The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-10
CHR0MITE IN ALASKA.
Deposits Have r." Worked Since High
Price clipped

TlANt SIppcu
Deposits of chr0m,sp have been known
in Alaska for number of years, but
they became Of economic interest only
in 1917, when the relatively high price
of the ore recalled them to the attention
of mining men, with the result that ore
is commercially mined at one property.
The chromite deposits Of present eco.
nomic interest, according TO the United
States geological survey, department Of
the interior, are at the southwest end
of Renal peninsula, in two areas, one
along the north shore of Pert Chatham
and the other at Red mountain. about l6
miles to the northeast. Both deposits
occur in bodies of altered peridotite and
so far as known, these are the only bod
les Of peridotite in this vicinity, but ex-
ploration farther from the coast, in the
mountains, may reveal others.
Peridotite of the same kind also occurs
in large and small masses at several
other places in the area between Yukon
and Tanana rivers, and at Livengood, in
that area, there is deposit of chromte,
but the ore in the interior Of Alaska
could. not be mined proftaby except
when prices are very high.
The chromite of southwestern kenai
peninsula occurs in lens shaped bodies
that range in thickness from few
inches to 20 feet and that lie in atti-
tudes ranging from horizontal to vertl-
cal None of the lenses appear to be more
than $50 feet long. and most Of them
measure considerably less The ore IL
not uniform grade. Some of it aver
ages so per cent of chromis oxide, and
some is mixture Of chromite and peri
dotite, the leanest part of which may
yield only ) TO 10 per cent of chronic
oxide. All gradations between these ex
tremes are found.
The deposit now being mined is on a |
spot at the southeast end of a peninsula |
known as Claim Point, which projects |
south, into Port Chatham. This pen
insnla measures about 1000 feet from |
east to west and about 1900 feet from
north to south, and is joined to the main
land by q neck of land about 200 feet
wide. The rock of Claim Point is en-
tirely peridotite, which crops out also on
the mainland to the north and continues
southwark into Port Chatham for an un-
known distance. The known area Of
peridotite here covers about three ifths
of square mile
The ore body is almost completely coy
cred by water at high tide, so that min
ing must be done between low and half
tide. The deposit is in vertically placed :
lens which has length of about 100 feet
and maximum width of 20 feet.
About 800 tons of ore containing from
48 to 40 per cent of chronic oxide was
mined in 1917, and about as much more
remains in sight above half tide. Ulti-
mately it will be necessary to work from
. shaft or cofferdam and hoist ore to the
surface, method that will increase ma
terially the cost of mining
Probably the upper half of the deposit :
mas been removed by erosion. If so, and
4 the deposit becomes thinner down
life gravity of 80, only 1900 or at most
900 tons remains below the level of half 4
ide.
Several other lenses of high grade ore, l
zone more than three feet thick. occur
n this vicinity. as well as number of \
,odies of low-grade ore ranging i'm thick \
Tess from five to 90 feet and varying in
heir content Of chronic Divide from five \
o 10 per cent. At one place on the north Il
ide OF Claim oint, near the crest of the II
eninsula. there are four lodes that H
tand nearly vertical and the owners are u
unsidering the feasibility Of driving a
unnel from lower point on the hill a
ide 10 crosscnt them These four bod. il
Is should produce, when concentrated, al
bout 5000 tons of 30 per cent ore. but
Is likely that the tunnel contemplated
tight also reveal other deposits. There al
hould be available at Camp Point al lea Il
; 900 tons Of ehromite ore Of a grade It
30 per cent of chronic OK. AZ
le tn,
The freight rate on ore from Port til
latham 10 Seattle is $3.50 ton. and 30
-om Seattle TO an eastern smelter Is ~
bout sig ton, to which must be added m,
IL cost Of iighterage 10 the steamship
lchOrsge in Port Chatham or lghterare lac
the wharf at Port Graham an
The body Of Peridotite AZ Red noun 10
in i much larger than that at Claim Nh
nini bui J. more difficult Of access. AMI Iii
e grade u the ore there is not 30 well | Ii
loen. The peridotite covers about III
RE square miles and contains many Ida
ringers and lenses u chr0mite ore. II
IN high and low grade. The largest pu
prsit observed was a lenticular BODY lei
high grade ore not more than IS ph
p long. that hsd a maximum Thick Tan
- - ght feet a. The center and con- ins
irss -rahsb'y rot over 1000 ;ons a.