The Ketchikan miner., 1909-01-23
More About the
 Alaska Minerals

The preliminary esimaets place tht gold production of southeastern Alas ka for 1908 at s3, $50, GOO, pract ical y all from lode deposits. Some gold was however produced from the Juneau and potcupine placers. The copper production is estimated at somewhat less than 1, OOO, GOO pounl-. all of whit h came from the Ketchikan district.
 A ubstancial gain was made during the year at several of the gold m nes in the Juneau district, notably at the Treadwei group, the Perseverance and the Eagle River mines, and some new and important mining and water power projects have been undertaken.
 Developments at the Treadwell mine have been extended on the l., ,45O foot level, which is to be used as base level for deeper explorations. and to this level the 7OO foot and Mexican mines will be extended. At the read, Bullion mine explorations are being extended on the 1, 500 foot level. The stamp mills have been in continuous operation throughout the year. The use of oil in place of coal for all pur- poses Ut these mines has reduced the fuel expense considerably, and the supply of water power has been incre- ased ny huiiding dams on sidy Bull ion ard Fish creeks. Work is being advanced to obtain power from Turner Lake, on the east side of raku Inlet, a distance of IS miles from Treadwell. This will nece.sitate the transmission of power across Taku Inlet distance of two miles.
 At the Perseverance mine develop ments have been in progress through out the year, and the lode deposit is now open for a length of l,5OO feet. The 100 stamp mill on the propert, was in operation from the first of last June until November. Mining opera tions were in progress at the Alaska Juneau mine from the last of June un- til the middle of October. and the thirty stamp mill was in continuous operation during that period. At the Eagle River mine the developments were advanced thruoghout the year. and the quarts veins which are dis. placed by faults, causing much diffi' culty in their exploration have been located farther to the east on the var. ious tunnel levels. The 20 staml mill, which was supplied with or, principally from the upper mine lev els, has been in continuous operation throughout the year. Encouraging results are reported from the Yankee Basin prospects and from other proper. tieswithin the Juneau gold belt: also frumo the DeGrof ara Mills properties to the north of Sitka. Owing to tn. low price of copper. operation were sus. pended during the winter of 190S-9a' all of the copper mines of the Ketchi' kan district except at the Jumh, mine. The Mount Andrew and Rusl and Brown mines were idle thoughout the year. Mining was resuE e1 in August at the Mamieand Stevenson mines, and relatively large tonnage of ore derived from them was treated at the Hadley smeletr. Explorations at these mines are to be advanced during the winter nonts, though he smelter at Ha0ley will suspend oper- ations and prooabiy DO tr, will be shipped. The largest production and most extensive developments during the year were those made at the ,Ium- bo min near Sulzer. The operations on this propertywere confined to the sulphide deposits at the head of Jun bo Basin. The NiblacK mine was operated fronAp pril , October 30 dur ing which period shaft was sunk to depth of 35oieet and developments were extended on the J0O- foot level. where two ore bodies were opened. 1NiIscS WeTo uiauC Iu tucSc OFt JUL ies to connect with the 225 foot level, and most of the ore thus developed was mined. At the It mine, on Ka- saan Peninsula, mining operations were begun early in the spring, and some high grade ore was developed. A tramway mile long was built to tidewater, a wharf was erected, and ore shipment swere begunin the first part of October. Operations were con- tinued throughuut the year at the gyp- snum deposits of Chcagof Islandand at the marble quarries of Prince of Wal les Island vicinity. The total value Of the product from those two industries was $7, l958 in 1907, and is known to he very much larger than 1908, though exact figurs of production are still lack ing.