The Alaska daily empire., 1923-01-01
INCREASED MINERAL OUTPUT IS REPORTED FOR 1922 BY COL. A. H.
 BROOKS; GOLD YIELD DECLINES

A net increase of $1,25o,0o0 is n- dicated for Alaska's mineral produc- ton for the past year over that of 1921, by the Geological Survey, in preliminary estimates made public today. The bureau is optimistic over the future of the mining industry and declares that there is a gold content Of s35o,co0, 900 yet untouche d in known placer deposits of the Ter ritory, without considering the pos. sibility of future discoveries.
 Last years gain was made pes. sibIe solely by an increased copper production. There was a decline in the gold production from both placer and lode mines. 1t is predicted, how. ever, that 1923 will show a revival of both branches of the gold nininq industry and larger outputs will naturally follow.
 some of the important features of mining development in Alaska dur ing 1922 are set forth in the follow ing statement, which is abstraeted from the annual report on mineral resources and production in Alaska now in preparation under the direc- ton of Alfred H. Brooks, of the United States Geological Survey. De. partment of the Interior. Complete statistics of the mineral production of Alaska cannot be collected with in less than four or five months after the end of the year. but meanwhile 1t appears desirable to publish promptly the preliminary estimates. which are believed to ba within 5 per cent of the actual figares.
 The General Situarion
 The rather widespread pessimlsm concerning the present and future prosperity of the Alaska mining in dustry is not hard to understand Dazzled by the quick fortunes made during the prosperous days of bonan- ga mining, the public has failed to mark the steady advance of other and more permanent kinds of mining which were not only continued dur ing the war but which have been S'tttiy aNSCiti1iCu uii llS tut HIS two years. The great publicity giver to the failure of three of the large lode gold mines near Juneau has en- tirely obstructed the slow but steady development of other Alaska lode properties. The marked decline in the annual output of copper since 1917, the result of the low price of that metal, has been erroneously in- terpreted as marking the decline of the Alaska copp.r-minng industry The public, misled by the widely cir culated and grossly exaggerated statements of the extent and value of Alaska coal lands, is puzzled by the apparent lack of progress in their exploitation. It is true that the rather slight underground explora- ton of the best Alaska coal has thus Tar been rather unsatisfactory, but. on the other hand. the actual achievement of furnishing local coal Railroad is a very considerable ad- 10 the region tributary to the Alaska vance, even though a reserve of ex- port coal has not yet been developed Many who have long heard of prom lsing occurrences of petroleum in Al aska have wondered at the delay in It's development, but drilling for oil was prohibited from 1910 10 1920. when a leasing law was enacted. Since then the surface of the oil fields has been actively explored, but there has not vet been time to start actual drilling n these distant fields
 Even Alaskans. many of whom are survivors of the days of bonanza mining, are by no means hopeful of