The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-26
Ass cciated Press Photo

granite area is terminated on the
south by fault of large displace-
mentS. During or just after the
intrusion of the granite the inclos-
ing sediments were permeated by
material given off by the granite
mass, were silicified, and locally
were replaced by sulphides Of zinc,
lead, iron and copper.
The ore-bearing zone lies on the
north side of the main granite in
trusive and is about six miles long
and from half to a mile wide.
Sphalerite is the most abundant
sulphide, being several times as
abundant as galena Chalcopyrite
occurs sparingly, and it is doubtful
if there is any copper ore Of COM
mercial Importance in the area.
So little development work has
been done that a calculation of the
tonnage of assured mineral is not
yet possible, and what might be
termed ore depends upon what the
cost of mining, transportation, and
reduction may prove to be-facts
which at present are unknown. The
silver content of the galena is re-
ported to be considerable, but the
results Of assay samples are not yet
available. In general, however,
may be said that there is probably
a large quantity, perhaps to be
measured in hundreds of thousands
of ton, of zines lead. and possibly
silver bearing material of fair tenor
that could be proved by careful
and extensive prospecting. 1t has
not yet been demonstrated that
this material can be mined, trans
ported, and smelted at profit.
Valdez Greek District
c.. P. Ross, who has examined
the lode prospects of the Valdez
Greek district, reports that they
comprise lenses of quartz in shear
ed and altered diorite or in slate.
The veins range from few inches
to feet in width, and the shear
zones are as much as 7 feet wide.
Some lodes have been traced for
several hundred feet along the out
crop, and some samples assayed for
the prospectors have ben found
TO contain $50 or more in gold to
the ton. The assay returns from
the samples collected during this
investigation have not yet been re-
oeived. No lode mine in this dis
trict is now producing.
West Fork of Chulitna District
The area west of the Chulitna
River, including the basins of Ohio
Creek and the West Fork of the
Chulitna and the intervening coun-
try, was also examined by C. P.
Ross. Several groups Of lode claims
are held in this area. The lodes
are all quartz veins accompanied
by altered and sheared rock. In
most of the veins the principal
value is in gold, but some contain
considerable copper, one contains
notable amounts of lead, and all
carry much arsenic. Some have
been traced for several hundred
feet, but some are known to be
short. Locally wide areas of coun-
try rock carry disseminated sui
phides and stringers of sulphide-
bearing quartz. Gold is associated
with the sulphides in varying
amounts. The Golden Zone group
of claims covers a ll-mineralized
area in which, besides numerous
stringers, there are quartz veins
of some length. A tunnel is now
being extended to cut one of the
more promising veins at depth
of about 100 feet.
Only a part or the assay returns
from samples taken during the
present investigation have yet been
received, but these and other data
indicate that the better ore con-
tains from half an ounce to more
than 2 ounces of gold to the ton.
Although this district does not
appear to contain high-grade ore
in large quantity, some of the lodes
are of considerable size, and under
favorable conditions and efficient
management several may eventu-
ally be worked at a profit.
Willow Creek District
The gold lode mines OF the Will
low Greek district have been stu
died in detail by J. G. Ray. During
the summer five mines have been
actively milling ore, and some high
grade ore has been mined from
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