The Nenana news., 1923-01-04
MINING IN ALASKA IN 1922

Some of the important features Of mining developments in Alaska during 1922 are set forth in the following statement, which is ab- stracted from the annual report on mineral resources and production in Alaska now in preparation un- der he direction of Alfred H. Brooks. of the United States Geo logical Survey, Department of the Interior.
 The rather widespread pessimism concerning the present snd future prosperity of the Alaska mining in dustry is not hard to understand. Dazzled by the quick fortunes made during the prosperous days of bon anza mining, the public has failed to mark the steady advance Of other and more permanent kinds of mining, which were not only continued during the war but which have been greatly accelerated dur ing the last two years. The great publicity given to the failure Of three of the large lode gold mines near Juneau Mas entirely oSseured the slow but steady development of ether Alaska lode properties. The marked decline in the annual out mi of copper since 1917, the re- suit Of The low price of that metal, has been erroneously interpreted IS marking the decline of the AL aska copper-mining industry. The public nisled by the circulated statements of the extent and value of Alaska coal lands, Is puzzling bv the apparent lack of progress in their exploitation It IS true that the rather slight underground ex- ploration of the best Alaska. coal has thus far been rather unsatis- factory, but. on -he other hand the actual achievement of furnish ing local coal to the region tribu- tary to The Alaska Railroad js 2 very considerable advance, even though reserve If export coal has not yet been developed. Many who have long heard of promising occurrences Of petroleum in Alaska have wondered at the delay in its development, but drilling for oil was prohibited from 1910 to 1920, when a law was enacted. Since then the surface of the oilfielcs has been actively explored but there has not vet been time to start -ac- tual drilling in these distant fields.
 Even Alazkans, many of whom are survivors of the days of bon anza mining, are by no means hope full of the future. Those who have seen miners without capital grow suddenly wealthy from placer gold dug out with their own hands and who have beheld prosperous com munities spring up almost over night are often impatient with mining projects that can succeed only by large investments and after years of preparation.
 Some erroneously assume thai rhe revival of mining in Alaska can be assured only by the dis covery of great mineral deposit, such as a large oil pool or rich placer field. and no doubt only such a discovery could revive quick ly the former prosperity Of the Territory Alaska mines have pro- duced nearly half a billion dollars worth of minerals, and 97 per cent of this amount has come from her deposits of gold silver, and copper The estimated known re- serves of these metals alone, with out regard to future discoveries or other minerals. such as oil and coal. are sufficient to assure a pros porous future for the mining in- dustry. Many appear to believe that the building of The Alaska Railroad should have immediately produced a marked boom. Now that a year has passed since the railroad began to furnish trans portation and cheaper fuel without causing an immediate increase of mineral output they are loud in condemning the entire project. The Gnvernrnent railrnad as vell as th 2