Cynthia Dusel-Bacon
Cynthia Dusel-Bacon is a Scientist Emerita in the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center in Menlo Park, California. Since 1975 she has worked to decipher the geology, geologic setting of syngenetic and epigenetic mineral deposits, and tectonic history of east-central Alaska.
Cynthia Dusel-Bacon joined the USGS Branch of Alaskan Geology, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, in 1975. In 1977, during her third field season of geologic mapping in east-central Alaska, she was mauled by a black bear and lost both arms as a result of her injuries. Her disability has not kept her from enjoying a long and productive career that includes fieldwork in Alaska, petrologic studies, and publication of results.
Research Focus
Dusel-Bacon’s studies have involved deciphering the geologic and tectonic history of east-central Alaska utilizing geologic mapping, metamorphic petrology, whole-rock geochemistry, trace-element tectonic fingerprinting of (meta)igneous rocks, and geochronology (U-Pb zircon,40Ar-39Ar, and apatite fission track data) generated by collaborating scientists. Her studies also have included correlation of regional events in east-central Alaska with those in the western Canadian Cordillera; the age, character, and tectonic setting of submarine, syngenetic, hydrothermal mineral deposits (both volcanic- and sedimentary-hosted); and compilation of a Metamorphic Facies Map of Alaska.
Education
- San Jose State University, BA, Geology, 1975
- San Jose State University, Secondary Teaching Credential (Spanish), 1969
- University of California Santa Barbara, BA, Spanish, 1968
Professional Experience
- 2014 – Scientist Emerita, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California
- 1980 – 2014 Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California
- 1975 – 1979 Physical Science Technician, Branch of Alaskan Geology, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California
Affiliations
- 1974 – Geological Society of America (Fellow since 2005, former Associate Editor GSA Bulletin)
- 1980 – Mineralogical Society of America
- 1980 – American Geophysical Union
- 1996 – Geological Association of Canada
- 1998 – Society of Economic Geologists
Honors
- US Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award, 2011
- Outstanding Handicapped Federal Employee (1 of 10) for 1981
Science and Products
A New Occurrence Model for National Assessment of Undiscovered Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits
Mesozoic magmatism and base-metal mineralization in the Fortymile mining district, eastern Alaska — Initial results of petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic studies in the Mount Veta area
Evidence for prolonged mid-Paleozoic plutonism and ages of crustal sources in east-central Alaska from SHRIMP U-Pb dating of syn-magmatic, inherited, and detrital zircon
Geologic Mapping and Mineral Resource Assessment of the Healy and Talkeetna Mountains Quadrangles, Alaska Using Minimal Cloud- and Snow-Cover ASTER Data
Tectonic setting and metallogenesis of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in the Bonnifield Mining District, Northern Alaska Range: Chapter B in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, United States, and Yukon, Ca
Mapping known and potential mineral occurrences and host rocks in the Bonnifield Mining District using minimal cloud- and snow-cover ASTER data: Chapter E in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, United States, and
Environmental geochemical study of Red Mountain--an undisturbed volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in the Bonnifield District, Alaska range, east-central Alaska: Chapter I in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska,
Environmental geochemistry at Red Mountain, an unmined volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit in the Bonnifield district, Alaska Range, east-central Alaska
Paleozoic magmatism and crustal recycling along the ancient Pacific margin of North America, northern Cordillera
Paleozoic tectonic and metallogenetic evolution of pericratonic terranes in Yukon, northern British Columbia and eastern Alaska
Paleozoic tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the pericratonic rocks of east-central Alaska and adjacent Yukon Territory
Lead isotopic constraints on the metallogeny of middle and late Paleozoic syngenetic base metal occurrences in the Yukon-Tanana and Slide Mountain/Seventymile Terranes and adjacent portions of the North American miogeocline
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 50
A New Occurrence Model for National Assessment of Undiscovered Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits
Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits are very significant current and historical resources of Cu-Pb-Zn-Au-Ag, are active exploration targets in several areas of the United States and potentially have significant environmental effects. This new USGS VMS deposit model provides a comprehensive review of deposit occurrence and ore genesis, and fully integrates recent advances in the understandiAuthorsW.C. Pat Shanks, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Randolph Koski, Lisa A. Morgan, Dan Mosier, Nadine M. Piatak, Ian Ridley, Robert R. Seal, Klaus J. Schulz, John F. Slack, Roland ThurstonMesozoic magmatism and base-metal mineralization in the Fortymile mining district, eastern Alaska — Initial results of petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic studies in the Mount Veta area
We present here the initial results of a petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic study of Mesozoic intrusive rocks and spatially associated Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu-Au prospects in the Fortymile mining district in the southern Eagle quadrangle, Alaska. Analyzed samples include mineralized and unmineralized drill core from 2006 and 2007 exploration by Full Metal Minerals, USA, Inc., at the Little Whiteman (LWM)AuthorsCynthia Dusel-Bacon, John F. Slack, John N. Aleinikoff, James K. MortensenEvidence for prolonged mid-Paleozoic plutonism and ages of crustal sources in east-central Alaska from SHRIMP U-Pb dating of syn-magmatic, inherited, and detrital zircon
Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb analyses of igneous zircons from the Lake George assemblage in the eastern Yukon–Tanana Upland (Tanacross quadrangle) indicate both Late Devonian (∼370 Ma) and Early Mississippian (∼350 Ma) magmatic pulses. The zircons occur in four textural variants of granitic orthogneiss from a large area of muscovite–biotite augen gneiss. Granitic orthogneAuthorsCynthia Dusel-Bacon, I.S. WilliamsGeologic Mapping and Mineral Resource Assessment of the Healy and Talkeetna Mountains Quadrangles, Alaska Using Minimal Cloud- and Snow-Cover ASTER Data
On July 8, 2003, ASTER acquired satellite imagery of a 60 km-wide swath of parts of two 1:250,000 Alaska quadrangles, under favorable conditions of minimal cloud- and snow-cover. Rocks from eight different lithotectonic terranes are exposed within the swath of data, several of which define permissive tracts for various mineral deposit types such as: volcanic-hosted massive sulfides (VMS) and porphAuthorsBernard E. Hubbard, Lawrence C. Rowan, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Robert G. EppingerTectonic setting and metallogenesis of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in the Bonnifield Mining District, Northern Alaska Range: Chapter B in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, United States, and Yukon, Ca
This paper summarizes the results of field and laboratory investigations, including whole-rock geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes, of outcrop and drill core samples from volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits and associated metaigneous rocks in the Wood River area of the Bonnifield mining district, northern Alaska Range (see fig. 1 of Editors’ Preface and Overview). U-Pb zircon igneousAuthorsCynthia Dusel-Bacon, John N. Aleinikoff, Wayne R. Premo, Suzanne Paradis, Ilana Lohr-SchmidtMapping known and potential mineral occurrences and host rocks in the Bonnifield Mining District using minimal cloud- and snow-cover ASTER data: Chapter E in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, United States, and
On July 8, 2003, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensor acquired satellite imagery of a 60-kilometer-wide swath covering a portion of the Bonnifield mining district within the southernmost part of the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska, under unusually favorable conditions of minimal cloud and snow cover. Although rocks from more than eight different liAuthorsBernard E. Hubbard, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Lawrence C. Rowan, Robert G. EppingerEnvironmental geochemical study of Red Mountain--an undisturbed volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in the Bonnifield District, Alaska range, east-central Alaska: Chapter I in Recent U.S. Geological Survey studies in the Tintina Gold Province, Alaska,
The Red Mountain volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit exhibits well-constrained examples of acid-generating, metal-leaching, metal-precipitation, and self-mitigation (via co-precipitation, dilution, and neutralization) processes that occur in an undisturbed natural setting, a rare occurrence in North America. The unmined pyrite-rich deposit displays a remarkable environmental footprintAuthorsRobert G. Eppinger, Paul H. Briggs, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Stuart A. Giles, Larry P. Gough, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Bernard E. HubbardEnvironmental geochemistry at Red Mountain, an unmined volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit in the Bonnifield district, Alaska Range, east-central Alaska
The unmined, pyrite-rich Red Mountain (Dry Creek) deposit displays a remarkable environmental footprint of natural acid generation, high metal and exceedingly high rare earth element (REE) concentrations in surface waters. The volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit exhibits well-constrained examples of acid-generating, metal-leaching, metal-precipitation and self-mitigation (via co-precipitation, dAuthorsRobert G. Eppinger, Paul H. Briggs, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Stuart A. Giles, Larry P. Gough, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Bernard E. HubbardPaleozoic magmatism and crustal recycling along the ancient Pacific margin of North America, northern Cordillera
No abstract available.AuthorsStephen Piercey, JoAnne L. Nelson, Maurice Colpron, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Renée-Luce Simard, Charlie RootsPaleozoic tectonic and metallogenetic evolution of pericratonic terranes in Yukon, northern British Columbia and eastern Alaska
No abstract available.AuthorsJoAnne L. Nelson, Maurice Colpron, Stephen Piercey, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Donald Murphy, Charlie RootsPaleozoic tectonic and metallogenic evolution of the pericratonic rocks of east-central Alaska and adjacent Yukon Territory
No abstract available.AuthorsJoAnne L. Nelson, Maurice Colpron, Stephen Piercey, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Donald Murphy, Charlie RootsLead isotopic constraints on the metallogeny of middle and late Paleozoic syngenetic base metal occurrences in the Yukon-Tanana and Slide Mountain/Seventymile Terranes and adjacent portions of the North American miogeocline
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.K. Mortensen, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, J. Hunt, J. Gabites