The Kusko times., 1933-07-08

mining industry in the Territory. To those less familiar with general con- ditions it may be stated that com parison of the average selling price of three of the common metals that to the mineral output, of the Territory-copper, lead, and sil- ver-showed that the prices received in 1892 were, respectively, 76, 8S, and 97 per cent of the prices for the same metals in 1881; or only about 36, 49, and 49 per cent of thes prices received in 1929. ,As
 It was not the direct effect of de- creases in selling prices of these met alsr however, that has caused the drop in mineral production, so much as their indirect and less obvious effect in deterring operators from opening up new properties or maintaining even a normal rate of output from many of the mines already producing. In many places development work was considerably curtailed, retrench- ments instituted to effct economies, and the undertaking of new enter prises except gold mining practically ceased.
 There was, of course, no change in the unit price of gold, and this very stability, when compared with the de- creases in price of other commodities, stimulated tn eoutput of this metal, i, and as a result there was a very large increase in the gold production of In fact, the output of gold from the Territory in 1882 was greater than it had been in any other year since 1917. The output of gold was distributed between lodes and placers approximately in the propor- tion of 46 to 4,687, ,000 from lodes and $5.622,O00 fpm placens. producing gold lodes are widely dis tributed through various partss of the Territory, but nearly three-qlarters of the output came from. lodess in southeastern Alaska, where aenessi- bility to deep-waten routes off com- munication and other favorable. con- ditions have Rermitted the successful mining of immense tonnages of low grade gold ore.
 The output of placer gold was about twO-thirdss of a. million dollars more than. in. 1881. Hundreds of camps contributed. to the output, but those in the Yukon basin contributed the greatest, aanonnt,. and those in Seward PeninsalMcame next. Nearly 75 per cent off thestotal placer prodnc- tion of the Territory was mined by dredges, of which 25 were active dur ing 1932-PI imthe camps in the Yu- kon valley: 13 in Seward Peninsula, and l. in ths Kuskokwim. valley. To- gether these dredges produced gold to the value of $4,293,0OO. They are wstimated to have handled about TO- 2I0. .OoO cubic yards of gravel, and the gold raeovered was worth about AIS. centss . cnbic yard. No new dredges were: built during the year, but one old dredge that had been idle for some time was again active in 1892. Four dradges that were active in 1881 were idle during this year.
 Tke output of copper in 1882 was S,738, ,000 pounds, or nearly 100000 pounds less than in 1881, and it's value was about S1 300, 900 less than in 1881. Practically the whole of the Alaskz copper comes from two mines operated by the Kennecott, Copper Bsth in the Copper River region. The oes from the properties in that egion is largely high grade copper sulpHide and carbonate. All the Alaska copper ore is shipped to the States for s1nelting.
 None of the Alaska ores gre mined solely for their silver content, but silver is recovered as a minor constituent from the ores of gold and copper. In 1882 silver to