An Overview of Alaska’s Industrial Minerals

By

T.K. Bundtzen (Pacific Rim Geological Consulting, Inc.)

In 1948, Alaska’s Territorial assayer Arthur Glover wrote “nonmetallic minerals can ill afford to be overlooked if there is to be an orderly development of Alaska—the very existence of new industry in the territory may well, depend on local development of minerals previously deemed valueless”. In many ways, the far-sighted statement above has come true while in many other ways, the prophesy remains unfulfilled. Most Alaskans understand the importance of the State’s energy and metallic mineral industries. Among the 50 US States, Alaska is currently the largest producer of zinc, the second largest producer of petroleum, the third largest producer of silver, and the sixth largest producer of gold. But Alaskans remains largely ignorant of the importance of Alaskan suppliers of building stone, sand and gravel, and limestone. Additionally chemical and structural grade limestone, gypsum, garnets, asbestos, barite, pumice, and clay have all been mined in the 49th State. Nationally significant reserves of barite, asbestos, zeolites, fluorite, and phosphate minerals were discovered and explored during the 1970s and 1980s. Industrial minerals extraction currently plays a key role in oil and gas development on the North Slope, and statewide transportation sectors. Export markets for aggregate, limestone, building stone and other commodities may figure importantly in Alaska’s “non-metallic” future. Asummary of industrial mineral resources judged to hold significant development potential follows.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90008©2002 AAPG Pacific Section/SPE Western Region Joint Conference of Geoscientists and Petroleum Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, May 18–23, 2002.