U-Pb Zircon ages from bedrock samples collected in the Tanacross D-1, and parts of the D-2, C-1, and C-2 quadrangles, Alaska
This Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) Preliminary Interpretive Report presents U-Pb ages of zircons from 14 sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous samples collected during 2017 and 2018 field investigations in the northeastern Tanacross Quadrangle, Alaska. The DGGS Northeast Tanacross project is a part of multi-year effort to investigate the geology and mineral-resource potential of the Yukon-Tanana Uplands region in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of the U-Pb isotopic study is to better understand the Devonian-to-Mississippian and Mesozoic-to-Early Paleogene episodes of magmatic and tectonic events within the Yukon-Tanana Uplands and the relationship of magmatism to the metallic mineral deposits. This area is characterized by the presence of two Late Devonian to Mississippian metamorphic assemblages-Lake George and Fortymile River (Dusel-Bacon and others, 2006; Foster, 1970). Both assemblages are composed of metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks that have been intruded by Devonian to Eocene intrusive rocks of varying composition and texture. Paleozoic intrusive rocks are deformed and metamorphosed and include prevalent Late Devonian-Early Mississippian augen orthogneiss, herein called the Divide Mountain suite, that was emplaced into and deformed together with the Lake George assemblage (Aleinikoff and others, 1986). The Fortymile River assemblage is primarily cross-cut by Mississippian to Permian intrusive rocks that are also pervasively deformed and metamorphosed. Following Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous regional metamorphism and deformation, all metamorphic rock packages were intruded by Mid- to Late-Cretaceous volcanic and plutonic rocks (Naibert and others, 2018), some of which have known or suspected potential for gold together with silver, zinc, copper, and lead mineralization. Products included in this data release are: A summary of sample-collection methods, the laboratory report, analytical data tables, and associated metadata. All components of this data release are available on the DGGS website http://doi.org/10.14509/30465 .