska Geological Society, Inc.  P. O. Box 101288  Anchorage, AK 99510  e-mail: [email protected]  (907) 269-8673 (office) 

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION  AGS annual memberships expire November 1. The annual membership fee is  $25/year ($5 for students). You may download a membership applica on  from the AGS website and return it at a luncheon mee ng, or mail it to the  address above.  Contact membership coordinator Ken Helmold with changes or updates   (e-mail: ken.helmold at alaska.gov; phone: 907-269-8673) 

PRA 3601 C Street, Suite 822 Anchorage, AK 99503

Volume 45 Number 2

All AGS publica ons are now available for on-line purchase on our website.  Check to see the complete catalogue:  h p://www.alaskageology.org/publica ons 

ADVERTISING RATES  Adver sements may be purchased at the following rates:  1/10 Page--$190/9mo, $75/1mo; size=1.8 x 3.5 inch  1/4 Page--$375/9mo, $95/1mo; size=4.5 x 3.5 or 2.2 x 7.5 inch  1/3 Page- $470/9mo, $105/1mo; size=7.0 x 3.5 or 3.0 x 7.5 inch  1/2 Page--$655/9mo, $125/1mo; size=9.0 x 3.5 or 4.5 x 7.5 inch  Full Page--$1000/9mo, $165/1mo; size=7.5 x 9.0 inch  1mo rate=(9mo rate/9)+$50 (rounded up).  Contact Keith Torrance (907) 677-9451 for adver sing informa on. 

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  2012 ‐ 2013 Alaska Geological Society Board  President Past-President President-Elect Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Director 13-2015 Director 13-2015 Director 13-2015 Director 14-2016 Director 14-2016 Director 14-2016

Keith Torrance Matt Frankforter Monte Mabry Steve Wright Al Hunter Eric Cannon Richard Lease Tom Morahan Jim Brown Chad Hults Karri Sicard Kirk Sherwood

Phone 677-9451 777-8376 564-4028 947-9010 344-6001 786-7169 230-1672 276-2675 332-0740 451-5040 334-5337

e-mail ktorrance at apcservicesllc.com mfrankforter at hilcorp.com monte.mabry at bp.com steve.wright at alaska.gov paleoman at mac.com eccannon at gmail.com rlease at usgs.gov tmorahan at petroak.com jbrown at alaskapacific.edu chadcph at gmail.com Karri.sicard at alaska.gov

Workplace APC Services LLC Hilcorp Alaska, LLC BP AK DOG Golder Associate Inc. USGS PRA Alaska Pacific University DGGS

Commi ees and Delegates  AAPG Delegate Advertising Com. Ed./Science Fair Field Trips Bylaws Memberships Newsletter Editor Publications Scholarship Website Fundraising

Marwan Wartes Keith Torrance Jana DaSilva Lage Chad Hults Sue Karl Ken Helmold Ken Helmold Peter Johnson Sue Karl Jan Hazen Sunny Foster

Phone 451-5056 677-9451 677-7883 332-0740 786-7428 269-8673 269-8673 334-5329 786-7428 269-7569

e-mail marwan.wartes at alaska.gov ktorrance at apcservicesllc.com jldasilva5 at hotmail.com chadcph at gmail.com skarl at usgs.gov ken.helmold at alaska.gov ken.helmold at alaska.gov

Workplace DGGS APC Services LLC AeroMetric USGS AK DOG AK DOG

skarl at usgs.gov jan at homestead-graphics.com sunny.foster at alaska.gov

USGS Consultant AK DEC

Alaska Geological Society, Inc. P. O. Box 101288 Anchorage, AK 99510

Volume 45 Number 2

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