The Nome daily nugget., 1918-03-02
Advance Statement by United States
 Geological Survey

Geological Survey
 The annual report on the mineral resources and mil eral production of Alaska in 1917 is now in preparation under the direction of c. c. Martin, of the Geological Survey, Department of the Interior. Some of the important features of this report relating ip mining development during the year are abstracted in the following state- ment. Complete statistics of the min eral production of Alaska can not be collected within less than three or four months after the close of the year, but meanwhile it is desirable to publish the preliminary estimates here given, which are believed to vary not over per cent fro mthe actual figures
 Mineral Production.
 The value of the m4neral production of Alaska in 1917 is estimated at s4l,- 76O.Ooo, exceeding that of any previous year except 1916, which was $4S, ,632 900. The decrease in 1917 was therefore about s6, S700O0. During B years of mining, Alaska has produced over $39l 900, 900 worth in gold. silver. cop per and other minerals.
 Alaska mines are believed to have produced gold to the value of about $l5,450,000 in 1917, compared with ST. 24O,00O in 1916. The total value of gold mined in the Territory is now about $293, 500,000, of which $207 ,o00,- 900 has been won from plaeers. In 1917 about SS,200,000 pounds of copper was produced in Alaska, valued at about $24,000,000. The production in 1916 was 119,6O0000 pounds, valued at s294S0,000. The total copper produc- ed to date is 427,700O O00 pounds, valued at $S8, 100000.
 The value of Alaska's lesser mineral products in 1917 was about as follows; Silver, $1,V5v,O ,O00; Coal, $300,000 tin s1GO0O0; lead sl6O00O; anthony 9fuiuVuI tuHSSltIl, CiiIOliiluiH, pellOi- cum, marble, gypsum graphite, plat mum, etc. $GO0,000 The year 1917 marks the first production of chrom- ium in Alaska and about S1 ounces of platinum was saved in placer gold mining at several widely separated localities.
 
 Gold Placer Mining
 The data at hand indicates that the value of the placer output in 1917 was S9,S5O, ,000 in 1916 is was s1l,l40,000. The decrease was due chiefly to re- striction of operation because of the high cost of supplies and the scarcity of labor, The placer output was in- creased only in the Tolovana, Marshall, and Ruby districts and at tte new Tolstoi camp.
 Gold Lode Mining
 About 8 gold-lode mines were oper' ated in 1917, compared with 29 In 1916 The value of the gold-lode mined de- creased from $5.912000 in 1916 to about s5,250, 900 in 1917. The decrease was due chiefly to the disaster at the Treadwell mine. Southeastern Alaska especially the Juneau district, is still the only center of large quartz-minins development in the territory. Next IT importance is the Willow Creek lode district. Gold-lode mining on Prince William Sound, Kenia Peninsula. and in the Fairbanks district is at stand still.
 Copper Mining
 The copper production of Alaska III 1917 was about Ss,20O,O00 pounds, val ued at about $24.OOO,Oo0. This is Jess than the production in 1916 which was 11s.6oo, 900 pounds, valued at s2s.4s4,' 900 but Is greater than the production of orv other year. The reduction ir output last year was due largely tc labor troubles at the kennecott'Bo' manga mine. During the year 17 cop per mines were operated compared with IS in l916--s in the Ketchikar district, G in the Prince William Sound district, and in the Chitina district The enormous output of the Kenne colt. Bonanza mine, in the Chitina dis trict in 1917 as in previous years over shadowed that from all others
 Tin Mining
 About 2S2 tons of stream tin wa nror,uced in Alaska in 1917. Most o