The Kusko times., 1929-01-26

Wnlcn complete reports are dVdlidDuer over three-quarte,s of the silver came from that source. With the great re- duction in the output of copper in 1928 the quantity of silver naturally shows corresponding decrease. The greater output of gold from both lodes and placers resulted in slight increase in the amount of silver that is associated with theegold obtained from them. The quantity. of - silver contained in ordinary lode or placer gold is, however, relatively so small. and silver is so low in price, that the increase in output of gold means an increase of only 8. few thousand dol lars in the value of the silver recov- cred from those sources. Some silver is also recovered from ores that. are. principally valuable for the lead and silver they contain. Most of the ore of this sort is mined in the Hyder district, in Southeastern Alaska, and is shipped to smelters in the States for treatment. Silver-lead ores are, however, known in widely separated parts of the Territory and sonnet min- ing and prospecting is in progress at. several places on ores of this type. The high cost of transportation and treatment discourages develop of or search for these ores except in the more. accessible parts of Alaska.
 Coal.
 The production of coal from Alas kan mines was greater in 1928 than in 1928-in fact, the preliminary esti- mates indicate that more coal was produced in 1928 than in any earlier year. As usual, the greater part of production came from the Matanuska and Healy River coal fields. The principal producing mines in the Matanuska fields were those of the Evan Jones Coal Company and the Premier Coal Mining Company, and in the Healy River valley the Sun trama mine of the Healy River Coal Corporation. No notable new devel- opments were reported in either of these fields, but there was steady development in both. The increased demand for fuel in connection with the dredging project of the Fairbanks Exploration Company in the Fair banks district has served as an addi- tional outlet for coal from the Healv River field.
 During the year considerable activ- ity was shown in the development of coal beds that have,long been known on Admiralty Island, in Southeastern Alaska. This work was done on the property of the Admiralty Island Coal Company, on Kanalku Bay, and several shipments of coal were sent to Juneau and nearby markets. A small quantity of coal for local needs is also reported to have been pro duced, principally by Eskimos, from coal beds on the Kuk river, near Wainwright, in Northern Alaska.
 No new developments were reported in the Bering River field, nor in any of the many coal fields that are known in other parts of Alaska. There is still considerable use of coals inn ported from the States and British Columbia that might be supplied by coals from Alaskan fields if they were pushed by a strong selling corpora ton.
 Petroleum
 All the pettoleum produced in Alaska in 1928 continued to, come from the wells of the Chilkat Oil Com- pany, near Katalia, where in addi tion to the oil wells, the company op- crates a small refinery. The gasoline and distillate produced from this pc ] troleum are much in demand in the local market, as they are said ito be of better quality than the usual commer-