The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1940-03-31
TOTAL Mine
OUTPUT OFF
Is PERCENT
New Equipment in Placer
Fields Helps Boost
1889 Gold Rate
BY b. ID. STEWART
TerritoriaI Commissioner of Mines

Territorial Commissioner of Mines
The total value of all minerals
produced by Alaska mines during the
year 1889 was Is percent, or approx
imately three million dollars, less
than that of the corresponding out
put of the previous year.
This loss in production resulted
principally from the almost total
cessation of the mining of copper
ore in the Territory that occurred
when the large mines at Kennecott
were permanently closed and aban-
doned in the fall of 1888.
Other important factors in the
diminished total production were:
lessened output from lode gold
mines, which yielded nearly one mil
lion dollars less than in 1898; and a
falling off in the amount of plat
mum metals produced, the value OF
the total output of these metals
having dropped nearly 100000 be-
low that of 1888 when the yield
was estimated at 81, 100000.
Loss in Silver
AS a direct result of the closing
of the Kennecott mines the output
of silver, which heretofore had
been recovered in substantial
amounts as a by-product from the
Kennecott copper ores, fell in value
from about 100000 to $l54,000, or
nearly SO percent.
The output of tin in 1889 was val
ued at only about one-third that OF
the previous year; amounting to
only $4,000.
The production of other miner
ais. including lead, antimony. coal
and limestone, remained substan-
TALLY the same as for the previous
year.
Rich Gold Harvest
Fortunately last years record
in gold-placer mining, from which
industry over 60 percent of the to-
tai mineral production is now de-
rived, presents a much brighter
picture The yield of gold from
placer deposits increased by about
percent over the year before and
went far toward offsetting the di-
minished returns from other Sourc-
eS.
In spite of lowered production of
mineral products during the past
year the condition of the mining
industry as a whole remains vigor
Gus and the outlook for the future
is encouraging. No such major
backset as last years loss of the
copper mining industry is to be fore
seen and it is probable that sub
stantial increases in both lode and
placer gold production will be re-
corded during the coming year.
New Equipment
Continued advance in the mechan-
izing of placer mining operations has
been of major Importance in ac-
comprising the increased produc-
ton from that source. Especially
noteworthy is the gigantic equip
ment for excavating and distributing
placer material that was installed
during the year by the U. S. Smelt-
ing Refining and Mining Co. at their
Cripple Greek pit operations near
Fairbanks. The principal items of
this installation include an enor-
nous walking dragline of the Buoy
Monaghan type; belt conveyor
system for waste disposal that is
one mile or more in length; and a |
huge movable and self -propelling
loading plant that receives mater
ial from the and 12-yard buckets
of the dragline and delivers it in a |
steady stream to the belt-conveyor
system.
Dipper Dredge
Widespread interest was also man.
ifested among mining operators dur
ing the year in the encouraging |
performance of new type of dredge |
that was placed in operation near
Ferry in the Bonnifield mining dis
trict. The distinguishing feature
of this dredge is the use of a single
dipper, similar in type to that of a
power shovel. in lieu of the usual
bucket line, for excavating the ma
terial to be washed. The dipper is
mounted on a steel framework at
the digging end of the dredge in
such way as to permit it to be
elevated at sufficient angle to
discharge its load through the hol-
low dipper-stick into a revolving
trommel screen. The washing, gold
saving and stacking units of this
dredge are similar to those now in
widespread use in California and
elsewhere on lightweight dredges
that are commonly known as doc
dle-bugs"
Other interesting innovations in
the use of mechanical equipment
include the operation of an improved
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