The Cordova daily times., 1920-01-03

 covering the report of the United States Geological Survey relative to mining conditions in Alaska for the year 1919: =
 Eight copper mines were operated in Alaska during 1919, producing about 44,SOO,OOO pounds of copper, val ued at $8,50O,OOO. The production of cooper in 1918 was 69 ,225 ,OOO pounds, valued at s17,O99,OOO and came from seventeen mines. This curtailment of copper mining was due to the fall in the price of copper and the uncer- taintv of the market, as a result of which the larger mines decreased their output and many of the small ones were closed down. Throughout the war the small operator had been hampered by lack of shipping to transport his ore and of smelters to reduce it, conditions that have blocked the development of number of prop critics and discouraged the copper mining industry. Largely for these reasons there has been relatively Ilt- rle prospecting for copper during the last few years Should the price of cooper go up, many small mines would resume operations and the larger ones increase their output. Under present industrial conditions there is not much likelihood of any great improve ment during 1920.
 Most of the prospecting for copper in 1919 was done in the Susitna basin, tributary to the Alaska railroad. A number of copper lodes of some prom ise have been found in this region, but they have not been sufficiently developed to prove their value. The availability of the Matanuska coal, which is especially adapted for cok- ing, makes the outlook for local cop per-smelting industry in this region rather hopeful
 , Tn Southeastern Alaska the Rush and Brown mine was the largest cop per producer. Copper was also pro- duced at the Saltchuck mine, better known for it's output of palladium. The three large mines-Bonanza, Jumbo and Mother Lode-of the Kennecott group were the only producing mines of the Chitina district in 1919, though some deyelopment work was done on other properties. On Prince William sound the Beatson-Bonanza and Ella mar copper mines were the only prop critics worked systematically Some ore was, however, also produced ln- cidental to development work at the Fidalgo, and at the Girdwood, on La touche island.
 Miscellaneous Metals
 Most of the silver and lead pro- duced in Alaska has been won as a by-product in mining gold and silver Silver-bearing ore in the form of ga lena is widely distributed in Alaska, but until two years ago was little needed. Since then the high price of silver has led the prospectors to search out some of the galena lodes, and as a consequence some promising have been made. The de- velopment of silver-bearing lodes i'll the Canadian part of the Portland canal region has already been re- ferred to.
 During 1919 development work was done on galena ores in Southeastern Alaska. in the Seward peninsula, Ill the Yukon basin, and probably III other regions. In course of this work some ore was produced, but, so far as known, only a few tons of test shlp- ments were made. The information at hand indicates that the most prom1s- ing discovery of silver-bearing gatena was that made in the Kantishna dis trict
 The silver output of Alaska in 1913 was about 59O,OOO ounces, of which some 5OOOOO ounces was recovered from copper ores. Alaska's lead out nut of 1919 is, estimated to be Soo tons, practically all a by-product or the gold lode mines.
 The York district of Seward benin sula continues to be the center of the tin-mining industry of Alaska. Here in 1919 two dredges and one small open-cut mine were operated on placer tin employing some twenty-five men. Developments were also continued at the Lost River tin lode mine, in the same district, where about twenty-five
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