The Cordova daily times., 1922-01-11


 exposing the ore, definite statement of metallic content is not justified. The grab samples taken by owners of claims have yielded from O.20 to 27O ounces of silver and from a trace to $S in gold to the ton. Three samples carried from 1.17 to 887 per cent of copper.
 No work had been done on the Grant & Jiles claims when they were examined, nor on the other prospects reported in the same general region. Their value can therefore not be pre- dicted, but the surface exposures fully justify careful prospecting.
 GOLD PLAcERs
 Alaska placer mines produced gold to value of about s4,o90,000 in 1921 and s3.ss3,0O0 in 1920. This increase is to be credited chiefly to the Kus- kokwim placer districts. At the end of 1921 the Alaska mines had pro- duced total of $328,O00,O00 worth of gold, of which s222,000, ,OoO came from placer mines.
 A number of new finds of placer gold were made during 1891, but these were all in known fields of auriferous allurium. The most prom ising of these discoveries is on Will bur Creek. tributary of Tolovana River, about seven miles due east of Livengood Creek. The finding of coarse gold on this creek indicates that there may be a second belt of naturalization in the Tolovana area Another deposit of placer gold was found on Kokomo Creek, a southerly tributary of Chatanika Creek, 10 miles east of Cleary This discovery is significant chiefly because it indi- cates an eastern extension of the auriferous area. In 1921 placer min ing was begun on gold prospects that had been found in 1918 in Stuyahok Creek. tributsry to Bonasila River, which flows into the Yukon, 10 miles below Anvik
 Returns on dredge production, espe- ciallly from Seward Peninsula are as yet very incomplete. but 1t appears that some 22 dredges were operated in 1921 and recovered about $15O0,- 900 worth of gold. In 1920 the same number of dredges produced gold to the value of s1.130.OoO. The total gold output of Alaska dredges since the beginning of this form of mining in 1903 is $23,0Oo,ooo. The increase in dredpe gold production in 1921 is to be credited to the eight dredges located outside of Seward Peninsula two each in the Fairbanks and Idi- tarod districts and one each in the Tnnoko. Circle, Yentna and McGrath districts. The most successful dredge in 1921 was on Candle Creek, in the McGrath district.
 The average gold recovery by dredging in the Yukon and Kusko- kwim districts in 1920 was 96 cents to the cubic yard. while that of Seward Peninsula was only 4S cents. This difference alone will account for the search for dredging ground being directed largely to inland Alaska where the richest dredging placers have been developed. The Kusko- kwim basin has been especially in vestigated for dredging placers. but during 1921 considerable attention has been given to the development of dredse mining in the Fairbanks Pamnart and other Yukon districts The facilities for communication pro- vided for inland Alaska by the con- pletion of the Government Railroad and the increase of wagon roads will give further impetus to dredge min- ing. Within the zone of it's economic use inc Nenana coal should also stimulate dredging. COld-Water thaW- ing. now being so successfully used ,hv many widely distributed Alaska dredges, greatly reduces fuel con- sumption and is thus an important ~'Nrlent in economical operation. The Seward Peninsula dredges are now working under the enormous handi- cap of the high cost of fuel. In 1921 the cost of coal at Nome was $35 a ton and that coal delivered at the placer mines was probably on an avero"a at least BRO ron. Ia com rnr'son with this many of the inland dredges ahe having from ss to $15 a cord for wood No doubt an in crease of business and the completion of the harDOr for SrOWs will lower