The Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1910-1917, 1915-06-14

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| The value of the mineral output
of Alaska in 1914 is estimated by
, Alfred II. Brooks, of the L. s. Geo
logical Survey. at S19,24S.000, com.
pared with S19,416, 900 for 1913. The
preliminary figures on gold output
| for 1914 show value of S15,900.-
| 900; in 1913 the value was s15,626,-
S13. Silver to the value of about
S191 900 was produced in 1914, com
pared with $21S,9SS in 1913. Though
the low price of copper since mid
summer greatly curtailed the output
of that metal, about 20,S50 900 pounds,
valued at about S2,S72,000, was pro
duced in 1914. against 21,659, 95S
pounds, valued at S3,357 ,293, in 1913.
| The output of the other minerals.
including tin, marble, gypsum, quick
silver, coal, and petroleum, in 1911
had value of about s2S5000. com
pared with S272,242 for 1918.
Had it not been for the depression
in the copper market the value OF
Alaska's mineral product would have
been considerably greater in 1911
than in 1913. The gold-mining in
dustry of the Territory as a whole
was prosperous during the year, as
is made directly evident by the fig
ures on output, but a more import
ant item of progress Is the extensive
plants that have not yet reached
a productive stage. No progress was
made in coal mining. there being
In 1914 only one small productive
mine in the Territory and that in
one of the Ignite fields 1t is eX-
pected that the new law providing
for leasing of coal land in Alaska
will lead to the exploitation of the
fields containing high-grade coal.
The tin, gypsum, and marble indus
tries of Alaska had a successful
year.
The certainty of railroad connec-
ton with the Yukon basin has great
ly stimulated both prospecting and
mining development. There was a
noticeable increase in investigation
Of large mining enterprises in 1911
compared with previous years. This
was due solely to the expectation
Of rh. tot
The data already in hand indicate
that the value of the placer gold
produced in 1914 was about SO 700,-
600, or practically the same as that
of 1913, which was $10,6S0 600.
About "A gold dredges were operated
in Alaska for the whole or part
of the open season of 1914. Pre-
liminary estimates indicate that
these dredges produced gold worth
between s2,05O,00O and $2,3O0,00O.
About &c gold-lode mines were oper-
ated in Alaska in 1914 and produced
gold to the value of s5,100,000.
The developments made up to mid
summer gave promise that 1914
would be the most profitable in the
history of Alaska copper mining, but
the financial stringency and the col
lapse of the copper market that fol
lowed the breaking out Of the Eur
producing mines and put a stop to
some very important developments.
Up to about the first of August
seven copper mines were in opera
ton, but at the close Of the year
only four were still working. Had
it not been for the war at least nine
copper mines would have been ready
to ship ore before the end of the
year
The total production of Alaska tin
mines since the industry started in
1902 is about $50 tons of metallic
tin, valued at 1892, 900. In 1914
most of the tin was obtained from
the York district. where both placer
and lode tin mining were carried on,
and a little from the placers of the
Hot Springs district of the Tanana
Valley
Mining began in Alaska in 1880,
and since that time the Territory
has produced mineral wealth to the
value Of $26S,OO0,000. OF this $244,-
100000 has been in gold, s19,SOO,000
in copper $2,251, 900 in silver, and
$4,000 in coal, and the rest in tin
lead, quicksilver, marble, gypsum,
petroleum, etc Copper mining be
gan in Alaska in 1901 and the total
production is about 1873, 900 600.
pounds.