The Nome nugget., 1920-07-10


 ing to 11s.s55. 900 pounds of copper. valued at s29,4s4. .OoO. Owing to the fall in price of metal and to uncertain ty of market the Alaska copper pro- duction fell in 1919 to 47.220,0O0 pounds valued at $S.7s3,OOO.
 Copper deposits are widely distribut- ed in Alaska, and there Is every reason increase under better transportation conditions. Much the larger part of the present copper output has come from high grade ores of the Chitina district. Larger bodies of low-grade ore have been found in several dis tricts, notably on Prince William Sound. and the exploitation of these should give a greater stability to the Alaska copper mining indusry.
 Owing to the withdrawal of all AL aska coal lands from entry in 1908 there was no development of the coal fields until the leasing law went into effect in 1914. Since then some ad- vances have been made but operations ditions imposed by the war. and by certain restrictions in the leasing law. As i consequence Alaska has produced in all only 253.O0O tons of coal. and her output in 1919 was only 6O.OO0 tons. Meanwhile. she is importing annually about 100000 tons of coal from Wash ington and British Columbia.
 Much of the larger part of the coal reserves of Alaska are lignitic. which, under present methods of utilization. are not available for export. The f Bering River and Matanuska fields contain. however, very high grade bi- luminous coals of a better grade than any found on the Pacific seaboa tri, as are for the most part closely folded and much broken making them expen- sivc to mine and rendering them in 
 part unavailable for present profitable exploitation. There. are, however in both fields high-grade coals that can be mined and these will find an ex, port market. Until these fields have been more thoroughly prospected by underground exploration 1t Is impos- sibie to predict how large an annual tonnage, can be produced from them. The Alaska oil lands were with drawn. from entry in 1910 and ereby practically all petroleum davelopment was stopped until the passag, of the I i"asang law in 1920. In spie of tl,e. handicap some 53,000 barrels of petro- leum. have been produced In the ka- talh fields. Meanwhile. Alaska is dra wing on California annually for nearly 100000 barrels of petroleum and petroleum products. This does not in. clude the oil consumed by steamers running ot Alaska ports. The infor- nation afforded by seepage indicates that there are five ou fields in Alaska which could probably be made produc- tive. So far as known the Alaska pe- troleum is high grade refining oil Tor which there is at present a great need. Therefore the development of the Alaska petroleum Aids Is not only of great importance to the Territory but also to the entir, nation.
 Incidental to gold and copper min ing considerable silver and some lead have been produced from Alaska ores. Galena ores. some of which carry ! high percentage of silver. are widely distributed in Alaska and are now re- ceiving considerable attention. Both placer and lode tin. have been found In the York district of Seward Peninsu- . In. Placer tin has aI,,o been found in some of the Yukon camps. So far as known there are no large reserves of placer tin in Alaska. The outlook for lode tin mining in tn e York district is rather hopeful.
 fhntlhWn and relate<t metals are be- Ing mined in Alaska. During the war Alaska produced antinnony. chromite and tungsten. The Known reserves of these metals are considerable. Quicksilver mining has been carried on in q small way for many years in the Kuskoalwim region and will n1 doubt continue. Molybs ienite and bis- muth ores are rather widely distribut- ed In Alaska. and nicAle ores have been found in the Territo ry.
 There are large depoAits of marble in outheastei.n Alaslra, and ma quarrying Is hncreasing. Gypsum hai long been mined in the sitka district Sulphur deposits occur in the Aleutian r~l~ A.s.~a AaxyDInvkad