The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-03
NATIONAL REPORT
ON alaska MINES
Advance Figures Show PrOduc-
ton in 1909 About Equal
to That of 1908.
COAL FIELDS ARE
IMPORTANT ASSET
Numerous Lode Prospects Are
Found in Good Placer
Districts.

The annual report on the mineral re-
sources and production OF Alaska for 1909
is now in preparation under the direc
,ion OF Alfred II. Brooks OF the United
states Geological survey and will be
published about the middle OF May, Ac-
curate statistics are not yet available,
but the estimated value of the output
Of gold here given is probably less than
per cent In error; that Of the copper
output less than 10 per cent.
The value OF the mineral output of
Aaska in 1909 is estimated at $50. 200 900.
practically the same as that of 1905
which which was s20,l39.272. The. estimated
100000. that OF 1905 was Si9o92,SiS The
copper production of 1909 WIS approxl-
mately 100000 pounds, valued at about
pounds valued at ssOs,s s Probabiy iS''GDc the
output OF none OF the other mineral
products. including silver. coal, marble.
and gypsum, differed greatly from that
lS9.
From 1850. when mining first began in
Alaska, 70 the close of 1909. the tota!
in round numbers. $16s, 0oo. 900. or this
amount the gold mines have contributed
ABOUT Slsio0o.0 900; the commercial value
100000, and the copper production has
been about $1,000. 900. The remainder is
represented by the value OF the output
OF coal, gypsum, tin. and marble,
General Conditions,
The placer camps OF the Yukon basin
were the scene OF much mining activity
In 1909, Two new drcdges were put in
operation near Nome. material progress
was made in constructing n railway up
the Copper River valley. and some work
WAS done on the railway TO the Matanus-
ka district. The most significant feature
OF the years mining operations was the
amount OF prospecting and development
Work done on auriferouS lodeS in some OF
the placer districts.
Importance of Coal Fields.
The coal fields form an important fac
to= in the present situation. II oppor-
tunity is given 10 mine the coal. railway
construction over a part Of these routes,
az least viii be pushed with. the utmost
Nlgor. The exploitation Of this high
grade coal Is of sTeat Importance 10
Alaska, bur probably OF still greater i'm
portance TO the commercial interests OF
the Pacific states. II viii give a new
impetus To manufa curing and transpor-
'ntion interests. BY furnishing coke for
smelling; 1t will probably make available
west coast of the United States. and thus
lead 10 the conservation OF those OF the
east. more valuable because nearer the
centers OF population.
Lode Mining.
Preliminary estimates Indicate that the
ys.ue Of The the gold produce. from lode
mincs III 1909 was about Sc. 800. 600. or
approximately the same as that OF 1905
which was s3357.325. OF the aurifcrous
lode mines operated in 1909 all but five
are In the Juneau district The Tread
well group continues 10 be the dominati ting
factor in lode production, but some other
large enterprises nave either. like the
Perseverance. become productive or like
the Ebner and kensineton. will soon be
producers a large producer-gas plant
Is being established near Juneau by the
mine has been taken over by new
company and is 10 be opened up on a
large scale. There is promise that the
protracted litigation over the Kensington
mine and other properties at Berners
bay VIII soon he settled, and extensive
developments are expected in this field
an carly date.
In this field OF essentially low-grade
ore bodies the possibility OF utilizing
water power is receiving Increasing at
,ention. The Topography OF the country
age. though some lakes in the region will
farnish power. Water powers are by no
means so abundant as might be inferred
Syob frSn the heavy ga precipta,ion most OF
water power enterprise must provide for
The low water OF the winter months.
The high relief. heavy timber and the
mission lines difficult.
More Lode Prospects.
One OF the most encouraging events OF
the year was the discovery OF promising
lode prospects In many OF the gold placer
districts. Notable among these arc the
auriferous quartz veins found near Sow
ard on Kenai peninsula, on Willow creek
on the Susitna basin, near Fairbanks,
In the Koyukuk and Chandlar valleys.
and In the Bonnifed district, Auriferous
veins have been found az several places
on kenai peninsula. and the prospecting
on some OF them during the year has
Welded encouraging results. Notewor-
thy discoveries were made at False creek
and near Moose pass, not far from the
Alaska Central railway. Some very rich
Huriferous quartz has been found on VIII
low creek. an eastern tributary OF the
lower SIsitna. Little information is at
hand concerning the character of the de-
posts last mentioned, but there can be
no doubt Of their high content In free
gold. Two small stamp mills were oper-
ated in this district during 1909.