The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-26
RAILROAD AREA
HAS IMPORTANT
MINERAL LANDS
Geological Survey Issues
Preliminary Report on
Seasons Work

N~%-"~
that region contains important re-
serves of gold, silver, lead, and
zinc; large deposits of sub-bitumin-
out and bituminous coal, and pos
sibilities that there may be an an
thracite field of commercial i'm
portance. Gold lode mining is be-
ing actively carried on in number
of camps, and several of these show
great promise of increased produc-
ton from mines already operated
and from other lodes SO far I'M
developed.
The Investigations in the railroad
belt, the preliminary results of
which are here announced, were
made under a special appropriation
to the Alaska Railroad for the
purpose of determining the posi-
bilities of the several districts for
furnishing tonnage from their min
eral resources to the railroad over
period of years and the investi-
cations were confined solely to
districts in which lode deposits or
coal were known to exist. Nine
separate projects were organized
under the general direction of S.
r. Capps, with individual geolo-
giSts assigned to Fairbanks, Kan
tishna, Mount Eielson Cooper
Mountain), Valdez Greek and the
West Fork of the Chulitna River.
Willow Greek, Girdwood, Moose
Pass, the anthracite field of the
upper Matanuska Valley, and a
general survey of the nonmetallie
resources of the region other than
coal. In addition, the Eva Creek
mine was examined, and other me-
tallic lodes were visited.
The results here announced
must, however, be considered ten
tative and subject to modification
later, for much office work re-
mains to be done in the prepara-
ton of maps, the study of speci-
mems, thin sections, and assay re-
turns, and the final preparation of
complete reports Indeed, the &C
tual determination of the value of
the many properties must depend
on the results Of assaying, and the
returns from the assays have not
yet all been received. Nevertheless,
certain statements are justified
from the field observations and the
data now at hand
The scope of the field work in
cluded careful examination of all
accessible mines and prospects; the
construction of mine maps where
none were already available; the
detailed study of geologic structure
as it affects the distribution of ore
bodies; the determination of the
mode of occurrence of metallic
minerals in the lodes with special
attention to the presence or alb
sence of surface enrichment; the
sampling of ore bodies to deter
mine their size and value; and the
collection of all information that
might help in predicting the prob
able depth to which ore might be
expected to extend. These studies
required the preparation of special
topographic maps in the Kantish-
ma, Mount Eielson, Girdwood and
Anthracite Ridge areas.
Fairbanks District
In the Fairbanks district j. NJ
Hill has made careful study Of
all the lode properties to which he
could gain access. Four gold lode
mines are actively milling ore, and
several others are being developed.
Although little ore has been block
ed out in a technical sense, there
is good reason to believe that sur
ficient ore is available to keep the
mills active for several years. No
mine nj the district has yet reach
ed depth of more than 300 feet,
and the question whether the gold
ore continues to greater depth has
vital bearing on the future of lode
mining in this region. Although
the field evidence in places Sug-
gests that there may have been
some enrichment of the shallow
portions of the veins, there is also
definite evidence that the veins
contain primary gold of econ0mic
value that should continue to
depths considerably below any that
have SO far been reached.
A matter of great Importance to
the future Of lode mining in the
Fairbanks district is to determine
whether or not certain large min
eralized lodes, such as the Ryan
lode, can be mined at a profit. 1t
seems to be definitely established
that the Ryan lode contains well
over 100000 tons of ore carrying
between 81 and S. to the ton in
gold. Whether or not this ore can
be profitably extracted is mining
problem that is receiving careful
attention.
The Fairbanks district as a whole
affords large possibilities that many
gold lodes other than those now
known may be discovered. Mr.. Hill
is of the opinion that several prop
critics not now being operated are
of sufficient merit to warrant ac-
tive mining, and he believes that
with the necessary capital and in
telligently directed development the