Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1914-01-02
Mineral Output of Alaska Reaches Nineteen
Millions During Nineteen Thirteen

The value of tho mineral output of
| Nlnska in 1919 ia estimated al StS,-
200. 900 by Alfred H. Brooks ST the
| United states geological survey ns
compared with s22.537,Sst Tor 1919.
The value of the EUid output iH csti-
mated at Si5.i50,Ouo, that OF 1919
was $t7.lf5,g5I. There was also
very marked decrease la copper pro-
duciion. that of 1919 being estimated
To have been la.tOO.OO0 pounds, yal-
ucd az about t3Ot4,00O. while that
of 1879 was 39.23O.tgi pounds val
ne dat &4,S23.03i. ~ the Alaska sill
Yer output h largely "a hy-product OF
gold and copper minins, this also
showed IL decrease la value from
&3tG.Sg9 ia 1919 to about t22n.oO0
in 1919. other minerals including
mar rule. Eypsliu. lin ptc. org esti-
mated tu have boon produced To the
value of about $4,000 in 1919. cor
about She same uH the value OF the
production of 1919.
The territory mas produced mineral
wealth to the value of $2tb,3ou. coo.
OF this s22S.20o,oOo Is gold, SlG,bSO.-
600 copper. ss.0GO.00O silver. $3.50
600 coal, and the balance tin lend,
marble. gypsum. petroleum. etc. Cop
per mining began ia Alaska Ia 1901,
anG the total production is about
il0.oo0,o00 pounds.
There are several rcnsous FOR the
decrease of over S3.50O.O00 ln the
value uf A3sku'H mineral output ns
compared with the previous year.
The most important cf these De- the
condition uf the placer mining indus
try which. Ia spite of tho advances
made in lode miuing. still furnishes
twu-thirds of the goid o1iFa,. aas
than 90 prr cent Of the placer gold is
produced Dos large plants. the ball
anro being still son from the rich
graNclg that can bee pronably mined
By hand methods Therefore marked
fuCiuntiun la the placer gold output
is inevitable. due Co exhaustion uf
houHn1nh un one hand ANA the dis.
coverN of new districts ON thc other.
Moreover these small operations are
FAR more dppcndrni. on the local wa
ter supply than are the large uluuts
Under such conditions me- stability
.of placer gold production is 60 hr cx-
poctcd.
No Sh"riHgc of Gold Gra,ci-.
The exceptionally dry summer ofi
igla and the fact that the bouaum
deposits II Fairbanks district have
To- largo measure been exhausted
account for the decrease Lea gold uut,
put There Be-, however no Shortage !
of uuriferous Eruyols, but only of de- |
pusits which can hp mined under thr
present high cost OF operation
What is true oi the placer mines /
.HH. N|saaH al 4. ..s...
udenator The Fairbanks district (
has shown what can boz accomplished |
in lode mining under tho most adj |
verse conditions ol transportation la- |
Dor, water and fucl While the
coastal rceiou is developing at "a rate |
which bids fair Co ovorshaduw ull /
mining operations in the Interior nn !
marked progress can Doe yXpoctgd boa |
the inland region until q trunspurta- |
ton system Do provided.
The FALLING un lea copper output
lees significant, be- use Il la due SOLE !
IS Go the fact that the Kennicott- Bo- |
uanza-- much the larger copper pro-
ducer--was closed down ON account |
ct accidents for about ono-third
the year
The nndlng during 1878 OF deposits /
"i hullttlouh graves pa Two new ana /
widely separated localities, namely |
In the upper Maiunuskn basin and in
the upper Chisana Basin Cocalls |
called Shushanal, tributary of the |
Tanona river, furnishes new nelda /
for the prospector These discover
f's curiailed the gold output in some
of the larger camps. hccsuse they |
drew away many miners ana thus
caused shortage OF labor
There was NO railway construction |
In Alaska during 1913. OF the ESQ /
mites of track previously bullt only /
about Ad0 miles were operated in
1913. This Is largely duo 90 the high |
cost ct mcl ANA tu the tax of Slp0
O. mile on all opeuung Tines Theee
conditions have tcuded to discoum4e
the niiNnyN especially those which ]