Please do not destroy or throw away this publication. If you have no further use 

for it write to the Geological Survey at Washington and ask for a frank to return it

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall, Director '

Bulletin 857 B

PAST PLACER-GOLD PRODUCTION 

FROM ALASKA

BY

PHILIP S. SMITH

Mineral resources of Alaska, 1932 

(Pages 93-98)

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1933

For.sale by tbelSuperintendent of Documents, Washington, D. 0. ......... Price 6 cents

PAST PLACER-GOLD PRODUCTION FROM ALASKA

By PHILIP S. SMITH * A

To the end of 1930 Alaska, according to the records of the Geological 

Survey, had produced placer gold to the value of $258,962,000 from 

mines widely scattered throughout its length and breadth. The distribution of the placers from which the gold was recovered has been 

stated in more or less detail in the annual summaries published by the 

Geological Survey on the mineral industry of Alaska and also in its 

more complete reports on many of the individual mining districts. 

Although these summaries and reports have furnished information 

regarding the larger regions, they have not always given specific 

details regarding the smaller districts. Furthermore, there has been 

no recent attempt to assemble and publish in one place the scattered 

statistics regarding the placer-gold production by years and by regions 

and districts. The purpose of the present report is to set forth in 

condensed but comprehensive form a summary of the placer-gold 

production of Alaska so far as it can be determined from the available 

official records.

At the outset it should be realized that the records on which the 

accompanying tabulations are based are not all complete or detailed 

enoilgh to be used for as minute analysis as is desired -for the present 

purpose. This is especially true of the older records, for in some of 

them the subdivisions used do not correspond with those now adopted 

and the data are not such as to permit their recalculation to fit the 

present need. For instance, it is almost certain that some small 

amounts of gold were recovered by prospectors from nearly every district in the year preceding the first recorded production for that district as given in the following tables. These amounts, however, were 

small and so far as known have been attributed to one or another of 

the older nearby districts, so that they appear in the regional totals 

and affect the district totals only to a minor extent.

Even in the more recent records there are uncertainties that cannot 

be entirely eliminated. One of the most serious causes of uncertainty 

is due to the methods employed even currently in collecting this 

information regarding the placer production for each year. The 

uncertainties due to this cause have been described as follows: 1

The methods used in collecting and interpreting the information that forms 

the basis of this report indicate that it is more difficult to obtain accurate facts 

regarding the production of placer gold than regarding any of the other items.

"i Smith, P. S., Mineral industry of Alaska in 1930: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 836, pp. 25-26, 1931. 

13049 33 93
94 MINERAL RESOURCES OF ALASKA, 1932

This is due to the great number of small producers, who are widely scattered 

and many of whom are in the most remote parts of the Territory. The gold 

they produce frequently passes through many hands before it finally reaches a 

mint or assay office, so that a single lot is difficult to trace. It may appear in 

the reports of the individual and then lose its identity by being lumped with 

other gold by the storekeeper who took it in exchange for supplies, and still further 

consolidated by the bank, perhaps in some distant district, to which it was sent 

by the merchant, and its course perhaps still further obscured by being shipped 

to another bank before being turned in to the mint. Every reasonable effort 

has been made to check the information from different sources and to adjust discrepancies so far as possible. As a result it is believed that the figures given for 

the total placer production and its distribution by years among the larger regions 

are in accord with the actual facts. The distribution of this total among the 

different districts, however, is open to much more serious errors, as gold produced 

in one district, unless reported to the Geological Survey by the original producer, 

may be credited to some other district through which it passed in the course of 

trade.

Another cause of uncertainty that affects current records and 

becomes even more troublesome in interpreting the older ones arises 

through the necessity of combining the records of certain districts so 

as to avoid disclosing information given to the Geological Survey in 

confidence, because publishing the separate records would afford 

insight into an individual's production of placer gold. This difficulty is believed to have been largely avoided in the present report', 

because the records here given have not been brought up beyond 

1930 and because the grouping adopted prevents recognition of the 

production of individuals.

In the interest of arithmetical accuracy the statistics as tabulated 

have been followed precisely in arriving at the totals stated. This 

has led to an appearance of greater accuracy than is warranted by the 

quality of the data used. For instance, the total production from the 

Nome district is stated as $67,707,200, though as is evident from the 

detailed table, an estimated figure that may be in error as much as 

$100,000 makes up part of that total. Furthermore, most of the 

annual figures for that camp are stated only to the nearest whole 

number of thousands, and as the table embraces the record for 34 

years its total as given may be some tens of thousands of dollars different from the total that would have been obtained if the annual 

figures had been determined to the last integer. However, had the 

figures in the table been rounded off or recomputed to conform with 

the mathematical process of indicating significant figures, they would 

not have coincided with the available district or regional records nor 

with the records that have been published for Alaska's annual placergold production.

The most reliable group of figures in the following tabulation are 

the totals for each of the calendar years. This comes about through 

the_factTthat practically all Alaskan gold entering the channels of
PAST PLACER-GOLD PRODUCTION 95

"trade passes at different times through various depositories such as 

banks, smelters, mints, or assay offices, to reach which it undergoes 

transportation by mail or express or passes through customs. There 

;are therefore many diverse modes of checking the gross output of gold 

from Alaska °in addition to the direct inquiry that is sent by the

 Geological Survey to each known mine or operator who may have 

produced some gold.

Next in degree of accuracy are the records regarding the annual 

production of each of the major Alaska regions. Here too the facilities for checking the reports from one source against those from other

 sources permit determining the facts with considerable reliability. 

'The sum of the outputs from all the major regions has been verified 

and made to equal exactly the total production of Alaska for the year

 or the period stated.

When, however, this regional production is broken down for distribution among the different districts that constitute the region, 

serious difficulties of reconciling the various available records arise. 

For instance, in the Kuskokwim region in 1914, 1915, and 1916 all 

the placer-gold production is recorded as having come from the 

McKinley district, though it is known from other sources that some

 gold was also produced during these years in the Goodnews Bay district. At this late date it is obviously impossible to determine positively the reason for the omission of the record of the Goodnews Bay

 district in those years. It is possible that the gold from Goodnews 

Bay was incorrectly credited to some region other than the Kuskokwim, but the simplest and most likely explanation is that in the old 

records the district was not separately listed from the McKinley district and therefore its gold production is included with the gold from 

that district. In order that possibilities of this sort may be reflected 

in the tables, appropriate symbols have been interjected to show that 

the amount in one column is believed to be too low or in another too 

high. In this way the writer has avoided altering the statements 

afforded by the official records. Such a device, however, does not 

meet the need of supplying some sort of quantitative value for the 

omitted or duplicated records, if a total for the district is to be struck. 

'Therefore with full realization of the probability of introducing 

errors of considerable magnitude, the writer has stated as a single 

gross figure his estimate of the amounts that should be added to or

 subtracted from the figures given in the column to correct these 

deficiencies. This procedure has been adopted because it was believed to be subject to less inaccuracy than that of inserting separate 

estimates in the various columns for each of the missing years. In 

other words, it was believed that whereas an estimated total for a 

period of several years might be out perhaps 10 percent, an estimate 

for each of the individual years comprising that period might well be

 out as much as 100 percent.
96 MINERAL RESOURCES OF ALASKA, 1932

Arranged in the order of the magnitude of their total placer-gold 

production up to the end of 1930 the larger Alaskan regions ranked 

as follows:

Yukon _---__.____________.--_.-_.-._.-_____ $147, 353, 900

Seward Peninsula.----------------.-:.---------- 94,°191, 000

Coppef River..________________________________

Cook Inlet____________________________________

Kuskokwim. _ _-__________-_-._-_____-_-______.

Southeastern Alaska.._______-_---_-__-________.

Northern Alaska,__^____.______________________

.___.__..__..__.._...__ 5,361,700

______-_---_--_____.-__ 5,052,820

..___...._.__._-_.._... 3,840,400

_______________________ 2,788,980

----------------------- 373,200

258, 962, 000

Arranged in the order of the magnitude of their total placer-gold 

production up to the end of 1930 the Alaskan districts ranked in the 

following order:

District

Circle - -.--

Ruby.... 

Tuluksak-Aniak.. ___________

Eagle..'. ..........................

Willow Creek................ _ .......

Gold Hill...... ........................

Region

 do... 

..... do.. . .......... ......... 

 -do.-. 

 do-- . 

-....do. _ -. ____ .. __ , ___ . .............

 do . - 

... -do.-. ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ....... ..... .

 ..do-...-- ............. .......... .....

Yukon ____ . _________________ .. ...

Value

$79, 630, 600

67, 707, 200

20, 321, 400'

11, 809, 600

7, 132, 300

6, 814, 000

6,165,900

5, 727, 100

5, 233, 600

5, 196, 900

4, 971, 500

4, 486, 600

2, 702, 400'

2, 696, 800

2, 606, 600

2, 443, 500

2, 223, 200-

1, 990, 200

1,422,900

1, 368, 880-

1, 329, 900

1, 247, 300

MOO, 300

970, 500'

786, 200

680,000

593, 300

475, 700

475, 100

434, 500

373, 200

356, 400

319, 800

243,200

214, 800

129, 500

97, 320'

58, 300

46, 100'

24,100

258, 962, 000'

In the accompanying table are set forth the complete statistics of 

the production of the various districts so far as they can now be 

determined from the official records. In addition to the specific facts 

regarding the value of the placer-gold production of each area for 

each year, as well as the total value by years, districts, and regions, 

the table serves as a more or less graphic representation of the history 

of the development of the placer industry throughout the Territory. 

Thus at a glance may be visualized the relative time when each of the-
Placer gold produced in Alaska, 1880-1930

Year

1880.............. 

1881. ... . 

1882........... 

1883 .__.____ . . 

1884....... . 

1885... ...... . 

1886........... ... 

1887 .. . 

1888... ...... .

1889... ........ . . . 

1890. ........I. . 

1891....... 

1892........... ... 

1893..... . 

1894 . . 

1395 ........ . 

1896... . 

1897.... . 

1898... ........ 

1899..... . 

1900.... 

1901......... . . 

1902 .... 

1903....... . 

1904........... . 

1905 _ .. 

1906....... .

1907....:.... . . 

1908... . 

1909....... . 

1910 _ ...... .

1912.. 

J9!3 

1914............. .

1916......... 

1917........... . .

1918....... ........ 

1919....... 

1920......... . . 

1921............. . 

1922 ___ . 

1923....... . 

1924............ _ 

1925..... ........... .

1926... ............. . 

1927. ....... . 

1928. 

1929....... ......... . 

1930. ........ __ . 

Estimated additions 

for omissions (a) _ .. 

Estimated deductions 

for excesses (b)_. __

Juneau

$6,000 

15,000 

20,000 

50,000 

50,000 

100,000 

120,000 

100,000 

100,000

100,000 

100,000 

117,000 

127, 500 

44,000 

32,000 

11,000 

b 40, 000 

b 15, 000 

b 19, 000 

b 21, 000 

b 13, 000 

9,000 

10,000 

20,000 

a 

a 

19, 680 

6,000 

b 15,000 

b 50, 000 

3,000 

10,000 

10,000 

5.000 

5,000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

1,000 

600 

500 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

5,000 

600 

200 

300

50,500 

53,000

3,368,880

Southeastern Alaska

Porcupine

~"~~$l,~666~ 

9,000 

50,000 

b 130,000 

b 140, 000 

b 150,000 

b 89, 000 

b 140, 000 

25, 000 

2,000 

a 

a 

77,000 

45,000 

40.000 

42,000 

35,000 

b 55, 000 

b 80, 000 

b 35, 000 

b9,000 

10,000 

400

a 

a 

a 

a

a 

10,000 

6,100 

4,800 

3,000

26,000 

94,000

1, 100, 300

Yakataga

$3,000 

2,500 

6,000 

18,000 

39.000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

10,000 

a 

a 

15,000 

20,000 

10,000 

10,000 

20,000 

10,000 

3,000 

8,000 

10,000 

a 

2,000 

1,000 

14,000 

3,000 

1,500 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

5,000 

3,100 

5,000 

3,700

97,000

319, 800

Total

$6,000 

15,000 

20,000 

50,000 

50,000 

100,000 

120,000 

100,000 

100,000

100,000 

100,000 

120,000 

130,000 

50,000 

50,000 

50,000 

40,000 

15,000 

20,000 

30,000 

63,000 

119,000 

150,000 

170, 000 

99,000 

140,000 

44,680 

23,000 

35,000 

60,000 

90,000 

75,000 

60,000 

50,000 

48,000 

65,000 

80,000 

37,000 

10,000 

25,000 

4,000 

2,000 

3,000 

3,500 

7,000 

5,000 

8,000 

20,000 

9,800 

10,000 

7,000

2, 788, 980

Copper River region

Nizina

$32. 000 

50,000 

150,000 

75,000 

65,000 

60,000 

70,000 

30,000 

50, 000 

55,000 

78,000 

100,000 

115,000 

140,000 

140,000 

120,000 

135,000 

120,000 

120,000 

140,000 

90,000 

102,000 

106,600 

109,200 

72,000 

67,500 

76,300 

66,000 

72,000

2, 606, 600

Chistocbina

$25, 000

515.000 

225,000 

225,000 

250,000 

290,000 

150,000 

40,000 

80,000 

50,000 

60,000 

75, 000 

80,000 

80,000 

55.000 

60,000 

150,000 

300,000 

100,000 

60,000 

75,000 

78,000 

74,000 

40,500 

20,900 

32,000 

25,000 

16,500 

27,900 

14,000 

23,000

2, 696, 800

Nelchina

$10,000 

2,000 

4,000 

5,000 

5,000 

2,000 

l.COO 

1,500 

2,500 

3,000 

5,000 

5,000 

5,800 

3,000 

3,500

58,300

Total

115,000 

257,000 

275,000 

400,000 

365,000 

215,000 

100,000 

150,000 

80,000 

110,000 

130,000 

158, 000 

180,000 

170,000 

200,000 

300,000 

222,000 

239,000 

185,000 

200,000 

220,000 

165,000 

144,000 

130,000 

144,200 

102,000 

89,000 

110,000 

83,000 

98,500

5, 361, 700

Cook Inlet-Susitna region

Eenai 

Peninsula

$50,000 

120,000 

175,000 

150,000 

150,000 

135,000

66,000 

120,000 

100,000 

100,000 

100,000 

57,000 

25,000 

25,000 

30,000 

40,000 

25,000 

25,000 

25,000 

45,000 

70,000 

70,000 

30,000 

8,000 

13,000 

10,000 

25,000 

39,900 

38,000 

27,900 

14,900 

23,000 

12,000 

16,900 

15,000 

13,600

1,990,200

Willow 

Creek

$25,000 

5,000

2,000 

1,000 

4,000 

6,000

2,000

100

500 

500

46,100

YentnaCache

$35,000

30,000 

150,000 

100,000 

100,000 

150,000 

63,000 

52,000 

45,000 

50,000 

45, (100 

60,000 

140,000 

150, 000 

95,000 

35,000 

120, 000 

223,000 

189, 000 

137, 900 

196,000 

96,500 

46,000 

41,600 

58,000 

35,500

2, 443, 500

Valdez 

Creek

$100, 000 

50.000 

30,000 

30,000 

8,000 

6,000 

4,000 

25,000 

23,000 

30,000 

2,000 

2,000 

10,000 

20,000 

30,000 

20,000 

3,000 

3,500 

6,000 

7,500 

14,300 

25,000 

26,400

475, 700

Southwestern 

Alaska

$5,000

10, 320 

10,000 

10,000 

5,000 

5,000 

5,000 

8,000 

2,000 

4,000 

5,000 

5,000 

7,000 

3,000 

5,000 

6,000 

2,000

97, 320

Total

$50,000 

120,000 

175,000 

150,000 

150,000 

135,000 

66,000 

120,000 

100,000 

105, 000 

135,000 

97, 320 

185, 000 

260,000 

190.000 

225,000 

125,000 

94,000 

82,000 

109,000 

145,000 

160,000 

207.000 

163,000 

115,000 

61,000 

167,000 

293, 000 

247, 000 

168,800 

214,400 

126,000

en. ooo

72,800 

98,000 

75, 500

5, 052, 820

Yukon region

Fortymile

1,000 

1,000 

25,000

30,000

40,000 

50,000 

100,000 

110,000 

200,000 

390,000 

559,000 

100,000 

a 

a 

250,000 

293,000 

176, 500 

400,000 

196, 100 

207,000 

255,000 

260,000 

140,000 

150,000 

200,000 

150,000 

200,000 

200,000 

125,000 

50,000 

50,000 

50,000 

80,000 

75,000 

41,000 

40,000 

50,000 

50,000 

53,000 

31,800 

39,800 

60,000 

37,000 

79,100 

68,000 

37,600

400,000

6, 165, 900

Eagle

15,000 

10,000 

25,000 

15,000 

12,000 

20,000 

20,000 

50,000 

40,000 

30,000 

13,000 

25,000 

20.000 

15,000 

16,000 

24,000 

23,000 

49,800 

35,000 

28,000 

19,000 

16,500 

16,000 

16,000

593, 300

Circle

10,000 

150,000 

700,000 

b 460, 000 

b 400, 000 

250,000 

9^n nnn

200,000 

200,000 

200,000 

200,000 

200,000 

300,000 

200,000 

175,000 

225, 000 

225,000 

350,000 

325,000 

175,000 

215,000 

230,000 

300,000 

200,000 

175,000 

135,000 

55,000 

60,000 

121,000 

114,000 

90,200 

149,600 

162.000 

72,000 

80,500 

109,000 

69,000

400,000

7,132,300

Rampart

90,000 

80,000 

275,000 

325, 000 

75,000 

100,000 

50,000 

32,000 

43,000 

25,000 

30,000 

35,000 

40,000 

33,000 

24,000 

30,000 

20,000 

20,000 

18,000 

16,000 

16,000 

8,000 

12,000 

10,000 

7,500 

4,900 

3,500

1, 422, 900

Hot 

Springs

262, 900 

145,000 

120,000 

180,000 

175,000 

125,000 

325,000 

300,000 

785,000 

400,000 

400,000 

750,000 

610,000 

800,000 

450,000 

150,000 

100,000 

50,000 

35,000 

55,000 

62,000 

83,400 

73,200 

65,000 

75,000 

77,000 

82,000 

78,500

6, 814, 000

Tolovana

80,000 

700,000 

1, 150, 000 

875,000 

525,000 

200,000 

285,000 

221,000 

164,000 

189,500 

194, 100 

148,000 

151,000 

151,000 

118,000 

82,000

5, 233, 600

Fairbanks

40,000 

400,000 

6,000,000

9, 320, 000 

7, 845, 000 

9, 180, 000 

9, 650, 000 

6, 224, 300 

4, 544, 000 

4,176,000 

3, 32$, 000 

2, 514, 000 

2, 465, 000 

1,800,000 

1,310,000 

800,000 

730,000 

580,000 

570,000 

693,000 

603,000 

b 680, 400 

b 520, 800 

462,000 

347.000 

940,100 

1,138,000 

2, 782, 000

12,000

79, 630, 600

Richardson

100,000 

325,000 

250,000 

150,000 

30,000 

41,000 

21,000 

55,000 

100,000 

70,000 

80,000 

25,000 

6,000 

10,000 

7,000 

3,000 

2,000 

16,000 

a 

n 

6,000 

3,000 

7,400 

7,000 

3,500

12,000

1, 329, 900

Chisana

50,000 

250, 000 

160,000 

40,000 

40,000 

15,000 

27,000 

20,000 

23,000 

29,000 

23.000 

23,400 

24,000 

18,000 

15,000 

16,000 

7,000 

5,800

786,200

Bonnifleld

30,666

35,000 

15,000 

20,000 

65,000 

10,000 

25,000 

25,000 

20,000 

20,000 

20,000 

21,000 

12,000 

12,000 

10,000 

5,000 

16,000 

10,000 

13,000 

12,500 

10,000 

5,000 

5,000 

7,400 

5,000 

5,600

434,500

Kantishna

50,000

75,000 

5,000 

10,000 

10,000 

10,000 

15,000 

24,000 

15,000 

20,000 

20,000 

20,000 

15,000 

30,000 

15,000 

25,000 

12,000 

32,000 

13,000 

18,800 

11,900 

9,000 

7,000 

4,400 

5,000 

3,000

475, 100

Chandalar

28,000 

25,000 

5,000 

3,500 

1,000 

1,000 

2,000 

6,000 

5,000 

9,000 

15,000 

13,000 

10,000 

18,000 

30,000 

83,000 

42,000 

17,900 

8,000 

5,000 

8,000 

8,700 

6,000 

6,300

356,400

Koyukuk

173,500 

200,000 

301,000 

200,000 

165,000

165,000 

100,000 

220,000 

420,000 

160,000 

130,000 

215, 500 

368,000 

260,000 

290,060 

310,000 

250,000 

150,000 

110,000 

90,000 

78,000 

132,000 

37,000 

54,000 

49,800 

68,000 

78,000 

46,200 

32,000 

11,500

4, 971, 500

Indian 

RiverHughes

10,000 

24,500 

32,000 

25,000 

15,000 

10,000 

5,000 

3,000 

4.000 

1,000

129,500

Gold 

Hill

5,000 

5,000

9 fW)

5,000

1,000 

3,000 

1,000 

2,000

100

24,100

Ruby

170,000 

785, 000 

1,000,000 

700,000 

850,000 

885,000 

400,000 

165,000 

170,000 

170,000 

123,000 

72,000 

84,600 

39.900 

36,000 

52,000 

2,800 

36,000 

38,500

5,798,800

Innoko

10,000 

70,000 

400,700 

325, 000 

300,000 

300,000 

280,000 

200,000 

190,000 

220,000 

175,000 

120,000 

150,000 

103,000 

110,000 

224,000 

153,000 

161,200 

167,500 

242,000 

244,000 

113,200 

142,000 

86,000

4, 486, 600

Iditarod

500,666

2, 600, 000 

2, 700, 000 

2, 100, 000 

2, 060, 000 

2, 050, 000 

1,950,000 

1, 500, 000 

1, 240, 000 

72.5, 000 

505,000 

350,000 

280,000 

228,000 

207.100 

223,100 

196.000 

150,000 

296,200 

277,000 

184,000

20,321,400

Marshall

9Q OQO

20.000 

320,000 

425,000 

150,000 

100,000 

90,000 

30,000 

22,000 

12,000 

19,900 

9,900 

7,000 

9,000 

3,500 

5,000 

4,000

1, 247, 300

Total

1,000 

1,000 

25,000 

30,000 

30,000

ou, uuu 

40,000 

50,000 

100,000 

110,000 

200,000 

400,000 

709,000 

800,000 

460,000 

400,000 

500,000 

ft en nnn

550,000 

800,000 

1,000,000 

1, 242, 000 

6,900,000

10,750,000 

9, 183, 000 

10,315,000 

11,580,700

9, 050, 000 

8, 645, 000 

7, 780, 000 

7, 570, 000 

7, 0.50, 000 

7, 550, 000 

6, 583, 000 

4, 264, 000 

2, 910, 000 

1, 995, 000 

1, 860. 000 

2,119,000 

1,644,000 

1, 740, 500 

1, 564, 600 

1, 529, 000 

1, 282, 000 

1, 876, 500 

2, 058, 000 

3, 416, 800

147,353,900

Kuskokwim region

McKinley

3,000 

40,000

OK ftftft

15,000

50,000 

b 100,000 

b 100, 000 

b 80, 000 

50,000 

57,000 

290,000 

215,000 

471,000 

457,000 

245,000 

238,900 

b 171, 500 

b 37, 000 

48,000 

9,000 

45,000 

15,000

60,000

2,702,400

Georgetown

40,000 

5,000 

20,000 

10,000 

20,000 

48,000 

24,000 

a 

a 

a 

8,000 

5,000 

3,000 

11,800

20,000

214,800

TuluksakAniak

::::"::::::.

8.000 

17,000 

65, 000 

16,000 

22.000 

13,000 

15,900 

10,000 

80,000 

90,000 

198,600 

113,000 

16,500

680,000

Goodnews 

Bay

10,000 

8,000 

3,000 

a 

a 

a 

30,000 

30,000 

23,000 

15,000 

13,000 

15,000 

10,000 

13, 900 

9,900 

7,000 

5,000 

4,900 

4,000 

1,500

40,000

243,200

Total

3,000 

40,000 

25,000 

25,000 

8,000 

53,000 

100,000 

100,000 

80,000 

135,000 

100,000 

350,000 

305,000 

520,000 

542,000 

292,000 

268, 700 

191,400 

124,000 

151,000 

217,500 

165,000 

44,800

3, 840, 400

Seward Peninsula

Nome

15,000 

75,000 

2, 800, 000 

3 433 500

3, 320, 000 

3,150,000 

2,900,000 

2, 864, 000 

3,400,000 

6, 100, 000 

5, 550, 000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

1, 500, 000 

1, 542, 000 

a 

447,000 

698,000 

540,000 

585,000 

485, 000 

598,000 

848,500 

740,200 

1,390,000 

953,000 

750,000 

1,442,000 

981.000

20,600,000

67, 707, 200

Solomon 

and Bluff

coe nnn

120,000 

210,000 

290,000 

200,000 

200,000 

200,000 

200,000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

255,000 

343,500 

a 

49,000 

124,000 

50,000 

120,000 

111,000 

89,000 

69,000 

85,900 

107,000 

113,000 

69,500 

25,000 

41,000

1, 300, 000

5, 196, 900

Council

165, 000

600,000 

1, 000, 000 

1,000,000 

900,000 

500,000 

500,000 

500,000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a

680,000 

670,500 

a 

307,000 

225,500 

360,000 

420,000 

375,000 

360,000 

148,600 

46,700 

80,000 

87,000 

77,800 

60,000 

46,500

2, 700, 000

11,809,600

Koyuk

136,000 

89,000 

160,000 

152,000 

109,000 

59,000 

51,700 

44,900 

30,000 

24,000 

17,900 

25,000 

21,000

51,000

970, 500

Fairhaven

9nn nnn

50,000 

150,000 

200,000 

125,000 

300,000 

500,000 

600,000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

250,000 

191,500 

a 

113.000 

81,000 

120,000 

120,000 

150,000 

107,000 

82,600 

111,500 

203,000 

143,000 

123,000 

126,000 

80,500

1,500,000

5, 727, 100

Kougarok

en nnn

40,000 

50,000 

75.000 

75, 000 

400,000 

100,000 

100.000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a

140,000 

111,000 

a 

50,000 

39,500 

55,000 

45,000 

32,000 

50,000 

31,600 

47,300 

55,000 

28,000 

13,100 

16,000 

19,700

600,000

2, 223, 200

Port 

Clarence

76,500

"i66,~666~

50,000 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

75,000 

91,500 

a 

7,000 

3,000 

15,000 

8,000 

3,000 

7,000 

13,000 

12,000 

8,000 

17,000 

5,000 

4.000 

1,500

60,000

556, 500

Total

15,000 

75,000 

2, 800, 000

4, 130, 000 

4, 560, 000 

4, 465, 000 

4, 164, 000 

4,800,000 

7,500,000 

7,000,000 

5, 120, 000 

4,290,000 

3, 500, 000 

3, 100, 000 

3,000,000 

2, 500, 000 

2, 700, 000 

2, 900, 000 

2, 950, 000 

2, 601, 000 

1, 109, 000 

1, 360, 000 

1, 300, 000 

1, 450, 000 

1, 265, 000 

1,270,000 

1, 245, 000 

1, 088, 500 

1.873,000 

1, 365, 000 

1, 056, 300 

1,698,000 

1,191,200

94. 191, 000

Northwestern 

Alaska

. ...-.

15,000

5,000 

12,000 

30,000 

35,000 

25,000 

35,000 

33,000 

20.000 

20;000 

25,000 

15,000 

25,000 

8,000 

7,000 

8,000 

8,000 

4,000 

14,900 

7,000 

9,000 

4,100 

5,000 

3,200

373,200

Grand total

6,000 

15,000 

20,000 

51,000 

51,000 

125,000 

150,000 

130,000 

135,000 

140,000 

150,000 

220,000 

240,000 

250,000 

450,000 

809,000 

960,000 

665,000 

645,000 

3, 480, 000 

5, 623, 000 

4, 980, 000 

5, 887, 000 

6, 010, 000 

6, 025, 000 

12, 340, 000 

18, 607, 000 

16, 491. 000 

15, 888. 000 

16, 252, 700 

11,984,800 

12, 540, 000 

11, 990, 000 

10, 680, 000 

10, 730, 000 

10, 480, 000 

11, 140, 000 

9, 810, 000 

5, 900, 000 

4, 970, 000 

3, 873, 000 

4, 226, 000 

4, 395, 000 

3, 60S, 500 

3, 564, 000 

3, 223, 000 

3, 769, 000 

2, 982, 000 

3, 347, 000 

4, 117, 000 

4, 837, 000

258, 962, 000

Year

1880. 

18S1. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

1886. 

1887. 

1888. 

1889. 

1890. 

1891. 

1892. 

1893. 

1894. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1898. 

1899. 

1900. 

1901. 

1902. 

1903. 

1904. 

1905. 

1906. 

1907. 

1908. 

1909. 

1910. 

1911. 

1912. 

1913. 

1914. 

1915. 

1916. 

1917. 

1918. 

1919. 

1920. 

1921. 

1922. 

1923. 

1924. 

1925. 

1926. 

1927. 

1928. 

1929. 

1930. 

Estimated additions 

for omissions (a). 

Estimated d e d u c - 

tions for excesses (b) .

13049 33. (Face p. 96.)
PAST PLACER-GOLD PRODUCTION 97

different districts began to furnish some significant amounts of gpld 

and the continuity of production since that time. In fact, the complete span of productive life of some of the camps may be recognized 

by the shortness of the column of figures. The record of the Indian 

River district of the Yukon region is a good example of this condition, for the camp first became notably productive in 1911 and had 

ceased to yield any significant amounts of placer gold by 1921. The 

reader should be cautioned, however, against interpreting a marked 

falling off in the production of a district as indicating that the life of 

the district is drawing to a close. The history of all placer camps 

shows that the years immediately following the discovery of the 

camp mark a time of high production, which comes mainly from rich 

deposits that are easily and cheaply mined. As these deposits are 

relatively soon exhausted, the boom days are succeeded before long 

by a decline in the production that marks a period before the introduction of extensive mechanical devices for the mining of the lowergrade deposits and, in some camps, a period when owing to the 

remoteness of the camp costs are high. Some camps never pass to 

the stage of being developed by extensive equipment, and consequently their decline is unchecked. In others the introduction of 

extensive mechanical equipment or additional discoveries follow so 

quickly on the bonanza period that the inevitable decline is not 

strongly marked. A graph of the production of placer gold in the 

Fairbanks district up to 1927 is fairly representative of the growth 

and decline of a placer camp. In that district there was the sudden 

jump in production to a peak soon after the discovery of the camp, 

after which there was a decline, followed by an even larger production a few years later. Then followed decreasing production for a 

number of years during which practically all parts of this area were 

more or less thoroughly searched. In that search many deposits 

which could not then be worked at a profit were disclosed. With 

the completion of the Alaska Railroad, however, and as an outcome 

of the various events that made the region more accessible and lowered 

mining costs, some of these formerly unprofitable deposits became 

attractive, and their development was undertaken. The result has 

been .that for the last 4 years the production from that camp has 

taken a decided upward turn, and there is no reason to predict that 

for some tune to come this trend will be interrupted by a serious 

decline.

The methods used in winning the placer gold reported in these 

tables range widely in their efficiency and cost. The records as to the 

amounts of gold produced by each of the different mining methods are 

not available. In fact, it is difficult to make any simple classification 

of the varied methods that have been used, because there is an almost 

uninterrupted sequence of elaboration from the individual prospector 

using only a shovel and gold pan to the complex dredge with most
98 MINERAL RESOURCES OF ALASKA, 1932

complete and up-to-date equipment. However, it appears that by 

far the greatest amount of placer gold has been recovered by methods 

involving only manual labor or simple mechanical equipment such as 

can be operated by a small boiler for power or water under a moderate 

head such as can be supplied by relatively short ditches. Of the more 

elaborate mechanical methods of mining placer ground, dredging has 

yielded the greatest amount of gold. This method was first tried in 

Alaska in 1903 and, having proved successful, has been used more and 

more extensively until in 1930 nearly 81 percent of the placer gold 

recovered was mined by dredges. In the period between 1903 and 

1930 nearly 18}£ percent of all the placer gold recovered was produced 

by dredges, but dredge output had been more than 16}£ percent of the 

total amount of placer produced by all methods since placer mining 

began in the Territory. In the course of dredge-mining operations 

about 90,097,000 cubic yards of gravel has been mined, which has 

yielded placer gold worth $42,920,000, or an average value per cubic 

yard of 47.6 cents.

The following table furnishes a record of the production of Alaska 

dredges for each year. The persistent decrease shown in the gold 

content of the gravel mined indicates that increased efl&ciency of the 

machines and of their operation permits successful mining of deposits 

that formerly would not have been attractive:

Placer gold produced by dredges in Alaska

Year

1903...-.....-. ....-.....................

1904.....................-.-. -.-.--.- .

1905... 

1906..- . 

1907...... ...... .... ................

1908-.. ... . ............ .... .

1909.- 1910....... ...... . ........ ....... :.....

1911.......... ...... ....... ...............

1912......... ................. ....... .....

1913.... ....... .... ................. ....

1914.... ........ . ......... .........

1915..-. .... . ........

1916--- 

1917... .............. . .

1918 

1919.... 

1920... . . .......... 

1921 . 

1922..... ... . . ........

1923-.-- 

1924..-....... 

1925 - 

1926 

1927---. 

1928--.. 

1929--.. 

1930-.- 

Dredges 

operated

2

3

3

3

4

4

14

18

27

38

35

42

35

34

36

28

28

22

24

23

25

27

27

32

28

27

30

27

Value of 

gold output from 

dredges

$20,000

25,000

40,000

120, 000

250,000

171, 000

425, 000

800, 000

1, 500, 000

2, 200, 000

2, 200, 000

2,350,000

2, 330, 000

2,679,000

2, 500, 000

1, 425, 000

1, 360, 000

1, 129, 900

1, 582, 500

1, 767, 800

1, 848, 600

1, 563, 300

1, 572, 300

2, 291, 000

1, 740, 000

2, 185, 000

2, 932, 000

3, 912, 600

42, 920, 000

Cubic 

yards of 

gravel 

handled by 

dredges

2, 644, 300

2, 500, 000

3, 400, 000

4, 100, 000

4, 450, 000

4, 600, 000

3,900,000

3, 700, 000

2, 490, 000

1, 760, 000

1, 633, 900

2, 799, 500

3, 186, 400

4, 645, 000

4, 342, 700

3, 144, 600

5, 730, 000

6, 084, 000

6, 371, 000

8, 709, 600

9, 906, 000

90, 097, 000

Value of 

. gold recovered by 

dredges per 

cubic yard

$0.70

.60

.65

.54

.53

.51

.69

.68

.57

.77

.69

.57

.55

.40

.36

.50

.40

.29

.34

.336

.395

.476

Percentage 

of gold 

recovered 

by dredges 

to total 

placer gold

0.0

.0

.0

.6

1.5

1.8

2.6

6.7

12.0

18.3

20.6

21.9

22.2

24.0

25.5

24.2

27.4

29.2

37.4

40.2

51.2

43.9

48.8

60.8

58.4

65.3

71.2

80.9

16.6

o