The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-11-13
Features of the Mining Short Course.
(Farthest North Collegian.)


 The recent important mineral discoveries along the Internatinoal Boundary in the Taku River DIS trict adjacent to Juneau. again call the attenGlon of prospectors and mining men to the fact that responsible mining organizations constantly seek ing new properties and that they are willing to pay good price for prospects which will measure up to their requirements. It also calls attention to the fact that Alaska offers of the best prospecting areas the continent
 There is substitute for the prospectors pick and shovel, yet the prospector who goes into an area such as this can work more effectively if he can supplement his digging with a reasonable amount of skiful "head-work" He should have a rudimentary knowledge of geology; he should be able to recognize the different formations and know the habits of ore occurrence in these formations as recorded from experience in other mining dis tricts he should know enough about the origin of deposits to confine his efforts to fav- orable skilful prospector should be able to recognize from thirty to fifty of the more common minerals at sight and he should also be able to bowpipe to test the unknown minerals which he finds
 The ability to make rough compass surveys is helpful for laying out claims and more particu- larly, for keeping a map of underground develop ment, thus avoiding the costly which beset those who drive tunnels blindly
 valuable mineral deposit may be discovered which is too small to interest the larger mining organizations but has sufficient tonnage for ind- vidual or small company operations. Such mine
 
 may be made in the selection of mining equipment, or more often, improper and unsatisfactory milling equipment may be installed. The small mine oper- ator should be familiar with the working prin- cpes of the various processes of concentration and should know something about the type of mining and milling equipment best suited to his particular problem. There small operators in Alaska today who have good working knowledge of this material but they have gained this by individual experience and in many instances they have profited from costly mistakes It is true that knowledge gained in this manner is not read fly forgotten but the price is high. The Mining Short Course offered by the Alaska College is not intended to substitute completely for practical experience; rather it is planned to make more effective the work of the individual men who are pioneering the mineral development | of the Territory. Those who take the Short Course training find that it many of their problems problems along the lines of those men 1 toned above-and if every prospector, whether he is going into the Taku River District or whether he is exploring for mineral deposits in an un- heralded country, had the advantage of the Short Course training, then the mineral development of the Territory would be rapid. At this time it is possible to touch only a few of the high points of the Short Course The School of Mines laboratories are most modernlv equipped and this laboratory equipment is avail able to the Short Course men so that they may secure their training from practical standpoint There are two Short Courses offered each year: each extends over period of ten weeks The first course starts October 28 and the second January 27.
 The prospectors invited to ship in test lots of their ores for testing purposes during the course.