Commissioner of Mines for The

TERRITORY OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF MINES

Report

of the Commissioner of Mines for the

EPENNPUM ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1954 DEPARTMENT OF MINES STAFF ON DECEMBER. 31, 1954

Phil R. Holdsworth, Commissioner of Mines, Box 1391, Juneau January 10, 1955

James A. Williams, Associate Mining Engineer, Box 1391, Juneau Honorable B. Frank Heintzleman Tdartin W. Jasper, Associate Mining Engineer, Box 2139, Anchorage Governor of Alaska Juneau. Alaska Wiley D. Robinson, Associate Coal Mining Engineer, Box 2139, Anchorage Sir : Robert M. Saunders, Associate Mining Engineer, Box C, College I I have the honor to submit to you, and through you Arthur E. Glover, Assayer-Engineer, Box 1408, Ketchikan to the Twenty-second Session of the Territorial kegisla- I ture, in accordance with Section 47-3-1319, ACLA, 1949, Peter 0. Sandvik, Assayer-Engineer, Box 657, Norne the report of the Commissioner of Mines for the bien- William F. Attwood, Assayer-Engineer, Box @, College nium ended December 31, 1954.

RoyPe C. Rowe, Assayes, Box 2139, Anchorage Respectfully submitted, Cathryn Mack, Administrative Assistant, Box 1391, Juneau PHIL R. HOLDSWORTH Jean Crosby, Stenographer-Clerk, Box 1391, Juneau Commissioner of Mines CONTENTS

Page Letter of Transmittal ...... 3

The I>epartment of Mines ...... 7 Atlministrative and General Information ...... 7 Cooperation with Federal Agencies ...... 12 Field Investigations ...... 13 Table I-Field Investigations ...... 14 Safety Inspections ...... 18 Assay Offices and Field Stations ...... 19 New Activities ...... 20 The Alining Jndusiry ...... 23 Future and Needs of the Industry ...... 26 Basic Requirements for Development of a Sound Mining Industry ...... 29 Prospecting and Exploration ...... 31 Precious Metals ...... 33 Lode Mining ...... 33 . . Placer Minlng ...... 35 Coal ...... 44 Coal Miners Examining Board ...... 45 Base Metals ...... 47 Radioactives ...... 55 Nonmetallics ...... 58 Oil and Gas ...... 60 I. aws and Regulations Pertaining to Locating and Leasing Mineral Ground ...... 62

Table 11-Mineral Production of Alaska. 1952-1951 ...... 68 Table 111-Average Metal Prices as Quoted by E.&M.J...... 6:)

Employment and Accidents at Mines ...... 69 Fatalities ...... 69 Table IV-Employment at Mines. 1914 to 1954. inclusive ...... 72 Tahle V-Summary of Accidents and Employment at Mines in Alaska. 1953-1954 ...... 73 Table VI-Summary of Man-Shifts Worked. Fatal and Nonfat.al Accidents. and Time Lost in All Mines in Alaska ...... 74 Lists of Alaskan Mining Operations Active During t.he Biennium. 1953-1954 ...... 7ci List of Reports Issued by the Commissioner of Mines and Corresponding Preceding Officials ...... 109 THE DEPARTMENT OF MINES

Administrative and General Pnfomation

The Territorial Department of Mines, under the management and direction of the Commissioner of Mines, hss charge of all matters affecting exploration, development and mining of the mineral resources of the Territory; the collection and dissemina- tion of all official information relative to the mineral resources, Page and mines and mining projects of the Territory; and has charge Interior view of part of the TDM Juneau headquarters office in of the administration of the laws with respect to all kinds of the new Territorial OfficeBuilding ...... 9 mining. The nenr Anchorage assay office at 329 - 2nd Avenue ...... 11 The Department of Mines conducts a continuing survey of the mineral resources and mining operations of the Territory and disseminates information in regard thereto with a view to per- petuate and assist prospectors and miners; safeguards the lives and health of miners; protects investors in the mining industry; and otherwise fosters and promotes the best interests of the mining, mineral and related industries of the Territory. For the purpose of aiding bona fide miners and prospectors and stimulating mineral discoveries, the Department of Mines maintains four public offices in the Territory located at Ketchi- kan, College, Anchorage and Nome. In view of the extreme need for increased mining production in Alaska, the Department Is exerting every effort within its means to obtain basic information on mineral deposits of possible commercial importance and to disseminate this information to interested miners and venture capital. During the biennium, more time than ever before was spent in all offices in giving advice and assistance to exploration parties, researchers, and engineers or geologists representing mining companies who are looking for mining or investment opportunities. The Department also works continually for needed changes in mining and land laws which will make new mining ventures easier to achieve. 8 REPORT OF COFvlMISSIONER OF MINES

Protection of investors was another field of endeavor in which the Department increased fts activity during the biennium. At the request of past, present, and prospective investors, various organizations and individuals were investigated and reprted on as to their reliability, reputation, or methods employed. This fs a distinct service to the legitimate operators as it helps maintain a good reputation for Alaskan mining in general.

The staff of the Juneau office of the Department includes Phil R. Holdsworth, Commissioner of Purines; dames A. Williams, Associate Mining Engineer; an Administrative Assistant; and a Clerk-Stenographer. Located in the Anchorage area are Martfn W. Jasper, Associate Mining Engineer; Wlley D. Robinson, Associ- ate Goal Mining Engineer; and Royle C. Rowe, Assayer. Robert H. Saunders, Assodate Mining Engineer, and William F. Attwood, Assayer-Engineer, are stationed at College h the F'airbanks area. The Retchikan office is run by Arthur E. Glover, Assayer- Engineer, and the Home office by Peter 0. Sandvik, Assayer- Engineer.

Several changes in personnel took place during the biennium. The change probably having the most marked effect on the operation of the Deparhnent was the one in which Martin W. Jasper, s very capable mining engfneer of long experience, joined the Department at Anchorage where there has been no engineer before to help miners and prospectors of the Third Division. Royle C. Rowe also joined the staff at Anchorage after a training period at the Ketchlkan office. B was fortunate, too, for a11 concerned that Peter 0. Sandvik, former Anchorage &sayer, was released from the Army and joined the Department again at Nome to replace Daniel Jones, who resigned on December 31, 1953, so that the Nome office could be kept in operation. Lowell Patten, at the College office, resigned in 1954 and was replaced by William F. Attwood. All Department positions are presentIy filled.

The new Anchorage building was cornpIeted, occupied, and opened to the public late in 5953. At Nome, the new assay office is nearing completion and wlZl be ready for business early in the 1955 field season. A new building is being planned for the Col- lege office tor which construction funds are being requested from the 1955 Legislature. The way office situation at Ketchikan is presently unsettled, but the Department will attempt to "make do" there until 1957, and then request funds for a new assay building. Libraries of Alaskan publications issued by the U. S. Geoho- gical Survey, U. 5. Bureau of Mines and the Atomic Energy Com- mission are maintained at the assay offices and the Juneau headquarters. These libraries are open to the public and, in addition to these publications, the Juneau office has collected much additional Information on various properties throughout the Territory resulting from examinations and reports by engineers of the De- partment. The offices aIso maintain collections of classified rocks and minerals, including those of Alaskan origin, as a means of ready reference or identification by the prospector and miner. Several thousand inquiries in regard to the mining industry by visitors and by correspondence were answered during the bi- ennlum. Professional advfce in the way of examinations and reports is offered to the prospector and miner by Departmental engineers. This service is offered to those who cannot afford the employment of a private consultant. Reports of examinations by TJ3M engineers: for private individuals are for their information only, and results af same are not made public unless so authorized by the property owners. Many requests for this type of advice were received and resulting examinations made by members of the Department st.aff. Geophysical exploration projects on a moderate ~caleare also carried out by Department engineers. I As a result of action by the 1953 Legldature, four new activl- ties or projeets have been carried on by the Department of Mines during the past biennium. A complete bfblfagraphy or inventory of Alaskan mineral deposits, containing basic information on them and references to more detailed information, was started to fill the need for a simple, organized system of presenting this information to interested mining companies and venture capital. The completion of this project will take considerable time, depending sn the personnel the Department is able to employ on it. The need for a central recording file to enable one to determine the legal status of mining ground throughout the Terxltory from one location is now being fulfilled by compliance wfth the provisions of Chapter 95, 5LA 1953, which requires U. S. Cornmissioners to send to Juneau duplicate copies of mining recordings and other docu- 12 EIEPOR?' OF COMRIISSIONEII OF MINES RE:I'ORT OF' COMMISSIONEIZ OIi' MINES 13

rnents affecting title to mining ground and paying the Commis- designations will be wed in describing mining operations, etc., sioners for this servic,e. The 1953 Legislature also created a Coal because the watershed boundaries of the districts seldom divide Miners Examining Board for the purpose of qualifying coal miners mining areas. In the appended tabulated list of active mining to assume positions of responsibility In the coal mines-a contri- operations, botn district and quadrangle designations are used in bution to the safety of Alaskan coal miners that has long been order that interested persons may also become familiar with the needed. The Commissioner of Mines is chairman of this board, locations with respect to the USGS quadrangle maps which are and the Associate Coal Mining Engineer is a member. To provide now published for the entire Territory and are becoming very satisfactory enforcement of safety regulatioris in connection with widely used. all types of rock excavation, the 2953 Legislature re-defined the The USGS has recently compiled an extensive card index to term "mining" to include rock work in connection with, but not references in their bulletins concerning Alaskan mineral occur- limit,ed to, the construction of water or highway tunnels or drains, rences. This index, containing several thousand cards, facilitates or of underground sites for the housing of industrial plants or the location of Geological Survey information on mineral deposits. other facilities. They have been most cooperative ir, placing a reproduced copy of Since the Territory of Alaska joined the Interstate Oil Corn- this card file in the Juneau office of the Territorial Department pact Commission as an associate (nonproducing) member, the of Mines for the Department's use and information of the public. Commissioner of Mines has been attending its meetings once a The USGS also sends to the Department copies of "open file" re- year as Alaska's official repre~entat~ive. ports pertaining to Alaska that are not available for public distribution. Cooperation with Federal Agencies The Department of Mines has received excellent cooperation A close cooperative exchange of information with the Atomic from the Alaska Road Commission when requesting, with proper Energy Commission on radioactive samples originating in Alaska The Bureau of Land Man- I justification, aid for mine operators. was carried out by the Department of Mines. There has also been I agement and the Forest Service have cooperated to the best of a free exchange of information with the U. S. Geological Survey their ability in supplying informatio~?on the status of mineral and the U. S. Bureau of Mines, and some joint inspections or ex- lands and claims when requested. aminations have been made. Occasionally the Department of Mines has been able to make preliminary examinations of pros- Field Investigations pects. on short notice. as a,rneans of justifying further investiga- Field examinations and technical assistance were given by tion by the Defense Minerals Exploration Administration field members of the Department of Mines staff to those requesting team. During the biennium, the Department of Mines and the this service. Examinations were made, and reports written or pro- U. S. Bureau of Mines effected a formal signed agreement for the fessional advice given, on those pr~pertieslisted in Table h. mutual cooperative interchange of information. This eliminates a certain amount of duplication of effort and is a saving of time and money.

Since the U. S. Bureau of Mines uses a system of region and inining district designations for their statistical reporting, and the U. S. Geological Survey now bases their geological information on their quadrangle system, the Department of Mines is adopting both systems in order to facilitate exchange of information with both agencies. In the text of this report, mining district TABLE I-Field Investigations Region and Property Chief 3Iinei.als Location Type of Esan~ination Examining Engineer & Pear Bristol Bay. Region McNeil Copper Paint River Geological Jasper & Williams-1953

Cook Inlet-Susitna Region Tuxedni Bay Iron Cook Inlet Reconnaissance Jasper-1953 Z Moose Creek Copper North of Palmer Engineering Holdsworth & Jasper-1953 Jim Creek Copper Southwest of Palmer Reconnaissance Holdsworth & Jasper-1953 0 Fennimore Copper Sheep Mountain Geological .Jasper-1953 Stipp Alumina S. Fork of hlatanuska Geological Jasper-1953 3 River 0 ICnik River Chromite Eklutna to Knik Geophysical Jasper & Williams-1953 Bridge Reconnaissance C, Fabian & Moore Clay Fishhook Creek Engineering Jasper-1953 B Wolverine Creek Copper Northeast of Palmer Reconnaissance Holdsworth-1953 z Kathleen-Margaret Copper Maclaren River Geological with USGS Saunders-1953 M Windy & White Creeks Gold Valdez Creek District Reconnaissance Saunders-1953 2U) Gray Copper Little Susitna River Engineering Holdsworth-1954 0 Dunkle Coal Broad Pass Engineering Holdsworth-1954 Ready Cash Gold-Copper-Lead Ohio Creek Geological Jasper & Saunders-1954 3 Butte Creek Copper Valdez Creek District Reconnaissance Jasper & Saunders-1954 3 Monarch Gold Near Girdwood Engineering Jasper-1954 0 Shirley Lake Radioactives Near Skwentna River Radiometric Holdsworth & Jasper-1954 Lonesome Mine Gold Little Susitna River General Jasper-1954 E Cantwell Area Manganese Jack Creek General Jasper & Saunders-1954 m (R Copper River Region Midas Copper Vicinity of Traldez Reconnaissance Jasper-1953 Little Feller Gold Thompson Pass Engineering Jasper & TVilliams-1954 Fine Chance Gold Vicinity of Valdez Engineering Williams-1954 Middle Fork Gold Chistochina River General Williams-1954 Halvorson-Finnison Nickel-Copper Spirit Mountain Geological Jasper-1954 Strandberg Copper Mile 7, Cantwell Koad Reconnaissance Jasper-1954 Four-in-One Copper Miners River Engineering Holdsworth&Williams-1954

4F Bering River Coal Bering River Coal Reconnaissance Field Ibach Copper Ibek Creek Geological

Kenai Peninsula Region ICenai Chrome Co. Chromite Red SIountain Geophysical Jasper & Williams-1953 Seldovia Chrome Co. Chromite Fish Creek Geophysical and Jasper & Williams-1953 Reconnaissance Alaska Exploration & Gold Nuka Bay Engineering Development Co. Lynx Creek Copper-Gold Mile 61, Seward Reconnaissance Highway

Kodiak Region Peninsula Exploration Copper Sitkalidak Island Geological Co. Kodiak Exploration Co. Tungsten Kodiak Island Geological - -. Kuskokwim River Region V1 DeCoursey Mine Quicksilver Aniak District Engineering Holdsworth & Jasper-1953 & 1954 z Red Devil Quicksilver Aniak District Engineering Holdsworth & Jasper-1953 M & 1954 Willis Quicksilver Willis Creek Geological Kolmakof Quicksilver Kuskokwim River Geological Konechney Copper Mission Creek Reconnaissance

Northwestern Alaska Region Berg Copper Ruby Creek Engineering Saunders & Sandvik-1954 Sours Chromite Noatak District Geological Saunders & Sandvik-1954

Seward Peninsula Region Edwards Antimony Big Hurrah Creek Geological Williams & Saunders-1953 Zenda Mining Co. Tin Cape Mountain Area Geophysical Williams & Saunders-1953 w Peace River Radioactives Koyuk District Engineering Jones-1953 Cn U.S. Tin Corp. Tin Lost River General Holdslvorth-1953 Sc 1954 g Independence Lead-Silver Kugruk River Reconnaissance Saunders & Saadvik-I954 ICennetly Pegmatite Windy Creek Reconnaissance Sandvik-1954 Rocky Mountain Creek 'T~mgsten Nome Distr~ct Reconnaissance with Sandvilr-1934 USGS

Southeastern Alaska Region Maid of llexico Gold Woewodski Island Engineering ltTilliams & Glover-1953 Snettisham Iron Port Snettisham Geophysical Williams-1953 M Red Bluff Bay Chromite Baranof Island Geophysical Holdsworth&Williams-1953 9. Bohemia Basin Nickel Yakobi Island Reconnaissance Holdsworth-1953 0; Funter Bay Nickel-Copper hdlniralty Island General Holdsworth&Willian1s-1953 2- & 1954 Endicott River Copper Trib. to Lynn Canal Reconnaissance Holdsworth&Williams-1953 .;1 Roberts Antimony Camaano Point Geological with USGS Rowe--1953 n Lillie-Pitcher hlolybdenum Kosciusko Island Geological Holdsworth & Glover-1953 Fishery Point Zold-Copper Admiralty Island Reconnaissance Holds~vorth&Willi,?ms-1954 2 IC & D Lode kid-Antimony Sunset Cove Geological Holdsworth-1954 z Chuck River 301d Trib. to Windham Bay Geological Holdsworth-1954 U)u Port Houghton Copper Petersburg District Geological Holdsworth-1954 z Mount Parker Gold Glacier Bay Engineering Holdsworth-1954 0 Tidal Inlet Iron Glacier Bay Reconnaissance Holdsworth-1954 Dundas Bay Copper Cross Sound Geological Holdsworth-1954 2 Silver King Silver-Lead Excursion Inlet Engineering Holclsworth-1954 Z Heiner Gold Windham Bay Engineering Holdsworth&IVillia~ns-1954 2 Taylor Creek Copper Trib. to Windham Bay Reconnaissance Holds~rorth&T~'illia~~~s-1954 Excursion Inlet Copper West side of Inlet Reconnaissance Williams-1954 +,g Union Bay Iron Cleveland Peninsula Reconnaissance Holdsworth-1954 z Tah Bag Iron Prince of Wales Island Reconnaissance Glover-1954 M Kelp Island Iron Near Duke Island Reconnaissance Glover-1954 cn Coning Inlet Lead-Silver-Zinc Long Island Geological Glover-1954 .., . Yukon River Region Wackmitz Lead Pedro Dome Geological Creighton Mine Gold Pedro Dome General Alaska Metals Nining Tungsten Gilmore Dome General - Co.

Vuyovich Gold Ester Dome Engineering Saunders-1953 & 1954 Spruce Hen Tungsten Head of Steel Creek Geological Saunders-1953 Old Griffin Prospect Sickel Livengood Vicinity Geological Saunders-1954 1,Iiddle Fork ICoyukuk Radioactives ICoyukuk District Reconnaissance Saunders-1954 River Ricks Nickel Upper Salcha River Engineering Saunders-1954

In acldition to the above table, numerous other visits to mining properties, prospecting sites, and tunneling projects were made by Department of Mines personnel for the purposes of safety inspections and enforcement, acci- pj dent investigations, and giving technical advice. The Cornmissioner of Mines visited many mining operations, coal mines, and oil lire11 drilling sites. The Coal Mining Engineer inspected all active coal mines at least once a month 2 for safety conditions. 2 0 '3 n 0z 5: H zU) z0 zM 0 '3 E !--Iz I? 18 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 19

Safety Inspections Assay Offices and Field Stations Safety inspections were made at all properties visited by the The assay offices and field stations of the Department at Met- Department engineers. Inspections were also made at tunnel sites chikan, College, Anchorage and Nome performed analyses and not directly connected with mining-the Eklutna power project, mineral determinations during the biennium. This service is of- the Ward Cove power project and Beaver Falls tunnels near Ket- fered free of charge to bona fide prospectors and miners and chikan, the Ketchikan city street tunnel, and the power project serves to encourage the search for minerals in the Territory. The tunnel on Annette Island. Jurisdiction over safety matters in following tabulation compares the number of samples handled for non-mining tunnels was given to the TDM by the 1953 Legislature. the past four years: Monthly inspections of coal mines were continued by the 1951 1952 19.53 6954 Associate Coal Mining Engineer stationed at Anchorage. The Gold and silver ...... 666 861 1067 1630 union-sponsored safety committees continued to work with the Chemical analyses ...... 400 643 805 1696 Department and mine management to keep the miners "safety Coal analyses ...... 3 10 29 7 Mineral identifications ...... 433 1963 852 743 conscious" and thus help to maintain a low accident rate in Alas- ---- kan coal mines. r1 7 otals ...... 1502 2010 2753 4076 The 82nd Congress, just before adjournment, passed a bill The above table shows a continued trend of increasing pros- concerning coal mine safety which became Public Law 522. This pecting activity which, if it continues, can only lead ultimately to law directs the U. S. Bureau of Mines to enforce the provisions of new mineral discoveries of economic importance. It will be noted the Federal Coal Mine Safety Code, a duty which had previously that the total volume of samples received and analyzed in 1954 been performed by State or Territorial agencies. The law pro- was nearly triple that in 1951, and that the volume for the 1953- vides for submission of a state or Territorial plan for approval by 1954 biennium was nearly double that for the previous biennium. the Director, U. S. Bureau of Mines, before State or Territorial The rate of increase of chemical assays is greater than that of agencies can resume policing powers. The Department of Mines gold and silver, indicating that the most rapid increase is in the submitted a safety plan which was one of the first approved by 'prospecting for base metals and strategic minerals. These assays the Bureau, and now is officially jointly responsible with the Bu- were made mostly for the following metals in the order of their reau for the inspection and enfarcement of safety conditions in frequency: copper, nickel, lead, mercury, iron, zinc, chromium, Alaskan coal mines for the protection of the coal miners. tungsten, cobalt, and antimony. Nearly all samples received are The biennium was disastrous in the matter of fatalities- checked for radioactivity whether it is specifically requested or three in the coal mines, four in metal mines, and two in placer not. mining activities. These accidents were largely of the freakish The new Department of Mines building at Anchorage, which unavoidable type, but there were also those that were due to neg- houses the assay office and laboratory and offices of the two min- ligence on the part of workers or management. Details are ining engineers stationed there, was completed and put into opera- cluded in a later section of the report. Comparative coal mine tion late in 1953. Official "open house" was held during the 1954 figures follow : Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. The work load at Anchorage in the Nonfatal Accidents way of samples received and requests for advice and field assist- n1;tn Shift% Acciclents Per M.M.H. ance has increased greatly since the new building has been in use, Strip ...... 59,805 63 132 Uncierground ...... 133,880 168 157 and the Department feels that a fair share of this increased pros- - - pecting interest and activity in the Third Division is due to the Total-Alaska ...... 193,685 231 149 enlarged facilities and new personnel there. U. S. Coal-States .... 50 2C REPOIZ'I' OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 21 A new assay office will be ready for business at Nome early in the 1955 field season. A buildi~gwas purchased and moved on to be prepared to enable one to see quickly the deposits of certain a full-sized concrete basement;, which was built by the Depart- classifications within certain districts, or those within certain size or development restrictions, etc. The importance and need inent 011 a lot being donated by the city. Some interior work remains to be done on the building, but assaying equipment will be of having organized economic mineral, mining, and land statw installed and ready for analyses of samples when they start ar- information readily available for the many who are interested riving next field season. cannot be overestimated. It may also be used to attract the attention of venture capital that otherwise might go elsewhere. The present assay office at College is, and has been for many This work is being done under a special appropriation by the 1953 years, housed in quarters which are entirely inadequate for the Legislature. Pi is a long-range program, just fairly started, which large work load at that location. It is in the basenemt of the old will require a few years' work and research, and the 1955 Legisla- college power plant. Plans are now under way for the construc- ture is being requested for sufficient funds to place full-time per- tion of a building which will provide suitable space for the College sonnel on it. assay and field offices on the campus. Funds are being requested from the 1955 Legislature for this purpose. The central recording work is also new and made possible by a law passed by the 1953 Legislature. It fills the need of being At Ketchikan, the fate of the present assay office quarters is able to determine the status of unpatented mining claims from unsettlcd. The city owns the lot and building, and has agreed to one central location, rather than having to travel around the Ter- sell the lot for a car parking enterprise. The prospective buyers ritory to the various recording precinct offices, and then quite are now apparently delaying, and the transaction is "hanging in often not being able to find the desired records. One of the first the balance." The Department of Mines hopes to be able to main- things a prospective investor needs to know is the status of the tain the same arrangement as at present until 1957, when it in- ground. The new law requires the U. S. Commissioners, who are tends to request funds for a new building at Ketchikan. Mining Recorders, to send to the Department of Mines Juneau off ice duplicate copies of all location certificates, affidavits of New Activities assessment work, and other instruments affecting title to mining At the suggestion of various individuals and companies con- ground. The Recorders are paid for this service. The documents cerned with Alaska's mining industry, the Department of Mines are filed and cross-referenced four ways: by location, name of has started a complete inventory, or bibliography, of all mineral owner, name of claim, name of mineral. It is a valuable file, and deposits worthy of note in the Territory. This project is for the several State mining departments have enviously expressed the benefit of interested mining men, companies, or venture capital desire and need for a system like Alaska's. Since the records only who wish to start or invest in mining enterprises in Alaska. There date back to April of 1953, the file will be even more valuable in a is at present much factual information on the mineral occur- few more years. This central recording file is used by the TDM rences, but it is in several different locations and much of it unor- for reference and statistical purposes, but is not treated as public ganized. The inventory wiil centain basic mineralogical, geologi- information. cal, and engineering information on all deposits, and will give references to detailed geological and engineering reports so that Another activity legislated into effect in 1953 is the Coal Min- ers Examining Board. The Depart,ment of Mines is responsible they may be easily found for those who are interested. The references will be to all USGS and USBM bulletins, reports, etc., in for this board, and the Commissioner of Mines and the Associate Coal Mining Engineer are chairman and member, respectively. addition to TDM reports and reports by private engineers and Two other members are chosen from the industry by the industry: geologists. The USGS card file, mentioned earlier, will be of con- one from the operators and one from the coal miners' union. There siderable assistance in this work. An index to the inventory will has long been a need for this board, the purpose of which is to ex- 2 2 IIEPOIIZ'I' 01" COMMISSIONER OF' MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 23 amine applicants who wish to obtain supervisory positions in the coal mines to deterrnnie if they have sufficient experience and krlowledge for the safety of the men who work under them. Reci- THE MINING INDUSTRY procity certificates are granted those who hold "papers" from State coal miners examining boards. Alaska's total mineral production, dollar-wise, for the 1953- The Territorial Department of Mines has for the past one and 1954 biennium increased by 6y0 over that of 1951-1952. This in- a half years published a monthly mining news and information crease was caused by the coal mining industry, which raised its bulletin called the TDM Bulletin. It has been widely praised by tonnage to 1,514,471 for this biennium, which was 28y0 over that all who have read it, with very few exceptions, and has received of the previous biennium. However, due to the rise in coal prices, national recognition by the mining industry. In it, the Department the value of coal mined during the biennium increased by 7470. gives rrews of monthly mining developments about the Territory, Coal production reached a peak in 1953 and is now on the decrease. mineral and equipment information for prospectors, mineral mar- Gold and silver production increased about 5.5%. This was due ket information, occasional articles on mining law, and almost to the large placer operations, for the smaller operations are de- anything else that it is felt will be of interest and help to the Alas- creasing in number. Increases in tin, mercury, building stone, and kan prospector and miner. It advises prospective investment chromite occurred ciuring the biennium. Sand and gravel mining capital of promising mineral deposits. The circulation is growing decreased by 12.5% and 16% in tonnage and value, respectively, larger every month and includes a large number of Stateside min- because of the tapering off of the construction industry. Very ing companies that have expressed interest in Alaska. The TDM little tungsten and lead were mined during the biennium, and no Bulletin is free to anyone who is genuinely interested 6n Alaskan antimony, zinc, or pumice. Gold remains the most important prospecting and mining. mineral, followed closely in value by coal, then sand and gravel, platinum, tin, mercury, building stone, chromite, silver, jade, and The field activities of the Department of Mines have changed copper, in that order. somewhat during the last biennium to include frequent search for and examination of old abandoned prospects which might be Adverse economic conditions are still the greatest enemy of of interest under today's changed economic picture. The Depart- the existing mining industry. In gold mining, the situation 0% the ment usually endeavors to interest private prospectors in the ven- fixed price and the continuously rising operating costs has put ture first, and failing this, goes out to personally examine the more of the small placer operations out of business and has fin- prospect to determine if an attempt should be made to interest ally closed the last fully active lode mine in the Territory. At the rnining companies in developing it. If a prospect does appear to end of the biennium, only a very few small intermittent lode gold have possibilities, an attempt is made to release the information operations remained with insignificant production. on an equal, impartial basis. Base metal production for this biennium increased from prac- As mentioned twice earlier, the Department now also inspects tically no production in the previous biennium, but it was still the and enforces safety measures in hydroelectric and other tunnels result of only three mines for the whole Territory: U. S. Tin Cor- and excavations that are not for the purpose of obtaining poration, DeCoursey Mountain Mining Company's Red Devil mer- minerals. cury mine, and the Kenai Chrome Cornparly mine. Of these three, the Red Devil mine was closed by a fire late in 1954, dropping the number of base metal producers to two at the close of the biennium. The U. S. Tin Corporation mine is now in steady year- around production, and Is developing into a paying proposition. Kenai Chrome Company production will be increased in 1955. 24 REI'ORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINICS REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OE' MINES 25 Prospecting and exploration activities, particularly for iron, during the biennium in the total amount of $362,599. This is a copper, mercury, and radioactives, have shown a sudden increase considerable decrease from the sum of $928,000 for the previous during the biennium that is not far short of phenomenal. Notable biennium. in this increase is the returning to grub-staking arrangements and the new practice of outright hiring of prospectors. As never Alaska lZletals Mining Company, tungsten. Fairbanks before, qualified Alaskans are being hired or grubstaked, both as District prospectors and consultants, by large "outside" mining companies Alaska ?'in C:orporation, tin, Port Clarence District and local investment groups. As a result of all this, a few vaIuabie Red Mountain Mining Company, platinum, Goodnews Bay District discoveries, or rediscoveries of old prospects now valuable under Alaska Copper Mines, copper, Valdez Creek District today's changed conditions, are believed to have been made. Pacific Northern Minerals Company, tungsten, Hyder However, greater nuinbers of prospectors are yet needed for the District establishment of a healthy mining industry. The prospecting DeCoursey Mountain Mining Company, mercury, Aniak picture, particularly in the Second and Fourth Divisions, is far District from what it should be. Zendn Gold M~nin:: Company, tin, Port Clarence 1)istrict

The biennium saw little activity in nonrnetallics. Several Two of the above Ioans were additions to loans made in the concerns are looking for sulfur. An asbestos deposit was discov- previous biennium. The U. S. Tin Corporation continues to re- ered and staked. McKinley Stone Company of Anchorage quar- ceive financial aid from the Defense Minerals Procurement Ad- ried some building stone. Jade was brought out of the Kobub ministration against its production. country, mica was being developed in Southeast Alaska, and lime- The Reconstruction Finance Corporation gave no help to stone WLS being staked. mines during the biennium, and is now out of business as far as Coal production in 1954 dropped an estimated 24y0 in tonnage future transactions are concerned. It was hoped by some ;hat the from its 1953 peak. This was due to large stockpiles on hand in newly-created Federal Small Business Administration would be of early 1954, smaller military contracts than usual, and.some cus- help to the miner, but those hopes have faded. tomers converting to oil. Eight major oil firms and a number of smaller organizations, In spite of the increased amount of radiometric prospecting Alaskan and Stateside, are actively engaged in Alaskan oil ven- and a pair of small "rushes," r,o radioactive deposits of commer- cures. Four actual drilling projects are under way at the close of cial value have been found. Specimens of highgrade uranium- the biennium, and more are on the way. Applications for oil bearing material! have turned up, but efforts to trace them to leases covering nearly 4,000.000 acres of Alaskan land have been their source have so far been unsuccessful. A large number of made, and much geological and geophysical petroleum exploration U. S. Geological Survey Trace Elements reports on their radioactive is being conducted. Like uranium, oil production is only a matter work in Alaska is now available. The Territorial Department of of time. Mines published a brief information circular on uranium as a further guide to those interested. Many parts of Alaska are geo- A much needed first-aid and mine-rescue program was re- logically favorable for uranium deposition, and discoveries of im- activated by the W. 6.Bureau of Mines during the biennium. They portance will yet be made. rehabilitated their mine rescue car so that it can be effectively used in case of emergency, and gave mine-rescue and first-aid The Defense Minerals Exploration Administration continued courses at the coal mines and the U. S. Smelting Refining and to participate in financial aid to develop Alaskan mines. Follow- Mining Company placer operations. This was a definite contri- ing is a list of the operations which received aid from this agency bution to the mining industry. REPORT OF COMh4ISShONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 27

Future and Needs of the Industry incentives, and economic and poPitical conditions. Other problems include land withdrawals, Indian claims, discriminatory The future of gold mining is well known. It can only continue government purchase programs, and noncompulsory assessment to decrease under the present fixed price anc! high operating costs, work nf f idavits. and apparently neither of these will change in the foreseeable future. Government and defense construction is not slom-ing as Withdrawn land is holding up Alaska's mineral development fast as was earlier expected, so the competition from this industry in several places. The Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 sitilatior, is Ls still in existence, though diminishing. discussed under "'Oil and Gas." A U. S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (ANS) site of 320 acres on the Klukwan placer iron deposit wiil Coal mining, second to golG mining in importance, appears put an end to that promised large mining operation if not re- to be in definite danger of losing the battle with oil for the Ter- leased. Canadian interests would like to try mining the sulfur ritorial market. Carelessness of the operators in not delivering on Makushin Volcano, Unalaska Island, but it is within a military a clean product to the consumer is partly to blame. New installa- withdrawal. tions favor oil heat, and old installations are converting to oil. The future of base metal mining looks encouraging, which is For many years the Indian claims, or aboriginal rights claims, have confronted Alaska, and clear title to much mining land de- good, for there is practically none in Alaska at present. The in- pends on the settlement of these claims. Yet, the settlement con- creased interest in Alaska's metai deposits and prospects, if continued, means eventual new operations and increased production. tinues to be delayed each year and seems no closer than before. Until a settlement is reached, no one can be certain he has clear Although Alaska still needs more prospectors, the prospecting title to the claims he wishes to mine. It can be seen that it will situation is improving. Not for many years has there been the be a boost to the future of mining to have this problem eliminat- amount of prospecting in the Territory as during the past bien- ed as soon as possible. nium and particularly during 1954- Certainly never has there been the organized prospecting with scientific methods and in- The Generai Services Administration mineral purchasing struments by substantial companies and qualified groups as in the program is of little help to the small Alaskan miner, and parts sf past year. Although there is no new production yet, and there it are definiteIy discriminatory against the Alaskan. For example, may not be for another year or two, prospecting such as that of a letter from GSA informed the Department of Mines, "The DO- 1954 can only lead ultimately to discoveries of commercially irn- mestic Mica Program applies only to mica mined in the 48 States portant ore deposits which will lead to new production, the amount and does not include mica mined in Alaska." This sort of thing depending on how the economic picture has changed by then. For is infinitely unfair to the Alaskan miner and a deterrent to the Alaska's geology is right. Given the prospectors, economics Alaskan mining industry. Tanere are in Alaska innumerable become the controlling factor. As the government construction small deposits of tungsten? antimony, lead, tin, mercury, molyb- continues to taper off, economics become more favorable for denum, manganese, zinc, copper, and chromium, which could be The mining. If a few profitable operating base metal mines can be worked if a market were available for the ores in small lots. brought into existence again, the apathy and pessimism of the Federal Defense Minerals Administration should initiate a buying past few decades will be dispiaced by a healthy optimism and an program in the Territory. increased interest in prospecting for additional worthwhile de- On the subject of aid to the mining industry, the Territorial posits. Many things are needed to help bring this about. Elepartment of Nines believes strongly that, in Alaska at Peast, If The more important needs are outlined in the following see- the Government would set up local ore purchasing depots with tion under "Basic Requirements." They deal with prospecting, guaranteed minimum prices, rather than the present system of mineral resources information, the patented land problem, tax loans against future production, many small mines would come 28 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF' MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER 01' MINES 29 into existence, a definite boost to the Territory's economy would the industry, and revenue to Alaska. The tirne to legislate these result and, last but not least, the Government and the tax payers matters into effect is now. Later, after production is under way, would then be getting something for their money which at pres- it will be more difficult to achieve because of added resistance by ent. in most cases, they do not. oil producers. Alaska is now an associate member of the Inter- At present, the filing of assessment work affidavits showing state Oil Compact Commission and can avail itself of the opera- that the required annual work on claims has been done is not re- tional and legal advice offered by this organization, gained quired by law. Hence, it is often impossible to know the actual through many years of experience. This will be of great help in ownership status of mining ground. Confusion sets in, develop- our legislation of oil matters and in administering the necessary ments are halted, and the Territory is the loser of another gos- conservation measures after they are adopted. The Territorial sible mining operation. An important case in point is the Pakobi Department of Mines recommends that the proper conservation Island nickel controversy. When nc assessment work affidavits Paws be passed by the 1955 Legislature, and that before the follow- were filed for two years. Canadian interests, thinking the ground ing Legislature in 1957, oil and gas operabrs be called to public had been abandoned, staked it and started laying plans for ex- hearings to discuss field rules and regulations to be administered ploration and development. The former holder then declared he by a Territorial commission. Taxes from production would pay had been doing the assessment work, was in fact still holding the the cost of the administration. Until there is production, there ground legally, and had been negotiating a deal on the property would be no cost. at the tirne with a nickel company. $30 the matter went to court 2nd is still these, but if either party could have proceeded with his Basic Requirements for DeveIampment of a Sound announced plans, the Territory would be having a nickel explora- Mining Industry tion program there today which could have developed into a large producing operation. Compulsory assessment work affidavits There are several requirements that are basic for the develop- would prevent this sort of thing from haappe~ing,and they should ment of a sound mining industry in the Territory of Alaska. be legislated into effect. Then there would be no further mis- understandings between prospectors and claim holders, and pro- First, active groups of real down-to-earth, economically- duction would result instead of lawsuits. minded, hard-working prospectors are necessary. These men, or the people backing and directing them, must be aware of the cur- To take fullest advantage of the new roads, clearings, and rent and present-day importance of all minerals, the existing bedrock exposures resulting from the greatly expanding logging labor, materials, and transportation problems and costs, etc., as industry in Southeast Alaska, some effort should be devoted to geological anc: economic mineral. reconnaissance over these areas. well as possessing a good basic knowledge of mineralogy and geo- Cooperation of the logging companies and the U. S. Forest Service logy. As stated earlier, it appears that this requirement is on its sholald be sought in an effort to have logged-off areas reasonably way to fulfillment, but mostly in the planning or "being consid- free of impediments to travel after the logging operations are con- ered" stage thus far. cluded. Unless some effort is made along this line, these areas Second, all known information on the mineral resources of become almost impassable after a short period of years, and ef- rllaska, including the economic features of the mineral deposits, forts to prospect such lands are well-nigh hopeless. accessibility, operating and marketing costs, land ownership, etc., With the amount of oil exploration and drilling in Alaska, oil should be made available to interested mine operators and venture production is assured. The Territory should be prepared to assume capital. This will be accomplished as rapidly as possible by the the responsibilities involved in the production of oil, and proper Territorial Department of Mines, depending on appropriations conservation measures should be adopted for the future good of and personnel. 3 1 30 RRI'ORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COhlMISSIONER OF MINES

Third, the patented land problem must be cleared up. At Prospecting and Exploration present, if the owners of patented mining claims are dead o- can- The biennium has been notable for the increase of prospec- not be found, there is no legal way of obtaining the ground for tors in the field, particularly in 1954. The irnwrtant feature of exploration or mining. If the owner is a defunct corporation, the this increase is that much of the prospecting is done, or backed method is expensive, time-consuming, and uncertain. This situa- by, substantial companies and qualified individuals using scien- tion has blocked many mining developments in Alaska, and will Lific methods and instrunhents. Grubstaking arrangements are continue to block them until there is a change. A workable land corning back again and the outright hiring of prospectors as in registration law or a small patented claim tax are solutions to the Canada. Qualified Alaskans are being hired more than before by problem. large "outside" mining companies and investment groups on se- Fourth, and of prime importance, is a worthwhile incentive tainer bases as prospectors and consultants. During the season which can be offered to investment capital to attract its interest of 1954, venture capital expended by companies supporting to the Territory's mineral resources. The incentive, of course, is trained prospectors in the field amounted t~ something in the a tax structure favorable to prospective investment capitaI. The neighborhood of $80,000. En 1953, it was practically nil. Geo- Territory was quite generous in this respect when the 1953 Legis- physical exploration, both ground and aerial, has increased. This lature granted a 3-1/2 year mining tax exemption to all new min- includes radiometric prospecting with countess. A number of ing operations. But the Territorial tax is small in comparison to large mining companies, American and Canadian, have spent con- the Federal tax. If the Federal Government would follow the siderable time in the Territorial Department of Mines Juneau example set by the Dominion of Canada in this matter, the effect office studying the files of reports on Alaskan prospects and pro- wolald soon be shown in an increase in rnining in Alaska. perties with a view toward learning of possible mineral deposits Other requirements are improvements in economic and poli- that would appear sufficiently favorabIe to warrant the invest- tical conditions. Everyone is familiar by now with the difficul- ment of money in further exploration. ties and high costs in Alaska of securing efficient labor, equip- Particular attention was devoted to the search for iron anc! ment, supplies, and dependable transportation. Politically, the copper deposits throughout the length of Southeast Alaska. The attitude of several of the Federal agencies toward Alaskan min- iron companies have been systematically searching the shoreline ing is not helpful and often a deterrent. The Secretary of the areas of the First Division for iron indications with magnetic Interior spoke truly when he said in a recent address at a chem- methods. One of the companies has also been acquiring high- ists' association meeting at New York City, ". . . . History has calcium limestone claims. In the spring of 1955, field crews shown that even the most promising ideas and discoveries will should be arriving to map, drill, and do other work necessary to come to naught if the economic and political climate in which prove the merit of the acquired iron deposits. they can grow and come to fruition is lacking." The best example of the workings of such a system is our Granby and Newmont are currently engaged in developing neighbor-Canada. The provinces and the Dominion have ap- large copper holdings near the headwaters of the Lednmc River, on plied all of the above principles, in various ways, with the result the mainland east of Ketchikan, a short distance inside of Cana- that Canadian mining has shown a phenomenal growth since dian territory. Hopes that this property may become an impor- World War 11, and American capital is going into these Canadian tant capper producer are reported to be very bright, and as a re- developments by the billions of dollars. Alaska's mineral result, numerous prospectors have been combing the Alaskan side sources and geology are comparable to those of western CanacPa. of the border, in this same general area, and some promising dis- A comparison of the mining industries and the environments in coveries have been reported. Juan Munoz, trained prospector, which they operate will give one the answer to the question, "Why spent the summer of 1954 prospecting Southeast Alaska for an is Alaska's rnining industry at a standstill?" Anchorage group called Coast Range Exploration Company. U. S. 32 IZEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 33

Steel of Pittsburgh, W. S. Moore Company of Duluth, Northwest powered Geiger counters and installing them in small planes for Ventures, Ltd., of Vancouver, B. C. and others, were active in iron aerial radiometric traversing. This trend is growing by leaps and lid TOP])C~, and B. @. Mica Company of Vancouver, B. 6. spent bounds, and recent flurries of interest over possible '(strikes" have thc 1954 season developing mica deposits on Sitklarl Lsland. Doug- insured that the trend will continue. !as Mining and Development Company of Vancouver, B. C. is investigating a gold-silver-copper-naolybdenum-manganese property Another new methcd of prospecting introduced into the Ter- ilear Texas Greek in the Hyder District. ritory is geochemical, or soil sampling. It has been used experi- mentally by severai, by at least one actual prospector in Southeast During the biennium, aerial magnetometer surveys were flown Alaska, and by a U. S. Geological Survey geologist in the course of over the nickel deposits at Yakobi Island and at Funter Bay, and his investigations. Two University of Alaska School of Miaes fac- over the iron deposit at Port Snettisham. Several years ago. the ulty members taught a two-weeks course in geochemical prospect- U. S. Geological Survey flew an aerial magnetic survey over the ing in 1954 which was very well attended, and It is also being southern part of Prince of Wales Island. and the resulting aero- taught in the University of Alaska Mining Extension courses magnetic map was released this past season. This map was used which are given in the various towns of the Territory each winter. Lo an advantage by many in the prospecting of that area. The Very briefly, the method involves careful and systematic sampling USGS in 1954 flew a combination magnetic and radiometric sus- of soils in a favorable area, and the samples, when properly ana- vey over the Seward PeninsuPa and several other parts of Alaska. lyzed, usually show indications of nearby mineralization. If many The TPT)M has a ground magnetometer and uses it to assist in ex- prospectors adopt geochemical work and use it carefully and wise- ploration where it appears likely that magnetic work will help ly, discoveries are almost sure to result. Territorial Department solve the problem. of Mines assayers will assist field prospectors in setting up their solutions and give advice on analysis procedures when needed. In the Third Division, Strandberg and Sons had two prospectors exploring copper prospects in the Talkeetna Mountains in Precious Metals 1954. Two prospectors from Chitina were exploring the Spirit Mountain nickel deposit in the lower Copper River country and Lode Mining found an extension hitherto unknown. Northern Pyrites Com- Alaska's lode gold mining has dwindled to almost nothing. pany, a subsidiary of Texas Gulf Sulphur, completed a geophysi- In this whole Territory, known t'ne world over for its huge low- cal electromagnetic exploration project on two sulfide deposits on grade hardrock gold mines and smaller highgrade operations that Latouche Island. Bear Creek Mining Company, Kennecott sub- once produced fabulous amounts of gold, there is now not a single sidiary, investigated the Orange Hill copper deposit in the Chisto- steadily-operating lode gold mine. The reasons for this situation china District with geologicaI and geophysical methods in 1953. are well known and are as follows: greatly increased costs in taxes, They made other investigations in 1954. equipment, and supplies; undependability and high cost of labor; and the fixed price of gold. Very few of the many known gold In the Fourth Division, prospecting in the mercury belt of the lodes that exist in the Territory can be profitably mined under the lower Kuskokwim country increased many times as a result of the present economic conditions. succrssiul operation of the Reci Devil mercury mine. Prospectors have found new deposits and are doing more exploration work on In the First Division there was no significant gold lode pro- old prospects. duction during the biennium other than a retreatment of Alaska Juneau mill tailings late in 1954 by Howard Hayes with a sluicing Both the Third and Fourth Divisions were scenes of consid- setup, and a cleanup of the Hirst Chichagof mill by the Island erable private radioactive prospecting, both ground and aerial. Cove Mining Company. Lode gold prospects being actively devel- Many groups and individuals are buying scintillation or high- oped are those of Robert Novatney at Helm Bay in the Ketchikan 3 1 REPOIIT 01' COMRIISSIONER OF' RZINES REPORT OF COMMISSTONER OF MINES 35

District; Herman Kloss at Sunse~Cove in the Juneau District; and future by Ed Toussaint, who is reportedly buying some milling "Rocky" Johnson in the vicinity of Ketchfkan. The owners of the equipment for the property. Malter Lindgren and Associates Mount Parker Mine (formerly the Leroy Mine) are planning some milled a small amount of gold ore from a prospect on Bedrock exploration work to determine if the mine can be reopened. Larry Creek, tributary to Cleary Creek, in 1954. Development work is seiner and son did some work on a goId Iode in the Petersburg being carried on at the Nixon Fork Mine in the McGrath District. District, recovering the values with a small sluicebox. A flurry of Work at the Eagle Creek Mine in the same ditrict has apparently interest was shown in some of the gold lode properties around been dropped. Only a few individuals engaged in a, little sporadic Berners Bay during 1953, but nothing developed. The Alaska 3u- gold lode prospecting in this Division. neau Gold Mining Company continues to keep a maintenance crew on its properties, though its maintenance is falling behind, Placer Mining in the hopes of changing conditions which will enable it to once Placer gold mining is caught in the same ever-tightening more get back into production. This company has changed its squeeze between increasing costs and the fixed price for gold as corporate papers so that it may also engage in other types of ac- the lode mining, and although it is also decreasing, it has not di- tivity, such as possibly the manufacture of pulp. A few lode gold minished, fortunately, to the status of lode mining. Gold pro- mines in other districts about the Territory are also keeping duction in Alaska, which is practically all by placer mining, in- maintenance men on the payroll. creased from $8,419,495 in 1952 to $8,882,405 in 1953, a rise of 5.5%. The Bureau of Mines estimates a production of $8,847,790 for 1954, In the Second Division, the Big Hurrah Mine near Solomon which indicates a leveling off of placer production in spite of the was the scene of rehabilitation activity which nearly put it back decreasing number of operstions. This can probably be explained into operation. Late in 1954, moving ground and caving in the by the fact that among the smaller operations, though fewer, a shaft forced the property to close down. The financial backers of higher percentage is now mechanized. the Big Hurrah are reportedly considering another attempt at opening the old producer in 1955. starting first with a diamond AIaska's decrease in placer mining has not been the same in drilling program. all Divisions. The greatest decline during the biennium occurred in the Second Division where the number of operations shrank In the famous Willow Creek District of the Third Division, the from 53 producers in 1953 to 34 in 1954. The least decline was in Gold Cord Mine was intermittently operated during the biennium the Fourth Division, where incidentally, most of the placer min- by two men, and two other individuals operated the Lonesome ing is located. Reasons for the greater decrease in the Second Mine for a short time in 1954. None of the lode gold properties on the Kenai Peninsula were active, and nothing further has Division include (1) more severe operating and transportation been reported from the small operation at Terror Bay, Kodiak problems, and (2) less available excavating equipment. In expla- Island, which was active the previous biennium. Some develop- nation of (2) above, Seward Peninsula mining received a boost ment was carried on at the Dutch Hills Exploration and Develop- after the war when surplus bulldozers, etc., were made available ment property near Bird Creek in the Yentna District in 1953. at low prices. Military and construction operations have since This property was under option for a short time in 1954 to Toronto been greatly curtailed, the original surplus and other equipment mining interests. is becoming worn out, there is no more to replace it, and few of the In the Fourth Division, the Territory's one steady hardrock Seward Peninsula operators can afford to replace it with new gold mine of the previous biennium was finally forced to shut equipment. In the Fourth Division, government operations have down because of increasing c~stslate in 1954. This property is continued on a somewhat reduced scale, and surplus military ana the old Creighton Mine on Pedro Dome in the Fairbanks District. used contracting equipment continues to be available from time The Summit Claim In the Chandalar may be mined in the near to time. 30 REPORT OF' COMMKSSIONEIt OF MINES REPORT OF CONMPSSIONEI2 OF MINES 37

Placer operators continue to have difficulty in securing suf- surplus tractor pasts, pipe, corrugated iron, oil drums, and other ficient dependable labor for the wages they are able to pay odds and ends. The bucket chain was made from old tractor because of the competition of the high-paying defense and road tracks, and the original buckets were from an earth excavator and construction projects. This condition is gradually improving, were later improved upon. This dredge is operated by one man however, as the construction work is easing off some and more in normal operation. In addition to its low initial and operating workers are coming into the Territory. Most operators are learn- costs, it has a tremendous advantage of mobility ir, that it can be ing to mine or dredge with fewer men by more efficient methods moved from one creek to another in a very few days. Straub and and curtailment of parts of the operation. Also, the Alaskan Eski- Towner are now designing a second small dredge which will be mo from the northern portions of Mask2 Ss being employed in in- even more mobile than the first. creasing numbers and used in gobs which were formerly filled by white men only. Some of the operations and conditions of placer mining will be mentioned here, and a complete Pist of operations active during A feature of placer gold deposits which helps placer operations the biennium is included at the end of the report. coritil~uein the face of rising costs is that they can usually be se- lectively mined to take the richest part of the paystreak, leaving First Division: the rest behind. The richest part is quite often the center of the Gold placer mining in Southeastern Alaska was limited to a deposit, and this will be mined or dredged, abandoning the "side very few small operations. Stanton Price continued his novel pay" because it will not be profitable to mine it under the present operation at Windham Bay, which runs itself a large portion of the circumstances. The tragedy of this situation is that the aban- time. Howard Hayes went back to placering the Alaska Juneau doned side pay will in most cases never be mined because of its mill tailings late in 1954 with a bulldozer and sluicebox setup. A poorness and its position after the rest of the deposit is mined. very small hand operation mined a few yards on Montana Creek, Thus, the Territory will ultimately lose millions of dollars in gold north of Juneau. production. Second Division : Small operations have become more efficient by adopting im- Placer mining decreased in the Second Division during the provements to their excavating equipment, doing away with hy- biennium. The U.S.S.R. & M. operations in the Nome District draulic giants or nozzles where a sluice plate is practical, better were seriously curtailed by the loss of two dredges, one by cap- and cheaper stripping methods, automatic giants, etc. Few small sizing in the spring of 1953, and the other after only five days operations have more than a two- or three-man crew now, where of digging in the spring of 1954 as a result of a cave-in of the six- to ten-man crews were once common. bank which broke the bucket ladder on the large No. 5 dredge. The damage from this latest accident will be repaired in time to One money and time-saving device developed during the bi- allow No. 5 to commence digging at the beginning of the 1955 min- ennium is a U-shaped bulldozer blade that is reported to be highly ing season. Also the number of smaller operations has decreased successful. With the open end of the U-shaped blade forward, in nearly a11 of the mining districts. The total number of pro- the bulldozer tractor can transport a much larger load of gravel ducing operations was 53 in 1953 and 34 in 1954, a drop of 35%. to the sluicebox on each pass. Probably the most important single factor in this marked de- An outstanding example of the ingenuity of some of the placer crease is the increasingly unfavorable relationship of costs an6 miners by which they manage to stay in business is the small income from production. homenr,ade dredge bsilt by Elmer Straub and Earl Towner of Council District: The Alaska Placer Company dredge on the Nome. This dredge was constructed in 1950, and has been digging NiukEuk River was taken over and operated by Coplin Consolidat- successfuIly on Buster Creek ever since. It was fabricated from ed Enterprises during the 1954 season. William Munz on Rock 38 REI'ORT OF COMMISSPONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMhlISSZONER OF MINES 38

Creek mined with a small bulldozer outfit. Two small one-man Creek Mining Company has completed construction of a washing hand operations, Ed Benick on Ophir Creek and C. V. Olson on plant and is mining again on Basin Creek. Hirk Edwards com- Daniels Creek, continued in 2953 ana 1954, while the Dutch Creek pleted mining on the Quigley property and moved his dozer opera- Mining Company, a producer in 1953, did not mine in 1954. tion down the Solomon River to ground leased from Lee Brothers on the Frisco Bench. Ace Mining Company continued with their Fairhaven District: The Casa de Paga Gold Company continued mining with its two flume dredgs on the Inmachuk River, bulldozer operatior? on Darling Creek and several small scale hanc? and the Mining Division of Havenstrite Oil Company continued operations were active in various parts of the district. its dozer-dragline operation on Candie Creek. Fred Weinard on Port Clarence District: Small hand operations were continued Mud Creek as well as several other smaller operators were active by H. Johnson and Olaf Raartinson on Gold Run Creek. John during both seasons of the biennium. Sankovich and Peterson on VIaar mined on Windy Creek in 1953. Glacier Cseek and George R. Miller on Eldorado Creek ceased op- Shungnak District: William Thomas and A1 Stout as Kobuk erations after the 1953 season. Mines have leased the property of Ted Tronstad and Sig Goodwik Kiawa District: The Helcolicon Mines dredge on Klery Cseek on Dahl Creek and are mining with a bulldozer and sluiceplate. has been repurchased by Larnmers Exploration Company, the ori- Ted Tronstad, who has been hydra.ulicking on his upper claims ginal owner, but no further work has been attempted since this and also recovering jade, will not operate next season. Fred last transaction. Theodore Westlake has continued his small hand Johnson also continued mining on Dahl Creek. operation on Klery Creek. Third Division: Kougarok District: N. B. Tweet and Sons mined as usual with Yentna District: This is the only district in the Third Division their dozer-dragline outfit on the Kougarok River, and Atlas which is still a fairly active placer camp. Included within the Mines continued operations on Dahl Creek. Rainbow Mining Talkeetna Recording Precinct, it lists several operations that are Company on Goose Creek was purchased by Frank Whaley from steady producers each summer. Collinsvllle Mines has the largest S. A. Montague. Of thirteen operations in this district in the 1953 operation in the district with a dragline and crew of ten on Mills season, only six survived to mine =sin in 1354. and Twin Creeks. The Alaska Exploration and Mining Company and 62. W. Bradley are operating hydraulic plants on Bird and Koyuk District: Sweepstake Mines and S. A. Tucker operated Cache Creeks, respectively. Halvor Erickson, Harold Stanton, A. on Sweepstakes Creek in 1953 but were not active in 1954. Patrick 3. Taraski, and Hamburg and Gliska were all operating as usual. Bliss, who worked on Dahl Creek in the Kougarok District in 1953, Nugget Creek Mining Company took over the old Cache Creek had 3. bulldozer operation on Sweepstakes Creek during 1954. Mining Company's ground on Cache Creek in 1953, and Barge and Marshail District: Lars Ostnes and Company on Willow Creek Blair leased the same claims in 1954. and Wade Hampton Mining Company on Disappointment Creek Chistochina District: This once highly productive district pro- were active with bulldozer operations in 1953, but only the Ostnes duced very little during the biennium. The Slate Creek Placers operation remained in 1954. (Louis Elmer) operated in 1953 only, and the other producers con- Nome District: The U.S.S.R. & M. Company continued as the sisted of only a few small scale hand operations. Mines Ventures major producer in the Gecond Division with their dredging opera- on the Middle Fork spent the biennium in moving in equipment tions in the Nome area despite the loss of two dredges. Lee and preparing for a fair-sized operation with an elevated mechan- Brothers again operated on Solomon River with two flume ical washing plant. dredges, and Kougarok Freight and Mining Company continued Hope District: The Hope District was also once a fairly large mining with their small homemade dredge on Buster Creek. Basin producer of placer gold, but little mining has been done there for 10 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COh4IflISSPONEH. OF MINES 4 1 many years. O'Brien and Dunsrnuir, known as the "Two Jims," Aniak District: There were two less active operations than in are still carrying on with their underground sluicing operation at the preceding biennium. New Pork-Alaska Gold Dredging Corn- Surprise Creek. pany continued to mine with two dredges and a dragline-bulldozer operation. Only other operators were Canyon Creek Mining Corn- Kodiak District: Formerly the scene of beach placering from pany on Marvel Creek, Russel Schaeffer on Mukshulik Creek, and time to time, no activity is evident at present. Donlin Placers (Bob Lyman) on Donlin Creek. Neichina District: Only one operation was active during the Eonnifield District: In this formerly active district, only one biennium-that of Belanger and Cameron on Albert Creek. The operation is now listed-that of the Chena Mining Company on Crmby brothers attempted a placer operation on upper Caribou Jackson Creek. NePs jackson, an old-timer who was active in the Creek, but were unable to make it pay. district for many years, died during the biennium. Nizina District: Walter Holmes operated a one-man hydraulic Ghandalar District: For the first time since 1950, and the setup as usual. second time in the history of the district, a mechanized places operation was. active in the Chandalar. It was the Chandalar Seward District: A placer operation was reported or. the shore Mining Company (Hugh Matheson, Jr., formerly of Ophir,) on Big of Resurrection Bay, but the operator is not known. Creek. Old-timers Amero and Anderson are stiIl active on Big and Valdez Creek District: Only one small operation is now active Tobin Creeks, respectively. in this district which is another formerly large placer camp. Circle District: The Circle Dredging Company bought the Yakataga District. Two small beach placer operations are re- dredge formerly owned by the Berry Dredging Company and oper- ported to be still active on the Yakataga beach. ated it throughout the biennium. Alluvial Golds, Inc. and Gold Placers, Inc. operated in alternate years as has been their prac- Fourth Division : tice since they adopted "solar thawing" as a means of thawing Most of Alaska's placer operations are in the Fourth Division. their ground. Timberline Placers started mining in 1953 on Por- ln the Division as a whole, placer mining seems to be continuing cupine Creek and operated both years. Paul Bittner operated an about on the same scale as in the preceding biennium. Old op- hydraulic mine on Deadwood Creek during 1953 and 1954. The erations are giving up the struggle, but new operations are start- P.R. and H. Mining Company started a new mining operation on ing up, some of which are mining mechanically where hand min- Mastodon Creek in 1953. Frasca and Mering started mining in ing was the practice before. 1953 on Eagle Greek adjacent to the ground mined by Frasca and Gibson in previous years. Other operations in the Circle District Fairbanks District: The Fairbanks District remains the high- continued as in the preceding biennium. est gold producing district in Alaska because of the Iarge-scale operations of the Fairbanks Branch of the U.SJ3.R. & M. Company. Eagle District: This is another once very active placer district In 1953 the company started its dredge on Pedro Creek, and it which has declined to little mining. Only three small scale hand operated six dredges throughout the biennium. The Brinker- operations remain. Johnson Mining Company was inactive in 1953; in 1954 the com- Fortymile District: In 1953 the U.S.S.R. & M. Company began pany had a drill crew at work on Pasco Creek, tributary of Salcha stripping on its dredging ground on Mosquito Fork. Two new River. The Gold Stream Mining Company began stripping on placer operations started in 1953 and mined throughout the bi- Goldstream Creek ir? 1953 and mined during 1954. Aside from ennium: they were: Dan Manske on Ingle Creek and George these changes, placer mining continued about the same as in the Robinson on Wade Creek. A suction dredge was built on MOS- preceding biennium. quito Fork in 1952 and 1953, but it apparently proved to be unsuc- 4 2 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 43 cessful and in 1954 it was dismantled. Frank Barrett mined on Koyukuk District: Several changes have taken place in this Stonehouse Greek in 1953, and he was reported to be prospecting district. Slate Creek Mining Company started on Slate Creek in on Mosquito Fork in 1954. Several other operations continued as 1954, as did the A. and S. Mining Company on Mascot Creek where in the previous biennium. Vincent Knorr mined by hand in 1953. The Myrtle Creek Explora- Goodnews Bay District: Goodnews Bay Mining Company tion Company took over the Myrtle Creek Mining Company and continued its platinum mining operations as in the preceding bi- mined there in 1953, then Prospectors, [email protected] the property ennium. Red Mountain Mining Company was driiiing on Mc- in 1954, took out a small cut and prospected the rest of the season. Cann Creek. Mumtrak Miners started a new operation on Wat- Joe Tauber was sniping on lower Myrtle Creek in 1954, and Andy tamuse Creek. Schwaesdall did the same in 1953. Miller and Sons quit mining Iiot Springs District: Active operations included Archie Prin- after 1953. The Bott brothers mined Eightmile Creek in 1953, then gle on Rhode Island Creek, Tony Lanning on Omega Creek, En- transferred their activities to the Valdez Creek District. Other strorn and MacDougal on American Creek, Johnson and Isaacson operations remained the same. Denny O'Keefe is still sinking on Eureka Creek, and Strandberg and Sons on Eureka Creek. Lar- placer prospect shafts in Denny's Gulch during the winters. son and Suckling are reported to be drift mining on Woodchopper . McGsath District: Placer activity has ceased in this district Creek during the winters. The Strandberg and Sons' dredge on Candle Creek was not oper- Hughes District: Strandberg and Sons continued to mine with ! ated during the biennium. their washing plant setup on Indian River, and L. F. James was I engaged in a one-man operation on Felix Fork. ~ Melozitna District: The one active places operation in this I Iditarod District: This district gained a dredging operation I district is "Tuffy" Edgington's Iditarod Operating Company on I Golden Creek. this biennium, but lost some smaller operations. John Ogriz start- I ed up and operated the old Reilly Investment Company dredge l 1 Rampart District: Little change transpired in the Rampart on Otter Creek which had been idle for several years. Pat Savage during the biennium. Hunter Creek Mining Company, Quail Creek moved his operation from Flat Greek to the Ruby District; John Mining Company, Little Minook Mining Company, and the Swan- Bouquier and the Hatten and Turner operation were reported no son Brothers mined as usual. longer mining. The North American Gold Dredging Company, Miscovich Brothers, Harry Agoff, Gus Backstrom, and Jules Stuver Ruby Didrict: Pat Savage moved in from the Innoko and Idi- were all mining as usual. Harry Francis mined on Flat Creek in tarod Districts to mine on Long Creek in 1954. The Miscovich 1953. Brothers have only been engaged in ditch construction at Poor- Innoko District: The Ophir Dredging Company operated their man, Flat and Timber Creeks but plan to get back into production dredge on upper Ganes Creek as usual, and Torn Wollard operated there in the near future. Clarence Zaiser mined on Greenstone the small dredge on lower Ganes Creek by himself in 1954. Other Creek and Long Creek Mining Company on Long Creek as usual. operations were active on Bedrock Creek and Little Creek. Bat Granite Creek Mining Company (William Carlo) mined during the Savage mined on Spruce Creek in 1953 only, and Gus Uotila mined biennium also. on Ophir Greek as usual. Eric Hard was busy again on Bear Tolovana District: In 1953, Callahan Zinc-Lead Company op- Creek, the Fullerton Brothers on Colorado Creek, and Strandberg erated the dredge of Lhvengood Placers, Inc. on Livengood Creek. and Sons also on Colorado Creek. The dredge was idle during 1954, and at the end of the 1954 season Kantishna District: The only placer operation still active in it was sold to the U.S.S.R. & M. Company. Other operators in the the Mantishna was that of Burnette and Hunter on Crooked distsict were Jurich and Carr on Lillian Creek, Ben Falls on WiI- Creek. bur Creek, and Olive Creek Mines on Olive Creek. 4 5 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES continuous miner. One unit was fabricated in an "outside" shop and under test in the mine at the close of the biennium. The Production of coal for the 1953-1954 biennium again reached underground fire at Healy gave no trouble until late in 1954, when an all-time high. The 1,514,471 tons produced. came from ten a small breait-through required sealCqg. This occurred ir, an area underground and strip operations, and was a 28% increase over where no minable coal was involved. the previous biennium. A list of the coal operators active in the Territory during the biennium may be found in the tabulation at The Usibelli Coal Mine continued its stripping operation and the end of this report. iate in 1954 began underground. operations as well. A new heavy- media coal cleaning plant was installed and is ready to handle the Matanuska Field : I output from both strip and underground operations in the spring The Evan Jones Goal Company continued to mine both strip of 1955. and underground coal, operating the heavy-media coal cleaning I plant throughout the biennium. Evan Jones has also been buying Arctic Coal Company, after a long delay, was finally granted the coal produced by Mrak Coal Company, operating in the same a Iease on Lignite Creek. The compzny was awarded a contract general area, for cleaning in their plant. A homemade continuous for part of the military coal requirements for 1955, and an access miner, dubbed the "doughnut cutter," was moved from a Wash- road was under construction at the close of the biennirarn. ington State mine and given a trial run with reasonable success. Brozd Pass Field: The Buffalo Coal Mine never actually reached the production Some exploration was conducted in 1954 by Hinchey and stage. Available RFC funds, allotted for completion of surface Dunkie on Coal Creek near Broad Pass stztior, on The Alzska. Rail- plant, were "frozen" early in 1953 and operations were suspended I road, but no production resulted. in March of that year. The Houston Coal Mine operated for a short period both hn I The present production capacity of currently established coal 1953 and 1954, cleaning up the available strip coaP at their pres- mine installations in the Territory is approximately 6,000 tons per ent site. day. This capacity is well above the apparent demand and it will The Pioneer Coal Mine operated on a small scale throughout be necessary for those operators who intend to remain in business the biennium at several locations on their lease. to conduct an efficient operation producing a clean product, if Menai Field: they intend to sell their product on the highly competitive market. Kibby and Eden produced a small amount of coal from their There has been considerable talk about the possible export of operation near Homer. A few tons were trucked to Anchorage and Alaskan coal. The grade of coal necessary to meet export specifi- sold there. cations is found in very few places in the Territory. Investment capital is at present interested in the Arctic coaP region and the Point PBarro'w Field : Bering River area in this respect. Coal for use by the Eskimo inhabitants in the vicinity of Point Barrow continued to be mined at the rate of 1,000 tons per C@al Miners Examining Board year by the Alaska Native Service from the Meade River Mine. Chapter 21, SLA 1953, established a Territorial Coal Wners Nenana Field : Examining Board composed of the Commissioner of Mines as Late in June, 1953, the Healy River Coal Mine (Lathrop inter- chairman and three members as follows: the Territorial Goal ests) was sold to Suntrana Mining Company, a group of Anchorage Mine Inspector, one member from the industry representing man- businessmen. One member of this group also designed a new type agement, and one representing labor. The industry selected Mr. 46 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 47

Harry Hill to represent management and Mr. Erwin C. Doyle to Certificates were issued to the following applicants on a reci- represent labor. These names were then submitted to the Legis- procity basis: lature for confirmation, as required by Chapter 21. IcI ILS'I' CLASS SECOND CLASS W~lliamM. I'a terson Frederick H. Savage The Coal Miners Examining Board held two meetings during Charles J. Kloss Virgil E. Wilkinson John D. Harris the biennium to give written examinations to applicants for issu- ing "Certificates of Competency" as coal mine foremen or fire- i Base Metals bosses to those persons applying and passing said examinations. I Provision is also made whereby certificates may be issued on a Alaska has known and potential deposits of many metals reciprocity basis to qualified men holding papers from some rec- which are in great demand, and they should be developed as secure I ogaized State. The Board decided, however, that the issuance of sources of supply which are safe in the changing world conditions reciprocity certificates would be made only after an oral exarni- and also as a means of contributing toward a basic and self- nation of each applicant. sufficient economy for the Territory. The most important metal, and one which is not found in significant quantities elsewhere in The first meeting of the Coal Miners Examining Board was the world except where it is within easy reach of the Soviet or held at the TDM Anchorage office October 5-9, 1953. Certificates Soviet-dominated countries, is tin. Tin is followed in approximate were issued to the following succe.ssfr?l applicants upon mitten order of importance by nickel, tungsten, cobalt, chromium, man- examination : ganese, titanium, mercury, molybdenum, beryllium, copper, iron, FIRST CLASS SECOND CLASS antimony, lead, and zinc. Andrew Costa William L). Jarvinen Tin is found in placer deposits in many locations throughout Wesley .J. Norbo John 3. Vlahovich William Her~nann Harold E. MonaIlan Alaska. The area of most importance, however, is the Seward Ja~nesR. Harris Peninsula, where considerable placer mining has been done strict- Ezra Hersh, Jr. John W. Dawson ly for the tin content of the gravels, and lode tin dkposits are corn- mon. In 1953, the only tin placer mining operation still producing Certificates were issued to the following applicants on a reci- was that of the Northern Tin Company on Buck Creek. They did procity basis: not mine again in 1954. The Zenda Gold Mining Company con- FIItSrI' CLASS SECOND CIAASS cluded an extensive placer tin drilling program on the creeks near Wiley D. Robinson Eino E. Wakkuri Raymond I,. Ellis Francis J. Ord Cape Mountain in 1953, and was inactive in 1954. Their plans for Ilarvey H. Hiber Edward B. Norris getting into production are not known. The Alaska Tin Corpora- Carl A. Sandell Walter C. Briski Archie Browning William Kotila tion carried out a placer and lode tin exploration program on Ear George W. Johnson Mountain during the biennium with the help of DMEA financing. Thomas L. Cinkovieh Andrew R. Norris A group of Seattle financiers announced that they planned to in- Peter Gallagher stitute a drilling program on the old Empire lode tin property on 'I'homas &I.Sinith Cape Mountain. The second meeting of the Coal Miners Examining Board was , The U. S. Tin Corporation lode tin mine at Last Rives, 90 held at the TDM Anchorage office December 10-11, 1954. Certifi- miles northwest of Mome, produced intermittently in 1953 and cates were issued to the following successful applicants upon steadily through 1954. A 9,000-foot pipeline was installed for a written examination : water supply, and heating cables were attached, in addition to in- FIRST CLASS SECOND CLASS sulation, to keep it from freezing. A number of changes and ad- George Vlahovich Robert W. Norris ditions were made to the milling equipment. Shipments in 1954 Herman V. Boulanger .Joseph J. Mondak, Jr 4 8 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES IIEI'ORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 4 $1

totalled 321 tons of tin concentrates, and the operation, which was property asserts that he was still legally holding the ground when partly financed by DPJiEA and DIVPPA loans, was beginning to be the Canadians staked it. The District Court in Ja;neau found ir, economically sound at the close of the biennium. It was mining favor of the Canadians, and the case was appealed to the Ninth and milling at that time 100 tons of cassiterite ore per day averag- Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco where it now waits to ing not lower than 1.3% tin, and often considerably higher. At be heard. The Canadian people flew an aerial magnetometer 70% recovery (tin is notoriously difficult to mill) this is a produc- I survey of the Yakobi area in 1953. tion of at least 1,800 pounds of tin per day in the form of concen- Two Chitina prospectors found an extension tc the Spirit trates. This mine is actually a "test case" whether it was so in- Mountain nickel deposit in the Copper River country, and have tended or not. If all the problems can be ironed out and suffici- interested a Stateside mining company in it. Dean Ricks has an ent facts can be learned about lode tin mining in this extremely interesting nickel prospect in the Salcha River area, and another difficult area, it Mirill make possible the mining of some of the prospect was investigated by the Department near Livengood. other tin lodes of the district. The nation would benefit strate- gically and the Territory economically. Tungsten is found throughout the Territory. lit is usually in the form of scheelite. All tungsten shipped from the Territory Placer tin has also been found to exist in the Hot Springs Dis- during the biennium was in the nature of a by-product from gold trict, Melozitna District, Fairbanks District, and others. Several placer operations. Russel Schaeffer recovered scheelite (also cin- years ago, a piece of tila "float" was found on the beach in ,St. nabar) as a by-product from his placer operation on Mukshulik James Bay, Lynn Canal, Southeastern Alaska, which indicates a Creek in the Aniak District. Slightly less than a ton of scheelite possible source of lode tin somewhere in that district. was mined from the Rocky Mountain Creek lode deposit in the I NickcP, as found in the deposits of Southeastern Alaska, is Norne District, but this has not yet been shipped. A group of pro- generally associated with copper, and occasionally cobalt. T h e spectors from Elfin Cove have relocated the,Apex El Nido proper- Inore important occurrences are fount2 as disseminated sulphide ty, a former tungsten producer on Lisianski Inlet, and plan to open mineralization in a norite stock. In some cases concentrations it up if possible. of the sulphide minerals-pentlandite, chaicopyrite and pyrrho- Exploration work under a DMEA loan by Alaska Metals Mining tite-are found in relatively small pods. An interesting belt of Company on a lode tungsten deposit on Gilmore Dome in the Fair- nickel prospects, which the Department of Mines has long advo- banks District is still going forward, but on a reduced scaIe in cated is worthy of intensive exploration, extends from Yakobi 1954. A loan was also granted the Pacific Northern Minerals Corn- Island south along the west coasts of Chichagof and Baranof Is- pany for an exploration project at the Riverside Mine near Hyder lands to Snipe Bay. with the expectation of putting it back into production. The Riverside vein also carries lead and silver. Some rehabilitation The Admiralty Alaska Gold Mining Company is still exploring work has already been done. A neighboring tungsten property, its much publicized deposit at FLanter Bay on Admiralty Island. the Mountainview, was explored further by Arthur Moa, owner. The ore body as developed so far is very promising, averaging Lloyd Lounsbury and David Dittman prospected scheelite deposits around 1% nickel, 1% copper and 0.25% cobalt. The work is being on Tungsten Hill and Gilmore Creek, respectively, in the Fair- financed by DMEA participating loans. An aerial magnetometer banks District, in 1953, but not in 1954. The Kodiak Exploration survey was flown over the property and surrounding area in 1954, Company is working on a tungsten prospect on Kodiak Island. which indicated other promising structures and resulted in the staking of 38 more claims by the company. Chromium comes from the mineral chsomite, deposits of which are found near Seldovia in the Homer District on the Kenai The large Yakobi Island deposits that were staked in 1952 by Peninsula, at Red Bluff Bay in the Chichagof District, and near Canadian interests are in litigation. The former holder of tlde Eklutna between Anehorage and Palmer. Only the Homer Dis- .50 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER 017 MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 51 trict deposits appear to have commercial importance at present. the operation down. They flew the flasks of mercury in to Anchor- The Kenai Chrome Company has been mining the Star No. 4 ore age with a company-owned plane. The company has also been body on Red Mountain for two summers, but has been able to make actively engaged in a development program on the DeCoursey only one shipment of 3,000 tow. to the Stateside GSA purchase Mountain property preparatory to putti~git i~tcproduction also. depot. Shipments will be stepped up next year by use of better At the close of the biennium, the DeCoursey Mountain Mining shipping facilities, and production is expected to increase to 80 Company was reportedly malring a deal. with a reputable Cana- tons per day in 1955 from 60 in 1954. Extremely deep snow forces dian concern in which the new group would take over their pro- closure of the property for five or six months each winter. perties with a view toward exploration and production on a much larger scale. This same Canadian group is reportedly interested Interest was shown in the old Chrorne Queen Mine, and other in other mercury prospects along the extensive Kuskokwim Valley chrome deposits in the Red Mountain area were prospected by Sel- belt. dovia Chrome Company, but no production resulted. This company, owned by Bill Lyons, plans further work in the area and The saying that is often repeated by the Department of eventual shipments of ore. Road construction by both companies, Mines among others about how one successful operation in a dis- the Alaska Road Commission, and the Territory is improving the trict will stimulate prospecting and lead to other operations has transportation picture of the district. been well proven in the Aniak District. As a result of the success Manganese is a metal of growing importance. Many deposits of the Red Devil operation, prospecting activity on the district's of manganese have been known in Alaska for several years, but mercury deposits has multiplied many times, and other producers only one has been considered of commercial value. The incseas- are only a matter of time. Russel Schaeffer has turned from ing need for the metal will undoubtedly increase the importance I placer mining to sinking on a mercury lode. George and Oswald of Alaska's deposits to possible investors. The Sunrise Group held Willis and the Western Alaska Mining Company are each develop- by Henry "Tiger" Olson near Taku Harbor is the best looking man- ing cinnabar lodes in this district. Robert Guck has been prospecting on the Kisaralik River. Other prospectors are also actively ganese prospect now known in the Territory. A Canadian group took an option on this property in 1953, but to date there has been hunting for mercury. The Wren, Waskey and Wolfe prospect near no action taken toward exploration or development. An interest- Aleknagik is still being developed. ing prospect is held by T. Hungerford or, Kuiu Island. Molybdenum is found in nearly every section of the Territory, Titanium is becoming more important as an alloying metal although no deposits of definite economic importance are present- each day. In the form of ilmenite, It is associated with the mag- ly known. The Rock Creek prospect in the Chistochina District netite iron deposits of Southeastern Alaska. Concentrations of was recently relocated by David Vietti and associates of Valdez. ilmenite in an igneous magma have been reported in the Yakataga From a report contained in a U. S. Geological Survey bulletin on District and it is also found in the upper bench of the beaches of molybdenum deposits, an old prospect on Canyon Creek in the Nizina District is well worth investigating. this same area. However, since deposits of 15 to 20% titanium oxide are reported numerous in Eastern Canada, an Alaskan deposit Beryllium is a metal derived from the mineral beryl and is would probably have to approach 25% to be of- economic interest. in high demand.' Small amounts of beryl have been reported in Mercury, known more popularly as quicksilver, has caused the Rigluaik and Bendeleben Mountains of the Seward Peninsula. much activity in the cinnabar belt along the Kuskokwhn River in Prospectors should watch for this mineral, the source of which is the Aniak District. The DeCoursey Mountain Mining Company usually pegmatites. of Anchorage, with DMEA help. put the Red Devil Mine into pro- Copper is the most widely sought base metal in Alaska today. duction in 1953, and with the record high price of mercury in 1954, The production of this metal has a long history in the Territory, was doing very well when a disastrous fire late in the year closed and the time is near when copper will once again be produced 52 REI'ORT OF COMMISSIONEIt OF MINES REPORT OF CORIMISSIONEFS OF MINES 53 here. From the first years of the century when copper was mined Iron-With the gradual depletion of iron ore reserves in the in Prince Wiiliarn Sound and on Prince of Wales Island in the Ket- United States and the movement of the steel indusbry toward the chikan District until the famous Kennecott Mine in the Nizina West Coast, the search for iron ore has increased tremendously District was forced to close in 1938, Alaska was an important pro- during the biennium. U. 5.Steel and another major iron rninirrg clrrcer of copper. The Prince William Sound and the Nizina Dis- company have been literally combing the shoreline areas of tricts are still the most promising areas, but copper may be pro- Southeastern Alaska for iron deposits, and other iron or steel com- duced in either the Ketchikan District or the Valdez Creek District panies are active in the hunt to a lesser degree. A deposit in the first. Copper is also found in the Chisana, Bristol Bay, Alaska Third Division has also been considered briefly by two companies, Peninsula, Willow Creek, Yentna, Modiak, Seward Peninsula, and but since one of the first requisites of an iron ore deposit unless many other districts about the Territory. Mining companies are abnormally large is cheap transportation, the search is not likely interested in obtaining Barge lowgrade deposits as well as higher to spread northward until the First Division is rather thoroughly grade ore. Present-day operators are very pleased with deposits covered. Among the favorable bodies of magnetite are those at running 30 or 40 feet in width and several hundred feet in length Klukwan, Post Snettisham, Union Bay, Duke Island, and several and assaying 2 to 3%, even though found some distance from on Prince of Wales Island. These deposits are all too lowgrade to tidewater. be shipped without beneficiation or concentration, however, anc? 111 1953, the Delano Mining Company was driving a drift on a considering the low unit-price of iron ores, beneficiation will pro- copper prospect owned by Martin Radovan in the Nizina District, bably be too expensive until large amounts of low-cost electrical and Beas Creek Mining Company, exploration subsidiary of Ken- power are made available locally. To be considered also for the rlecott Copper Company, was conducting geological and geo- future is the probability of electrical smelting furnaces being physical exploratory work on the Orange Hill deposit in the Chis- built in Alaska in connection with the various proposed large tochina District. Henry Schultz continued development work on hydroelectric developments. his copper prospect in the Nizina District through the biennium, The Mlukwan deposit, owned by the Alaska Iron Company, is and Rhinehart Berg did the same on his prospect in the Shung- leased to Quebec Metallurgical Industries, a Canadian subsidiary nak District. Peninsula Exploration Company is still developing of Ventures, Etd. A local incorporation has been effected to its copper deposit on Sitkalidak Island in the Kodiak District, 5nt handle their business on this side of the boundary. In 1953, large have had no success yet in securing a DMEA loan. scale sampling and testing were done oil the placer portion of the deposit by QM1, but little was done ir? 1954 because of conflicting Quite a controversy arose in 1953 between two rival staking activities of the W. S. Army and contractors on the construction groups over the large and promising Moose Creek copper show of the Haixles-to-Fairbanks fuel, pipeline. The company reports north of Palmer. Whether this case will go to court is not yet plans for considerable activity at the prospect in 1955, though, known. Albertson and Pettyjohn turned their copper cliscovery and production at an early date if an Indian Bureau claim to some on the Maclaren Rives over to Alaska Copper Mines, Inc. early in of the ground is relinquished. They plan to mine the placer de- 1954, and this company has since been pushing an aggressive posit first, which contains many hundreds of millions of tons of anderground exploration program on the large vein. The new iron-bearing gravel. Denali Highway, being built through the Valdez Creek District The Snettisham deposit, held by W. S. Pekovich and Robert from Paxson to Mt. McKinley, is opening up promising copper Coughlin of Juneau, was drilled quite extensively by the Bureau country. Already a new discovery has been made on the route, of Mines during the biennium. Results will be available soon. Mr. and more will be found as the road progresses and prospecting in- Pekovich had an aerial magnetometer survey flown over this pro- creases in the vicinity. perty at the same time as the one of the Funter Bay nickel pro- REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 55 54 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES In 1954, the Neal W. Foster lead prospect in the Darby Moun- perty was made. The owners are also having the Snettisham tains on the Seward Peninsula was drilled by the Bureau of Mines. prospect patented-a group of sixteen claims. Much interest is being shown in the old Independence lead-silver mine, an early producer also on the Seward Peninsula at the con- A magnetite deposit at Tuxedni Bay, Cook Inlet, was reported- fluence of Independence Creek and the Kugruk River. The mine ly staked in 1954 by an Anchorage man for California interests. is still full of water, however. Archie Ferguson of Kotzebue plans Antimony production in Alaska was zero for the biennium. the to open it up. The Riverside lead-zinc mine near Nyder will pro- price remains up, but there seem to be no pnschasers. Foreign bably be put back into operation, as already mentioned under the imports are blamed. Alaska contains antimony deposits in all sec- tungsten section. An interesting possibility that should be inves- tions. Earl Pilgrim carried out an exploration program at the tigated is a long abandoned lead-silver prospect high on a Stampede Mine in the Kantishna throughout the biennium with mountainside on the west side of Lynn Canal near the Lynn Sis- DNLEA assistance. George Roberts also had DMEA help on ex- ters. A sample from this prospect was assayed at several hundred ploratory work done on his antimony prospect at Camaano Point, ounces of silver per ton in addition to the lead. On the Excursion north of Ketchikan, in 1953. Native antimony, a rare occurrence, Inlet side of this peninsula is a promising highgrade lead-silver is found in the M & D Lode, owned by Herman Kloss at Sunset property, the Silver King, owned by Charles Parker of Gustavus. Cove, Petersburg District. Howard Sparks was prospecting for For some obscure reason, lead and zinc assays were requested antimony near Fairbanks in 1953. A good market would beyond oftener in proportion to the more important and higher priced doubt create many small antimony mining enterprises in Alaska. metals in 1954 than they were in 1953.

Lead and zinc, like antimony, are found in practically all parts I Bismuth is occasionally found in placer concentrates in a few of Alaska, but the low prices at present will not pay the cost of sections of Alaska, but the only known deposit of worthwhile mining and shipping. Pure lead or zinc will not bring sufficient possibilities is that of Native Bismuth, Inc. on Charley Creek in returns to pay the shipping costs alone from interior Alaska or 1 the Nome District and is in conjunction with a places gold deposit. the Seward Peninsula. The main hope for lead and zinc mining More exploration work needs to be done to determine its extent is the deposits that carry associated metals such as silver or cop- and value. per in sufficient quantity to "sweeten" the ore considerably. A deposit of gibbsite, which carries aluminum, was investigat- Such a deposit, for example, is the L. C. Berg lead-zinc prospect in ed during the biennium. It lies in the Willow Creek District. De- Berg Basin east of WrangeEl, which contains ore high in silver con- posits sf the barium minerals: barite and witherite, are known in tent. The Mt. Eielson zinc-lead property in the Kantishna, fosmes- various sections of the Territory. ly owned by 0. M. Grant, is now held by Harold Kerning of Falr- banks. Considerable interest has been shown in this property, Radioactives and it is probable that some sort of deal will, be made for it soon Uranium was the most discussed element in the Territory as and activity of at Peast exploratory nature will result. the biennium ended-even surpassing the subject of oil which was In 1953, Fred Wackwitz of Fairbanks shipped some lead-silver probably uppermost in the public mind until October of 1954. The ore mined from his prospect on Pedro Dome in 1952, but the smel- upsurge of interest in radioactives was largely the result of two her returns just barely paid the shipping charges, leaving him possible "strikes" which fired the public's imagination with the help of the newspapers. Inquiries about radioactives became so nothing for his mining costs. Also in 1953, the Canadian concern numerous that the Department of Mines prepared an information of Brewis Red Lake Mines staked a number of lead-zinc claims in circular on uranium in Alaska to better answer the many the area east of WrangelP, intending to develop them as soon as a questions. road can be built. 56 REI'OItT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINICS

One small ''rushY'was to Shirley Lake, 110 miles northwest of from the States or over from Canada. However, many parts of Anchorage on the Skwentna River. An area was found there that Alaska are geologically favorable for the occurrence of uranium is definitely above normal in radioactivity. Most of the staking minerals, and with continued prospecting, it is only a matter of was done by a group calling themselves the United Six Company, I Lime bcfore deposits of commercial value are found. At least a and they continued to prospect there with combined aerial and few of the "hot" ,:arnples have originated in the Territory. For ground radiometric traversing. and later by core drilling with one f example, the Kennedy zeunerite prospect on Brooks Moun~ain, of the small Canadian Packsack diamond drills. No ore of corn- Seward Peninsula. was the source of many specimens of commer- mercia! grade has yet been found, but the possibilities are still cial grade ore until the surface material was nearly all "sampled." good. The type of formation of the Kennedy prospect is favorable to greater deposition at depth, and it must be thoroughly drilled to The second flurry of interest was centered in the Nixon Fork determine its ultimate worth. Nothing was done on this prospect country northeast of McGrath. Two pilots, Jerry Church and Ed during the biennium. Stcrer, found a radioactive area there and started an influx of about 30 prospertors who slaked a total of about 35 claims. As As mentioned under "Prospecting and Exploration," private wlth the Shirley Lake area, above-normal radioactivity was found, radiometric prospecting, by air and on the ground, has had a re- bnt the highgrade samples have not yet been isolated. However, markable growt,h during the year 1954. Many individuals or local a U. S Geological Survey Trace Elements Unit report dated 1949 groups have purchased scintillometess or high-powered Geiger states that the area is favorable and suggests that geochemical counters and installed them in light planes for radiometric aerial prospecting might be more successful there than radiometric traversing. This development was only in the talking stage in traversing. 1953. An enterprising' person in Fairbanks was reported to have B installed a radioactive device on his house top against which pilots The remaining radioactive news for the biennium was mostly may calibrate their aerial counters while in flight. Dealers in in 1953. As a result of a favorable Trace Elements report on work I counters have done an unprecedented business. done there in earlier years, Elmer Straub and Biii Munz of Nome went into the Peace River vicinity of the 'Seward Peninsula with In addition to assaying radioactive samples for equivalent a bulldozer and systematica.lly cut trenches through the radio- uranium content, Department of Mines assayers assist prospectors active area until a mechanical breakdown halted the work. Sam- further by maintaining samples of known radioactive strengths, ples from the cuts were checked carefuIly, but commercial grade or percentages, so they may check their counters to determine material was not detected. This did not eliminate the area, their working order. The U. S. Geological Survey Trace Elements though, and a U. S. Bureau of Mines crew sampled further in that Unit maintains a laboratory at College during the summer month pzrt of the country in 1954. which also assays and analyzes radioactive samples free of charge. Weakly radioactive sands were dredged from the area adja- The Atomic Energy Conamission several years ago set up a cent to the Juneau airport during the construction project there $10,000 bonus for the first 20 tons of 207" uranium oxide ore from in 1953. While not of commercial value, it indicates a possible a single mining location. nearby source. The radioactive area in the vicinity of Salmon Bay, Prince of Wales Island. is still of interest. b In 1951, the Territorial Legi.slature matched this bonus with an equal one, so that an Alaskan qualifying would receive both From time to time, stories of "hot" finds have come to the at- I bonuses totalIing $20,000 plus bonus rates per pound which would tention of the Department, and highgrade samples have been run the total up several more thousands of dollars. To date, no brought in to the offices. Most of the stories turn out to be only one has received either bonus to the best of the Department's rumors, and quite often the samples have found their way up knowledge. REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 59

addition to the sulfur and iron. Any sulfide deposit at least 20 Arnoilg strategic nonmetallic minerab, mica and asbestos are feet wide by 100 feet long and approaching 10% pyrite (total add- the most important. Sulfur, though not necessariIy strategic, is b 'ed sulfur and iron content) is of possible cornrnercial value. Nor- in growing demand. Alaska has deposits of ail three of these. Also thern Pyrites Company is paying $170,000 for an option on two in the Terrihry are deposits of clay, jade, pumice, graphite, ! sulfide deposits on Latouche Island. Geophysical exploration was building stone of many types, silica, rare earths, gypsum, and un- completed on the deposits by them in 1954. Interest is being shown limited reserves of high-calcium limestone. Other deposits in- in several other pyrite prospects. clude garnet, marble, fluorite, calcite, kyanite, and bentonite. Clay deposits are fairly well limited to the Anchorage and Wil- RZica deposits on Sitklan Island south of Ketchikan are being low Creek Districts and the railbelt. A number of the3 were in- developed by the B. C. Mica Company of Vancouver, B. C. Another vestigated during the biennium. CIay is used for a large variety deposit at Nakat Inlet in the same district is being prospected by of industrial purposes. Basic Building Products, Inc. of Anchor- Frank Blasher of Hyder. Mica is reported to exist in other loca- age have most of the equipment installed in a new plant for the tions about the Territory. The market is good and prices are high, manufacture of brick, tile, clay pipe, and associated products. A particularly for the strategic grades, but they must be sold to pri- few brick were manufactured before the close of the biennium. vate purchasers because the GSA mica purchasing program is limited to the 48 States. Jade is valuable for lapidary and jewelry work and sells well when cut and polished. The only known Alaskan source is along Asbestos deposits in the Territory are fairly wide spread, but the Kobuk River in the Shungnak District. Gene Joiner's Empire the asbestos on the Kobuk River is the best known so far. Several Jade Company has been making small shipments from there, and tons of Kobuk asbestos were shipped during the war when ship- Sig Goodwick has been recoveriny jade in addition to the gold ping cost was no deterrent, but since then there has been no pro- from his placer operation on Dahl Creek, tributary to the Kobuk. dr~ctioribecause of the remoteness of the area. A deposit on Bear Jade has been reported to exist in Southeast Alaska, but this hns Creek, Admiralty Island, has been known for many years and is not been confirmed. held by Harold DeRoux of Juneau. More development work needs to be done to determine the prospect's worth. A large deposit is Pumice is a light volcanic mineral that can be used to an ad- reported to exist north of the Yukon River in the vicinity of Ram- vantage in lightweight concrete aggregates. Pumice has been part. Samples of asbestos, mostly of poor grade, are sent into the mined on Augustine Island for use in the Anchorage area. assay offices quite often from nearly a11 parts of Alaska. A new HEecently-passed legislation has made it legal to mine this mater- asbestos deposit fn the Mentasta Pass area was located Pn 1954 by ial within Katmai National Monument. A pumice deposit on LoweII Patten of College. Samples from this depit appear to Behm Canal, near Ketchikan, was staked recently. Certain types be of good cornrnercPal grade. of shale which exist in the Anchorage and Matanuska areas can Sulfur is being actively sought in Alaska by at least two large also be used for lightweight aggregates by first bloating them. Stateside sulfur producers. The Territory's chief hopes for sulfur Graphite exists in a large deposit in the Imruk Basin of the production lie in its myriad pyrite deposits, although the volcanic Seward Peninsula. The construction firnr of Stock and Grove en- sulfur deposits along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands deavored to investigate this graphite in 1953, but certain missing are being investigated as possibilities. With the advent of new f information caused them to lose interest. In 1954, a very good metallurgical processes, which allow the iron in pyrite to be ssved sample of graphite was submitted from the Haines area. as well as the sulfur, pyrite deposits have taken on a definite in- Building stone of several varieties is being located and quar- crease of importance. Chalcopyrite k even better, if in snifici- ried in small amounts near transportation routes in the Third and entry large quantity, because copper can then also be produced In Fourth Divisions by the McKinley Stone Company (formerly Great (;O ItEI'OitT OF COMMISSI0NP:IL OP' MINES

IIJorthern Stone Company) of Anchorage. They do all kinds of her easy accessibility by water transportation to other markets masonry work, make monuments, walLs, chimneys, etc. Other well justify continued aggressive exploration on the part of pri- buiiding groups in the Anchorage area are employing stone in their vate enterprise in the search for oil and gas. I collstruction. The eight major companies active in Alaska in 1954 were as

Gypsum deposits are well known in the vicinity of Iyoukeen f follows : Cove, Chichagof Island. Held by Harold DeRoux of Juneau, these Humble Oil Company deposits are considered fairly extensive and some interest in them Ohio Oil Company Phillips I'etroleum Company is aroused from time to time. The extremely low unit price for Richfield Oil Company gypsurn has prevented any real activity during the biennium, Shell Oil Company Standard Oil Company of California' however. The Texas Company liniorl Oil Company Rare earths, including parisits, containing many of the very rare elements plus some radioactivity exist on northern Prince of A. complete tabulated list of oil activities is given at the end Wales Island in the vicinity of Salmon Bay and elsewhere. Con- of the report. Geologists have designated the various areas or re- siderable excitement was aroused by this discovery in the preceding gional structures considered favorable to oil as oil provinces. biennium, but died down later when it was learned that the radio- Phillips and Kerr-McGee started drilling after intensive geo- activity originated mostly from thorium rather than uranium. logical investigation in the Katalla-Yakataga province near Icy There is, however, a small uranium content. Activity on these Bay in 1953. Their second hole was down to 6,550 feet on Decem- ~)~~osycct,snlay increase again. ber 1, 1954. Results on the first hole, which was abandoned at a Limestone is the country rock for a large share of South- depth of 4,800 feet, are not known other than by rumor. Kerr- eastern Alaska, much of which is high-calcium limestone, and as McGee dropped out of the venture in early 1954, leaving Phillips such, is suitable for use as a flux in iron smelting and also could be alone in the field. A total of twelve wells are to be drilled within used in the processing of aluminum, if the proposed aluminum ten years under a special agreement with the Interior Department plant ever becomes a reality in this section. U. S. Steel, in their involving nearly one million acres. quest for iron ore in Alaska, has been staking their legal amount The Iniskin Unit Operators, representing the Havenstrite 011 of limestone claims. Limestone has also been staked in the vicic- Company of Los Angeles, are the next most active drilling opesa- ity of Haines. tion. They brought a huge rotary rig into their old pre-war drill- Oil and Gas ing site at Iniskin Bay on the Alaska Peninsula in 1954, and drilled rapidly to a depth of 5,100 feet when an esrthquake in October Exploration for oil and gas by private enterprise in Alaska has filled 600 feet of the hole and caused a casing failure. Little pro- literally mushroomed during the biennium. Applications for oil gress was made after that, and the operation closed down for the leases on almost four million acres have been received by Bureau winter in November. d of Land Management offices at Anchorage and Fairbanks. From the two major oil concerns active in the Territory in 1952, the The third company actually drilling for oil is the Alaska Oil number increased to eight in 1954, in addition to several local and Gas Development Company of Anchorage. They drilled Alaskan organizations and minor Stateside firms. These com- I through both seasons of the biennium with a cable drill rig near I panies expended between 3 and 4 rninlions dollars in exploration I Eureka on the Glenn Highway, and reached a depth of nearly activities in Alaska in 1954. With an annual expenditure at this 2,700 feet before stopping for the winter in 1954. Promising gas rate, it is only a matter of time before the first well is brought in. indications have been reported by the company from time to time I Alaska's oil Consumption rate of 6,000 to 8,000 barrels per day and during the drilling. 62 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES

The fourth and last company in the process of drilling is the abide by their announced intention of opening up resources for Anchorage Oil and Gas Company which is drilling for gas in the private development and release this area for the benefit of Houston area (Upper Cook Inlet province). Alaska. Criticism on the past of Stateside newspapermen and The Shell Oil Company has been doing extensive geological others accusing the administratien of a "give-away" program has exploration with a total of four geological field parties. Two of apparently delayed this release. At least two major oil concerns, them were on the Alaska Peninsula near Beeharof Lake, one on Ohio and Union Oil Companies, have pubiiciy announced an inter- Pniskin Peninsula; and one on Kenai Peninsula. est in the release of this northern acreage so that they might start developments toward production there. Standard 811 Company of California had three geologists con- Another facet of the situation is the possibility of piping ducting survey work both in the Katallst-Yakataga province and natural gas from the Gubik gas field to the railbelt should this the Cook Inlet-Alaska Peninsula province. Extensive seismic ex- withdrawn area be released. The Gubik gas field is about 7,000 ploration was conducted on the Kenai Peninsula by the Robert H. acres of proven structure estimated to contain 300 billion cubic Ray Company under contract with Standard. The company has feet of gas. Anyone interested in going into this possibility in de- entered into a spacial agreement with the Interior Department tail is urged to read the Alaska Development Board report Possi- guaranteeing certain annual expenditures for exploration, as well bility of CsmmerciaP Development of Gubik Gzs Field and Use of as the drilling of two wells in I959 and 1960. An area of 750,000 Natural Gas as a Source of Heat and Power in the Railbelt Area acres on the Kenai Peninsula is involved. sf Alaska. Preliminary geological work in the Kateel River area by Fair- banks Oil and Gas Company resulted in simultaneous lease applications by two groups. A partnership between Texota Oil Corn- pany of Fort Worth and Brooks-Scanlon Oil Company of Minne- apolis comprise one group, while the other is a Fairbanks organization known as the Texas-Yukon Oil Company. The Alaska Gulf Oil and Gas Company of Anchorage has op- tioned acreage in the Cook Inlet province to a Bakersfield, Calf- fornia, group which plans to drill in 1955. The Texas Company, Ohio Oil Company, and Union Oil Com- pany all engaged in preliminary reconnaissance investigations in Alaska in 1954 and laid plans for more extensive work here En 1955. Richfield Oil Company leased 90,000 acres on the Kenai Pen- insula late in 1954. The U. S. Navy's oil and gas exploration work on Naval Petro- leum Reserve No. 4 has ceased. This reserve and the Interior De- partment withdrawal known as PW 82 consist of about 48 million acres and include practically all of Alaska north of the crest of the Brooks Range from the Canadian Boundary to Cape Lisburne. It appeared for a time that the Republican administration would RElPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 65

Lode claims are staked where the valuable mineral is ''in LAWS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO place", undisturbed in its original position in a vein or lode in bedrock. There is no restriction on the number of Pode claims thzt LOCATING AND LEASING MINERAL GROUND may be staked, but the locator should remember that assessment work must be done for each of his claims if he is tc hold them. The Under the present mining laws, all mineral deposits except dimensions of Pode claims cannot be longer than 1,500 feet along oil, gas, and coal may be located and held by staking mineral the vein nor extend more than claims on the public domain. Public domain includes all 300 feet from the vein on either side. Thus the correct size of the lode claim, when possible, is government-owned lands which have not been withdrawn or re- 1,500 by 600 feet with the vein outcrop (called the apex) running served for some purpose. The University of Alaska has compiled through the center of the claim. The end lines of the lode claim a map showing the larger withdrawn areas and the recording pre- must be parallei if the miner is to have his extralateral rights cincts in the Territory, which may be purchased from the Univer- which entitle him to follow the vein down after it passes out from sity Bookstore. under the side lines, but require him to remain between the down- Mining claims are of two types: placer and lode. They are ward vertical extensions of the end lines. Thus, if the claim is staked under slightly different regulations, but in either case a properly staked, he may follow the vein as deep as he wishes, re- prospector must make a discovery of valuable mineral on or in gardless of which way it dips, but he cannot mine more than the ground before he may stake it. 1,500 feet. or his claim length, of the vein laterally.

Placer claims are staked on ground where the mineral is not A minimum of seven posts or monuments is required to follow "in place"; that is, where it has been moved from its original po- legal requirements in locating a lode claim. One post must be on sition in bedrock by erosion and weathering agencies to another each corner, one in the center of each end line where the line location in an unconsolidated deposit, usually in an ancient or crosses the apex of the vein, and one at the discovery point on present stream bed. In Alaska there is a limit on the staking of which the location notice is posted. The discovery point must be placer claims to two per month in any one recording precinct. within the claim, and not on one of the boundary lines. As with Claims may be staked for others by power of attorney, but in the the placer claim, posts are also required at any angle of the boun- case of placer claims they cannot be staked in any manner so that dary lines, and all boundary Iines should be marked. Practically any one person may accumulate more than the legal limit. The the same information is written on the lode location notice as the size of a placer claim cam be no larger than twenty acres, and the placer, and forms for each may be purchased from various print- dimensigns are ordinarily 1,320 by 660 feet, but it cannot be longer ing concerns in the Territory. Claim location certificates must than 1,320 feet. It must be marked by a post or monument at each be recorded at the recorder's office within ninety days after the corner and angle of the boundary lines and the boundary lines date of location. must be marked on the ground. A location notice must be pasted on the claim giving the name of the claim, name of the locator, To legally hold claims after they are staked and recorded, $100 date of location, and description of claim. The location notice worth of assessment work must be done on each claim each year. may be posted on one of the corner posts. A location certificate This work must be done in such a way as to improve the claim or must be recorded, with the recorder of the recording precinct in benefit it. Work for a group of claims that are contiguous may xhich the claim is located, within ninety days of the location. The ail be done on one claim. Cost of tools purchased or transporta- certificate contains the same inforrnat.ion as the location notice , tion expense of tools or personnel to or from the claim is not with the addition of the description of the actual geographical chargeable to assessment work. The annual deadline for com- I1 situation of the claim sufficiently clear to enable another person I pletion of assessment work is July 1st at noon, but work is not I to find the location. required for the assessment year during which the claim is staked. (ibi REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 67

An affidavit stating that the assessment work has been done The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to survey the pub- should be recorded each year as proof that the claim is being lic lands in Aiaska known to be valuable for tieir deposits of coal legally held. and to divide the unreserved coal lands and coal deposits into leasing blocks or tracts of 40 acres each, or multiples thereof, in After $500 worth of work has been done on a claim, the holder such form as will permit the most economical mining of the coal may apply for a patent. Tnis gives him full title to the ground therein, not exceeding 2,580 acres in any block, and to offer such and relieves him of the necessity of doing the annual assessment blocks for lease. work. The process of obtaining a patent is lengthy and rather expensive, the details of which may be obtained from the Bureau A lease may be issued for a period of not more than 50 years, of Land Management. subject to renewal on such tern and conditions as the law at the time of renewal may authorize, and it confers upon the lessee the A small book entitled Alaska Mining Laws by Henry Roden exclusive right to mine and dispose of all the coal and associated may be purchased from the Dally Alaska Empire Printing Com- minerals in the tract Ieased. He must dovenant to invest in actual pany, Juneau, Alaska, for $2.00. mining operations upon the land not less than $100 for each acre involved, of which amount not less than one-fifth must be ex- Oil and coal lands are not staked like other minerals, but are pended during the first year of the lease and a Pike sum in each acquired by leases obtained from the Bureau of Land Manage- of the next succeeding four years. ment. In the case of oil and gas in Alaska, an individual may apply for a lease on one or more tracts of unproven land by pay- The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to issue csal- ing the initial fees and rentals. Leases are for a five-year period, prospecting permits to applicants qualified to hold coal leases with a single five-year extension, or as long as production occurs. where prospecting or exploratory work is necessary to determine Rental is 25 cents per acre for the first year; second and third the existence or workability of coal deposits in an unclaimed, un- year rental waived; 25 cents per acre for fourth and succeeding developed area in Alaska. Permits are issued for terms of not years. Upon discovery, rental is $1.00 per acre plus 121/,7i roy- exceeding four years and may not include more than 2,560 acres. alty (5% for the first ten years for the first producer in a new If within the life of the permit, the permittee shows that the land area). An individual or corporation may lease up to 100,000 acres contains coaP in commercial quantity, he is entitled to a lease of on this bash, the maximum acreage per tract being 2,560 and the the land. minimum 640. Limited licenses or permits are issued, granting the right to A development company may be formed which may obtain prospect for, mine, and dispose of coal belonging to the United options from lessees up to as much as 200,000 acres for a two-year States, on specified tracts not exceeding 10 acres, and for not more period. than an area reasonably sufficient to supply the quantity of coal needed, to any one person or association of persons in any one On known or producing geologic structures, lands are leased coal field for a period of two years without payment of royalty for only after competitive bidding on leases with a maximum size of the coaP mined or for the land occupied. 640 acres to a total of 15,360 acres for a person or corporation. The term of the lease is five years and as long thereafter as production continues in paying quantities. Rental is $1.00 per acre per year with royalty rate of 12%% to 25%. There are no designated producing structures in Alaska at the present time. REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 69

TABLE IIX Average Metal Prices as Quoted by E. & MYI.3.

Copper, domestic, f.0.b. refinery .... Copper, foreign, f.0.b. refinery .... Lead, common, New York ...... I,ead, common, St. Louis ...... Zinc, Prirne Western, St. Louis .... Tin, Straits, New York ...... Silver, foreign, New York ...... Quicksiiver (per flask 76-lb.) ...... Anti~nony,N.Y. (cases) ...... I'latinu~n, refined ...... Cadmium (producers' quotation) .... Alurninum, 99 plus percent, ingot Magnesium, ingot ...... Kickel, electrolytjc ......

., ; w' EMPLOYMENT AND ACCIDENTS AT MINES a, 3 r: -cs z $3 > 9 7L-J The following Table IV reveals the trend of employment in .Aa,~d .-m g 2 GE the mining industry from 1914, the first year for which records FGw- are available, through 1954. Accidents and employment at the E 3 idog Q Om various types of mines are shown for each year of the biennium s 2 ; +. Q =a; go in Table V. The number of man-shifts, number of accidents, and $ s UP resulting time lost at mines of various types in Alaska, during each " 2 .e5; year for which records are available, are indicated in Table VT. a2 aL 4?wr: r: 5 moo cs ;0 +QCG ma, OaJ Fatalities Xdd ax.-&C 2SC "&a '"00 0,- .5P - Qr: oa, Nine fatalities resulted from accidents in mines or on mining E ma5.5 .A properties during the biennium, four in 1953 and five in 1954. @.!idLP5 L"a$*Z .43CQ Q4 Three were in coal mines, four were in underground lode mines, e? 6 .z~,~~Mwc0 and two were connected with placer operations. Roof falls, "cm -7 3U which are the greatest single cause of mining accidents and g.5 . 62 mg "m 3 Eg~~ym2 deaths in coal and metah mines alike, accounted for two of the hpsg s2y"j fatalities. Falling rock also caused one death in an open pit. Three 2azCJ-0 -5 2 s.5 2s "l5 fatalities were the result of two underground blasting accidents, a, 2.5v $2"4:zam and one more underground death was the result of a transporta- M 5m.r:c 0.2 g$,,;.+Pm tion accident. The remaining two fatalities resulted from what ,+ZE a4'5 might be termed as freakish accidents in connection with placer ..5aJ a$s8g5 mining machinery or equipment. Investigations revealed the f ol- Q --- - 0 ZNE? S z lowing facts : 70 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES

Kasper Kaiser, Buff a10 Coal Mining Company, January 21, Donald Weyanna, U. S. Tin Corporation, May 26, 1954. The 1953. Kaiser and three others were being hoisted out of the mine deceased and a brother were mucking out a subdrift in the Lost in n. skip. One wheel of the skip apparently locked, due to impro- River Mine when the accident occurred. They had blasted three per lubrication or a broken bearing, and combifiec? with an unever, holes that had not gone off when the round had Seen fired, and track and improperly balanced load caused the skip to jump the were cleaning up after this second blast when a small amount of track and bounce from one side of tne slope to the other before it rock fell from the roof and struck the deceased, causing head in- could be stopped. Kaiser's skull was crushed, apparently between juries frorn which he died shortly thereafter. This accident re- the skip and a tie. The deceased then fell 175 feet down the slope. suited from the carelessness of the two miners in not barring The three others were injured, two of them hospitalized. down the Ioose rock frorn overhead before commencing with the mucking. They were reportedly miners of two years' experience Herbert A. Pierce, Evan Jones Coal Company, May 21, 1953. at Lost River. While working, the deceased and his working partner noticed some coal sloughing from the roof nearby. They cut a hitch for Ernest C. Rivers, Usibelli Coal Mine, Inc., June 6, 1954. The a timber, then cut the timber. By the time the timber was cut tQ accident occurred when the deceased, employed as a bulldozer size, the hitch had filled with Ioose coal. While Pierce was clean- operator, was bulldozing loose material away from underneath a ing out the hitch, a roof fall occurred without warning which re- highwall of overburden 40 feet high. An overhanging piece of sulted in his death. The piece of coal that fell on him was three frozen sandstone weighing about four tons fell from the highwall feet wide by two feet thick by an undetermined length. The acci- onto the bulldozer and crushed the operator. The unsafe prac- dent was a result of insufficient timbering protection against tices of working under a highwall with overhanging material and known bad roof conditions. operating a tractor without an adequate overhead canopy for pso- tection, were the causes of this accident. A similar accident hap- Doyle E. Burchett, Erickson Placers, Inc., July 22, 1953. A pened a few months earlier at the same mine; resulting in serious travelling pilot placer machine about 18 feet high was being injuries to another bulldozer operator. moved from the city of Nsme out to the placer ground. At the outskirts of Nome, the deceased climbed to the top of the machine Alfred Davis and Joe Morrisey, Kenai Chrome Company, June to check clearance of power Pines. Me slipped and/or lost his bal- 25, 1954. As both miners were killed, and there was no one near ance and fell the full distance to the ground, landing en his head. them at or just before the accident, the exact reasons for the acci- Death occurred within 10 minutes from contusion of the brain dent are largely matters of conjecture. They were blasting a and fracture of the skull. The accident was apparently due en- round of holes in the face of 2 drift, using caps and fuses. One tirely to carelessness of the deceased. shot was heard to explode considerably ahead of the rest. For some reason neither of the deceased got away from the face and James Allio, U. S. Tin Corporation, October 23, 1953. AlIio and both caught the full force of the blasting. It is not considered another miner were lighting a round of 22 loaded holes in the face that the equipment or working conditions were defective or un- of a drift in the Lost River Mine. Using a "spitter" cut from a safe. length of fuse, they failed to "spit" 213. the fuses and waited too long before retreating from the face. The shots started to explode Winston W. Spencer, Goodnews Bay NLining Company, Sep- when they were 20 feet from the face and Allio died an hour later tember 211, 1954. Deceased was one oi a party engaged in pulling from injuries caused by flying pieces of rock. The other miner an electric cable from power pole cross arms. The cable was part- was also badly injured, but lived. This fatality was due to care- ly rolled on a reel which was mounted on a "go-devil" being pulled lessness and poor judgment on the part of the miners, one of whom by a tractor, and Spencer was one of two men holding the reel to was a miner of 15 years' experience. Fuse blasting is safe when prevent it from turning as it pulled the cable. The cable suddenly properly handled. became jammed on one of the cross arms, and before the tractor 72 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF hl1NES REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF MINES 73 could be stopped. the reel was pulled off the "go.devi1" . Spencer TABLE V moved with the reel. either under his own power or because he was Summary of Accidents and Employment at Mines in Alaska caught by the pipe which was protruding from the center of the 1953-1954 reel a short distance . As the reel reached the ground. he either (195.7) lost his footing or was thrown so that he fell in the path of the Number Number Number Resuits of Total of of Men Shifts Accidents Time Lost seei. One sicie of the reel rolled over his head. or struck it. crusb- Mines Groul> Employed Worked Fatal Nonfatal Days ing the skull in the area of contact . He died a short time later. IBl~A(:h:lt MINES: 24 nretlges ...... 961 105 Nonfloat ...... 361 TABLE IV 27 Hydraulic ...... 41 Employment at Mines. 1914 to 1954. Inclusive 41 SmalI scale hand 46 13 Others* ...... 51 Number of Men EmployedP at: . Lode Mines and Coal and 210 1,460 Tear Placers Milling Plants Other Mines Totals COAL MINES: 6 Underground .... 275 1914 ...... 4.400 3. 500 140 8.040 5 Strip ...... 119 1915 ...... 4. 400 3. 850 1GO 8.410 - 1016 ...... 4. 050 4. 200 340 8.590 11 394 ...... 3.550 3.220 270 7. 040 1917 1~01)b: BIINES: 1918 ...... ~ .... 3.000 1.897 400 5.297

I'IrACER MINES: Dredges ...... 907 Nonfloat ...... 333 Hydraulic ...... 36 SmaIl.scale hand 31 Others* ...... 49 - 1,356 COAL MINES: Underground .... 248 Strip ...... 97 - 9 345 81. 019 1 71 I.048 IJODE MINES:

* Inclu(1es prospect.ors and placer drift operations . ** lnclutles prospectors and intermittent operations . For explanation of placer mining classifications. see footnotes at end of List of Alaska Mining Operations. TABLE VP ---Summary of Man-Shifts Worked, Fatal and Nonfatal Accidents, and Time Lost in All Mines in Alaska Man-Shifts Worked at Fatalities Nonfatal Accidents Time Lost (Days) Placer Lode Mines Coal Placer Lode Mines Coal Placer Lode hIines Coal / Placer Lode lllnes Coal Year Mines and Mllls Mines Mines and hIills Mines ?dines and hlills Mines Mines and hIllls Mines 1912 6 6 1913 10 15 1914 5 14 1915 4 19 1916 - 22 27 736 1917 24 11 705 1918 1 12 0 199 1919 0 13 5 350 5 1920 0 9 0 302 2,831 1921 568,615 103,389 0 12 0 249 3,519 471 1922 537,180 55,309 0 5 0 0 252 4,344 250 1923 84,948 618,359 66,927 2 9 0 7 230 42 394 3,991 673 1924 117,545 468,890 51,398 0 16 0 30 327 6 560 4,882 75 1925 405,000 592,326 34,353 0 6 0 0 303 5 No report 5,639 109 1926 418,744 563,992 51,398 1 6 1 90 365 10 1,042 5,308 7 5 1927 418,235 555,155 34,915 2 7 1 178 259 13 3,267 4,819 445 1928 445,707 559,081 32,466 3 6 0 152 302 2 2,048 5,981 19 1929 420,249 524,836 25,525 5 9 0 142 255 6 1,657 4,301 197 1930 484,301 486,515 30,101 0 7 0 123 271 7 1,096 3,979 221 1931 437,573 425,201 22,129 0 6 0 92 1G7 5 / 1,251 2,668 101 1932 441,335 445,876 22,267 0 5 0 G7 163 14 765 2,630 250 90 177 2 1,077 2,381 9 1933 437,267 103,021 19,805 1 7 0 " 1934 478,908 443,265 20,514 0 6 0 95 220 i 1,313 3,784 201 1935 499,765 458,440 23,571 2 6 0 116 266 12 1,250 4,372 291 1936 496,370 515,105 27,285 2 8 0 89 284 8 1,014 3,780 149 1937 547,748 548,929 25,267 2 2 16 129 298 14 1,733 5,007 407 1938 607,624 595,520 27,744 2 5 20 1,365 5,091 423 1939 683,624 548,121 26,643 1 3 158 302 15 2,263 4,247 488 1940 718,153 552,579 34,450 4 4 162 313 29 1,999 4,260 721 1941 657,142 517,347 54,779 1 1 38 ( 1,978 5,069 630 LIST OF ALASKA RIINING OPERATIONS ACTIVE DURING THlE BIENNIUM, 1953-54 Recording Precinct and bpprox. Na111ea~td Address of Operator Lo~~tionof Mine (USGS Q~iadra~lgle)Type of Operat1011 Crew **A and S Nining Co., ;\fascot Cr. Fairbanks Wiseman Koyukuk Dist. rLViseman) Nonfloat 3 z Ace Mining Co., Darling Cr. Cape Nolne Nonfloat Nome Nome Dist. (Nome) 0 3 Admiralty Alaska Gold Mining Co., Funter Bay Juneau Yickel-Copper lotie 4 Box 529, Juneau i\clmiralty Dist. (Juneau) development 0'rJ

Agoff, Ilarry, Prince Cr. 14t. BlcICinley Nonfloat Prince Creek Mining Co., Flat, Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod) - 2 **Alaska Copper ;\lines, Inc., 5Iaclaren River Talkeetna Copper lode clevelopment 8 2 Box 3365, Seattle 14, Wash. Valdez Creek Dist. (Mt. Hayes) z0 M Alaska Exploration and Mining Co., Bird Cr. Talkeetna Hydraulic 3 3 Mike Trepte, Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna) 0 9

Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Co.. A.J. Mine, Juneau Juneau Gold lode ancl mill 30 ZY Box 2419, Juneau Juneau Dist. (Juneau) [Maintenance only) Z

M.- Alaska Metals hlining Co., Gilmore Dome Fairbanks Tungsten esploration 5 cn Box 965, Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

*Alaska Placer Co., Niuklulc River Cape Nome Gold dredge Nome Council Dist. (Solomon)

Alaska Tin Corp., Ear Mountain Cape Nonle Lode and placer tin 2 Nome Port Clarence Dist. (Teller) prospecting

**Alaska Uranium Exploration Co., Interior Alaska Several Prospecting 2 Fairbanks . .

Albertson, E. 0. and Pettyjohn, Fred, Slaclaren River Talkeetna Copper lorle prospecting 2 Big Delta Valtlez Creek Dist. (>It. Hayes)

Alder Creek Mining Co.. Fairbanks Cr. Fairbanks Yonfloat Box 1999, Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist (Livengood)

*Alluvial Golds, Inc., Woodchopper Cr. Fairbanks Golcl dredge 9 $ Fairbanks Circle Dist. (Charley River) Stripping only in 1954 4 0 e American Creek Exploration Co., Bristol Bay and Iliamna Lode prospecting 3 7 Wm. Hammersly & Associates, Redoubt Dists. (Iliamna) 0 Anchorage 8z z Amero, A. W., Big Cr. Fairbanks Stnall scale hand 1 ++ Chandalar rn Chanclalar Dist. (Chandalar) E 8 Anderson, Ellis, Tobin Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Chandalar Chandalar Dist. (Chandalar) 96 Atlas Mines, Dahl Cr. Cqpe Nome Nonfloat 3 g George J. Waldhelm, Kougarok Dist. (Bendelehen) Box 105, Nome 5 z Ausley, Clarence, Agashashok headwaters Noatak-Kobuk Prospecting 2 Nome Noatak Dist. (Baird &Its.)

Babel, SIcGahan, and Thorgaard, Tlaldez, Cr. Talkeetna Lode prospecting 3 Fairbanks Valdez Creek Dist. (Healy)

Backstrom, Gus, Idaho Cr. Mt. 3IcKinley Hydraulic Flat Itlitarod Dist. (Iditarod) Badger, Elmer, Sheenjek River Fairbanks Prospecting Fairbanks Sheenjek Dist. (Table &It.)

Barge, E. J., and Blair, Andrew, Cache Cr. Talkeetna Nonfloat Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna~

*Barrett, Frank, Stonehouse Cr. Fairbanks Hydraulic Chicken Fortymile Diut. (Eagle)

**Barrett, Frank, i\losquito Fork Fairbanks Prospecting Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle)

Basin Creek AIining Co., Basin Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Herbert Engstrom, Nome Nome Dist. (Nome) E B.C. Mica, Ltd., Sitklan Island & vicinity Ketchikan Mica lode exploration Vancouver. B.C. Ketchikan Dist. (Prince Rupert) "z E? Bear Creek Alining Co., Interior & Southeast Alaska Several Mineral investigations 4 0z W. 1017 Riverside Ave. P3 Spokane, Wash. 'a 0 Beaver, 3. G., and Englehorn,Forrest, Cache Cr. Talkeetna Nonfloat 2 q Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna) g W 'A-. Beaver, Mary, and Stephens, V., Nugget Cr. Talkeetna Small scale hand " Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

*Bedrock iflining Co., Bedrock & Little Crs. Innoko Nonfloat Tom Wollard and Ivan C. Carlson, Innoko Dist. (Ophir) Ophir

Belanger, George, and Cameron, J., Albert Cr. Chitina Hydraulic Palmer Nelchina Dist. (Talkeetna Mts.)

Beltz, Bert and Douglass, Chub, Bear Cr. Fairhaven Nonfloat Kotzebue Fairhaven Dist. (Candle)

Benick, Ed, Ophir Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand I Nome Council Dist. (Solomon)

Berg, Rhinehart, Ruby Cr. Noatak-Icobuk Copper lotle tlevelopment 2 Chitina Shungnak Dist. (Ambler River) 3 ;rl $1 **Bethlehem Steel Co., Southeast Alaska Several Mineral investigations 19 Bethlehem, Pa. s V Big Hurrah Quartz Mine, Big Hurrah Cr Cape Nome Gold lode tlevelopment 10 '1: Alaska Associates, Ltd., Nome Nome Dist. (Solomon) 0 S Bittner, Paul, Deadwood Cr. Fairbanks Hyrlraulic Central Circle Dist. (Circle) - **Blasher & Kristovich, Nakat Inlet Ketchikan Mica prospecting .I 8

214 8th Ave., So., Icetchikan Dist. (Prince Rupert) I Z M Seattle 4, Wash. 3 w Bliss, Patrick, Sweepstakes Cr. Cape Nome Tonfloat 3 ? Nome or Box 2225. Anchorage Icoyuk Dist. (Candle) Z s Blundell, J. B., .Jim Pup Fairbanks Small scale hand ancl 13 Big Lake Koyukuk Dist. (Chandalar) placer drift Ln

Bodis, George. Dick Cr. Cape No~ne Sonfloat Box 64, Nome Serpentine Dist. (Bendeleben)

*Bott, Earl and Lyle. Eighttnile Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand 2 Big Lake Iioyukuk Dist. (Chandalar) ~3-1 *Bourden, Fred, Nome Beach Cape Nome Sinall scale hand 12 Nome Nome Dist. (Nome)

*Bowman, Harry, Portage Cr. Iliamna Nonfloat Iliamna Bristol Bay Dist. (Lake Clark)

Bradley, C. \Ir. Upper Cache Cr. Talkeetna Hydraulic Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

**Briggs, Earl. Sinona Cr. Chitina Placer prospecting Palmer Chistochina Dist. (Gulkana)

*Briner, Henry and Titus, Jack, Penny Creek Cape Nome Small scale hand Nome Nome Dist. (Solomon)

*Brinker-Johnson Slining Co., Pasco Cr. Fairbanks Placer drilling 215 N. Carson, St., Fairbanks Dist. (Big Delta) Carson City, Sevada

Bronnicke. Fred. Ahtell Cr. Chitina Lode gold prospecting Chistochina Chistochina Dist. (Gulltana)

Burnette, Dewey and Hunter, LI., Crooked Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loat Box 1995, Fairbanks Kantishna Dist. (>It. 1IcKinley)

*Callahan Zinc-Lead Co., Livengood Cr. Fairbanks Gold dredge Box 990, Fairbanks Tolovana Dist. (Livengood)

Canyon Creek Mining Co., Marvel Cr. ICuskokwim Nonfloat Jens Kvamme & Sons, Aklak Xniak Dist. (Bethel)

**Carison, Ivan C., Little Cr. Ophir Innolro Dist.

Carstens, Heine, C.. Portage Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loa t Central Circle Dist. (Circle) - - 9 8 Casa de Paga Gold Co., Inmachuk River Fairhaven 2 gold dredges 28 3 Utica or 411 Hoge Bldg., Fairhaven Dist. (Bendeleben) 4 Seattle, Wash. Q

**Chandalar 1Iining Co., Big Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Hugh Xatheson, Jr., Chandalar Dist. (Chandalar) 613 3rd dve., Anchorage

Chappell, Oliver L., Thompson Gulch Fairbanks Hydraulic Wiseman Koyukuk Dist. ( Wiseman)

Chatham Creek SIining Co., Chatham Cr. Fairbanks Sonfloat Berg, Tweiten, and Wickstrom, Fairbanks Dist. (Livengood) Box 64, Fairbanks

2hena blining Co. Jackson Cr. Nenana Nonfloat Bonnifield Dist.

Circle Dredging Co., Crooked Cr Fairbanks Gold dredge 6 Box 1498, Fairbanks CircIe Dist. (Circle)

Cline, Harvey, Yakataga Beach Cordova S~nallscale hand 1 Pakataga Yakataga Dist. (Bering Glacier) wP **Coast Range Exploration Co., Southeast Alaska Several Idode prospecting Box 1753, Anchorage

Collinsville Jlines, Mills & Twin Crs. Talkeetna Nonfloat 1557 H. Street, Anchorage Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

Colorado Creelr iMining Co., Colorado Cr. fnnolto Nonfloat Fullerton Brothers, McGrath Innoko Dist. (Ophirl

***Connell, Paul A,, Circle and Black Dists. Fairbanks Prospecting Central (Circle and Charley Riv.)

Cook, E'red, Kasson Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand Solomon Nome Dist. (Solomon)

**Coplin Consolidatecl Enterprises, Niukluk River Cape Nome Gold dredge Frank CopIin, Nome Council Dist. (Solomon)

Crane, Fred, and Associates, Northwesrern & Northern Yoatak-Icobuk Prospecting Icotzebue Alaska Regions (Several)

Culver, Richard H., Ruby Gulch Talkeetna Hydraulic Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

~ummins,Larry and Negus, Fred, Nugget Cr. Talkeetna Small scale hand Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

*Curran, Peter, Penny Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hanu Solomon Nome Dist. (Solomon)

Dahl, Robert, Nugget Cr. Tallceetna Small scale hand Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

Davis, Tolbert E., Purcell hIountain Noatak-Icobuk Prospecting Fairbanks Selawik Dist. (Shungnak)

Dawson, Pieper, Adams and Leduc River Ketchikan Lode prospecting 2 Associates, Ketchikan Dist. (Bradfield Canal) Box 2384, Ketchikan

***Dayo, Stanley, Hot Springs Dist. Hot Springs Prospecting Manley Hot Springs [Tanana)

Deadwood Mining Co., Independence Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loat Wrede Brothers, Circle Dist. (Circle) 302 Cowles St., Fairbanks C3 DeCoursey Mountain Mining Co., Red Devil Mine I

Degnan, Joe A,, Esperanto Cr Innoko Nonfloat Ophir Innoko Dist. (Ophir) 0 r *Dittman, David, Head of Gilmore Cr. E'airbanks Lode prospecting z Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks) 3 Donlin Placers, Donlin Cr. Kuskokwirn Nonfloat 1 ZJI Robert Lyman, Fairbanks Aniak Dist. (Iditarod)

Drews. Slax, Gravel Gulch Fairbanks Small scale hand 1 Eagle Eagle Dist. (Eagle)

**Dron, John X., Jr., Ester Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Fairbanks Rairbanlcs Dist. (Fairbanks) *Dutch Creek >fining Co., Dutch Cr. Cape Nome .Sonfloat Council Council Dist. (Solomon)

*Dutch Hills Exploration and Bird Cr. Talkeetna Gold lode developnlent I Development Co., Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna) Bill Lyons, Talkeetna

Edwards, H. W., Quartz Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Nome Nome Dist. (Solomon)

***Eisenmenger, William, Tibbs Cr. Fairbanks Lode prospect Fairbanks Goodpaster Dist. (Big Delta) V 9 Suction dredge construction 2 C; *Emery, W, &I., and Gordon, Frank, Fortymile River Fairbanks 0 Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle) Dismantled in 1954 z k Noatak-Kobuk .Jade recovery and cutting 1 5; Empire Jade Co., Jade Cr. Kc Gene Joiner, Kotzebue Kiana Dist. (Ambler River)

Enstrom, Oscar and McDougal, American Cr. Hot Springs Nonfloat Fairbanks Hot Springs Dist. (Tanana)

Ericlrson, Halvor, Cache Cr. Ryclraulic Talkeetna Yentna Dist.

*Erickson Placers. Nome Dist. Cape Xome Placer scheelite Arlchorage (Nome1

Falls, Bently, \\'ilb~~rCr. Fairbanks Nonf loat Live~lgood Tolovana Dist. (Livengood)

Ferriss, M. ;\I., Southeast Alaska Several Lode prospecting 1 Box 2491, Ketchikan

Francis, Harry, Flat Cr. Mt. McKinley Sonfloat Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

Franklin Mining Co., Chiclren Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Roberts Brothers & H. Bayless. Fortymile Dist. (Eagle) Box 1993, Fairbanks

Frasca, John and Hering, William, Eagle Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Box 1182, Fairbanlis Circle Dist. (Circle)

**Gelvin, Ednrin C., Squaw Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Fairbanks Circle Dist. (Circle)

**Gilbertson Brothers, Alder Cr. Chitina Nonfloat 2 8 Fairbanks Chistochina Dist. (Gulkana) z F., n Gillette, B. Anvil Bench Cape No~ne Small scale hand 1 Box 285, Some Nome Dist. (Nome) z0 Gold Cord Mine, M Head of Fishhook Cr Wasilla Gold lode 17J Brown and Renshaw, Anchorage Vv~illow Creek Dist. (Anchorage) 0 3 **Gold Placers, Inc., Coal Cr. Fairbanks Gold clredge 5 z Fairbanks Circle Dist. (Charley River) Stripping only in 1953 2 $ **Gold Streain Mining Co., Goldstream Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat 4 Denny G. Breaid Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks) Stripping only in 1953 Box 2116, Fairbanks

Goodnews Bay Mining Co., Salmon River & tribs. Bethel Platinum dredge and 7 0 Platinum Goodnews Bay Dist. (Hagemeister nonfloat Island) Good~vick,Sig, Dahl Cr. Hydraulic (also jade Box 1015, Fairbanks Shungnak Dist. recovery,

Goodwin, Charles, Northwestern Alaska Noatak-Kobuk Prospecting Kotzebue Region

Granite Creek Mining CO., Ophir Cr. Nulato Nonfloat William Carlo, Ruby Ruby Dist. (Ruby)

+Grant Mining Co., Coffee Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Box 457, Nome I

*Grant, 0. M., Happy Cr. Fairbanks Gold lode prospecting Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

**Guclr, Robert, Kisaralik River Bethel Mercury and gold lode Whittier Aniak Dist. (Bethel) prospecting

*Gurtler, Grover and Myklebust, Little Cr. Innoko Nonfloat John, Innoko Dist. (Ophir) Ophir

Hagen, Otto Amund, Fox Cr. Fairbanks Hydraulic Eagle Eagle Dist. (Eagle)

Hamburg & Gliska, Pass Cr. Talkeetna Hydraulic Tallreetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

Hanson, Burnette, Crooked Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Eagle Eagle Dist. (Eagle)

Hard & Uotila, Bear Cr. Innoko Nonfloat Ophir Innoko Dist. (Ophir)

Hassel Mining Co., Ready Bullion Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Harold Hassel, Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

*Hatton, Frank and Turner, George, Chicken Cr. >It. IIcKinley Nonfloat Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

Havenstrite Oil Co., Candle Cr. Fairhaven Nonfloat Mining Division, Candle Ipairhaven Dist. (Candle)

Hayes, Howard, Miller Gulch Chitina Small scale hand Box 1136, Douglas Chistochina Dist. (Lit. Hayes)

**Hayes, Howard, A. J. Mine tailings Juneau Nonfloat Box 1136, Douglas Juneau Dist. (Juneau)

Heiner, Larry, Petersburg and Several Lode prospecting BOX 182, Petersburg Kupreanof Dists.

***Hodson, C. A,, Juneau Dist. Juneau Prospecting Elfin Cove (Juneau)

Hogendorn, Jack, Inmachuck River Fairhaven Hydraulic Deering Fairhaven Dist. (Bendelehen)

Hollnes, Walter, Dan Cr. Hydraulic May Creek via Cordova Nizina Dist.

Hope Mine, Faith Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat R. V. Watkins, Fairbanks Dist. (Circle) Box 521, Fairbanks

**Huffman, Hall, AIarch, & Nickelson, Little Ilining Co., Hunter Cr. Rampart Nonf loat >Ielo Jackovich, Rampart Rampart Dist. (Tananal

Iditarod Operating Co., Golden Cr. Ft. Gibbon Nonfloat Frank C. "Tuffy" Edgington, \lelozitna Dist. chlelozitna) Box 607, Fairbanks

**lhly, Nick, and Associates. Gold Cr. Talkeetna Placer preparations 2 3 918 4th Ave., Anchorage Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

Irwin, John D., Wild River Fairbanks Small scale hand 3 Fairbanks Koyukuk Dist. (Wiseman) Or Island Cove 34ining Co.. T?icinity of Cobol Sitka Development of various 2 13 John Ballard, Box 102, Sitka Chichagof Dist. (Sitka) lodes, cleanup of i? Hirst Chichagof mill .Zi . H .James, L. I?. Felix Fork Ft. Gibbon Nonfloa t 1 Hughes Hughes Dist. (Hughes) k2 Johansen, Engbret, Ingle Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle) F 0 7 Johnson, Elmer. Icetchikan Dist. Ketchikan Prospecting 1 Ketchikan (Ketchikan) YK z Johnson, Eric and AIcDermott. Edgar Cr. Wade Hampton Prospecting " Paddy liarshall Dist. (Russian Mission)

Johnson, Fred, Dahl Cr. Noatak-Kobuk Hydraulic Kobuk Shungnak Dist. (Shungnak) Johnson, H., Gold Run Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand and 1 Teller Port Clarence Dist. (Teller) placer drift

Johnson, Helmer, Cleary Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Livengooti)

**Johnson, Iver AI., Homestake Cr. Fairbanks Sonfloat 1519 Noble St.! Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Circle)

Johnson, J. H., N. Behm Canal Ketchikan Lode prospecting 1 Box 2255, Ketchikan Ketchikan Dist. (Ketchikan) k+' E Johnson, Pete and Isaacson, Eureka Cr. Hot Springs Nonfloat Hot Springs Hot Springs Dist. (Tanana) Q Johnson, "Rocky", Vicinity of Ketchikan Icetchikan Gold-Lead-Zinc lode 1 q Box 2286, Icetchikan Ketchikan Dist. (Ketchikan exploration 0 0 Jones, R. H., Harvey, C. K., and Smith Cr. Fairbanks Hydraulic 3 Ez Doherty, Pete, I

Kenai Chrome Co., Red Mountain Seldovia Chromium lode 26 545 E. Jth, Anchorage Homer Dist. (Seldovia) ICloss, Herman and Davis, Jack, Sunset Cove Juneau Gold-antimony lode -> Sunset Cove Petersburg Uist. (Sumdum) development and prospecting *Know, Vincent, Mascot Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Wiseman ICoyukuk Dist, (Wiseman)

Icobuk Xines, Dahl Cr. Noatak-Icobuk Nonfloat C. E. Stout & JVm. P. Thomas, Shungnak Dist. (Shungnak) Box 1464, Fairbanks

***Koby, Jack, Juneau Dist. Juneau Prospecting Pelican (Juneau)

**Kodiak Exploration Co., ICodiak Island Kodiak Tungsten prospecting Box 448, ICodiak ICodiak Dist. (ICodiak)

*Koster, G. H., No Grub Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Big Delta)

Icougarok Freight & Mining Co., Buster Cr. Cape Nome Gold dredge Straub & Towner, Nome Nome Dist. ( Nome)

**Kugruk Placers, Kugruk River Fairhaven Nonfloat Paul Beshore. Kotzebue Fairhaven Dist. [Candle)

*Lacross, Jack, Turk Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle) Prospecting in 19.54

Langlo~v, Jens, Switch Cr. Fairbanks Hydraulic Central Circle Dist. (Circle)

Lanning, Tony, Thanksgiving Cr. Hot Springs Nonfloat Hot Springs Hot Springs Dist. t Tanana)

Larsen, Clyde and Suckling, Woodchopper Cr. Hot Springs Placer drift Norman, Hot Springs Dist. (Tanana) Hot Springs

*Larsen, Hans C., Ophir Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand 1 Nome Nome Dist. (Solomon)

Lazeration, Charles and Jokela. Pedro Dome Fairbanks Gold lode Fern, Fairbanks Dist. I Livengood) Box 2000, Fairbanks

Lee Bros. Dredging Co., Sololnon River Cape Nome 2 gold dredges 10 g Solomon cSolomon) Nome Dist. +d 0 Leonard, Harry, Smith Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand Wiseman ICoyukuk Dist. (Wiseman)

*Lillie, Angus, Frince of Wales Island Icetchikan Prospecting Tokeen ICetchikan Dist. (Several)

Lindfors, Hugo, Kigluaik hlountains Cape Nome Prospecting Nome Nome Dist. (Teller, Nome)

Lindfors, Hugo and Bale, bray, Christian Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Nome Noine Dist. (Nome, 8 Eindgren, 31. and Associates, Coffe Doine SI Bedrock Cr. Fairbanks Golcl lode prospecting 2 ? Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Livengood) Some production from z Bedrock Creek in 1954 z Little Minook Mining Co., Little AIinook Cr. Stampart Nonfloac 7 Box 1505, Fairbanks Rampart Dist. (Tanana)

**Lonesome Mine, Little Susitna River Wasilla Gold lode 2 Cope Brothers Willow Creek Dist. (Anchorage)

Long Creek Mining Co., 1,ong Cr. Nulato Nonfloat Ruby Ruby Dist. (Ruby) Lost Chicken Hill JIines, Inc., Lost Chicken Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loat Chicken Fortymile Dist. t Eagle)

*Lounsbury, Lloyd, Tungsten Kill Fairbanks 'Tungsten prospecting I Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

Lode prospecting Love, Ward, Southeast Alaska # Box 1046, # Lowman, Ted, Fairbanks Dist. Fairbanks Prospecting 0P Fairbanks

Lucky Seven Mining Co., &Iastotlon Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Walter Roman, Miller House Circle Dist. (Circle)

*Macklin Creek Mining Co., h1acklin Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Nome ICougarok Dist. (Bendeleben)

***Magill, Fred, Southeast Alaska Several Lode prospecting Box 444, Petersburg 0 llanske, Dan, Ingle Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat 2 Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle) E Hz Martin, Henry, Portage Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand i Circle Hot Springs Circle Dist. (Circle)

Martinson, Olaf, Gold Run Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand 1 Teller Port Clarence Dist. (Teller)

Maurer, Ernest L., First Chance Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat 1 511 Fourth Ave., Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

Meldrum, William, Stonehouse Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Chicken Fortymile Dist. (Eagle)

*Midnight Sun Mining Co.. Skookunl Cr. Cape Nome Hydra~rlic Nome Kougarok Dist. IBendeleben)

*hIiller, Frank and Sons, Sheep Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Wiseman ICoyuliuk Dist. (Chandalar)

*Miller, George R., Eldorado Cr. Fairhaven Small scale hand Candle Fairhaven Dist. (Bendeleben)

Mines Ventures, Inc., hliddle Fork of Chistochina Chitina Placer preparations Jack hloore. Gakona Chistochina Dist. (Mt. Hayes)

Tvliscovich Brothers, Otter Cr. LIt. McKinley Nonfloat Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

hliscovich Brothers, Poorman Cr. Nulato Ditch construction Fairbanks Ruby Dist. (Ruby)

Moa, Arthur, Mountain View Property Hyder Lode exploration and Hyder Hyder Dist. (Retchikan) prospecting

**;\Toore, W. S., Co., Southeast Alaska Several Mineral explorations Torrey Bldg., Duluth 2, Minn.

hlumtrak Miners, \Vattamuse Cr. Bethel Nonfloat James Bystad & Associates, Goodnews Bay Dist. (Goodnews) Platinum

llunz, William, Rock Cr. Cape Nome Yonfloat Nome Council Dist. (Solomon) *Murnion, James, Ester Cr. Fairbanks Spenard Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

*Myrtle Creek Exploration Co., Myrtle Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Anchorage ICoyukuk Dist. (Chandalar)

***Narva, Felix, Chichagof Island Sitka Prospecting Idaho Inlet Chichagof Dist. (Sitka)

*Nelson, H. L., 3Iiller Gulch Chitina Small scale hand Gakona Chistochina Dist. (Mt. Hayes)

Nesland, Erling, Vermont Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Wiseman Koyultuk Dist. (Wiseman)

New York-Alaska Gold Dredging Tuluksak River and Bethel 2 gold dredges and Co., California Cr. (Russian nonfloat on Rock Creek Nyac Aniak Dist. Mission)

**No Grub Mining Co., No Grub Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Ed Brei~ner Fairbanks Dist. (Big Delta) Box 88, Fairbanks

*Nome Scheelite Exploration Co., Nome Dist. Cape Nome Tungsten prospecting Casimer C. Cechowski, Nome (Nome)

North American Gold Dredging Co., Otter Cr. Jlt. McKinley Gold tlredge Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

**Northern Pyrites Corp., Latouche Island Valdez Sulfide exploration 75 E. 45th St., New Yorlc 17, N.Y. Prince William Sound Dist. (Seward)

*Northern Tin Co., Buck Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat-jigs, placer tin C/O Wien Airline, Nome Port Clarence Dist. (Teller)

**Northwest Ventures, Ltd., Southeast Alaslra Several Mineral explorations 315-850 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, 13.C.

Novatney, Robert, Helm Bay Icetchikan Cold lode tlevelopment Juneau Icetchikan Dist. ( ICetchikan)

*Nugget Creek Mining Co., Cache Cr. Talkeetna Nonfloat Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

O'Brien, Jim and Dunsmuir, Jim, Surprise Cr. Sewarcl Placer drift Seward Hope Dist. (Seward)

Agriz, John, Otter Cr. Aft. IIcKinley Gold dredge Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

O'ICeefe, Dennis, Vicinity Twin Lakes Koyukuk Prospecting Wiseman Icoyukuk Dist. (Chanclalar)

Olive Creek Mines, Olive Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Box 552, Fairbanks Tolovana Dist. (I;ivengood)

Olson, C. V., Daniels Cr. Cape Nome Small scale hand Nome Council Dist. (Solon~on)

Olson, Henry T., .Juneau and Admiralty Juneau Prospecting Taku Harbor Dists. (Sumdum)

***O'Neil, Frank, T'aldez Cr. Talkeetna Prospecting Box 2000, Anchorage T'altlez Creek [list (Healy)

Ophir Mining Co., Upper Ganes Cr. Innoko Gold dredge Neal Beaton, Ophir Innolco Dist. (Iditarod) Ostnes, Lars & Co.. lvillow Creek Wade Hampton Nonfloat Fortuna Ledge Marshall Dist. (Russian Mission)

*+Pacific Northern Minerals Co., Riverside Mine Hyder Silver-Lead-Tungsten 3 Box 164, Hyder Hyder Dist. (Bradfield Canal) lode development

*Pade, Otto F.. \Jicinity of Skagmay Skagway Prospecting Skagway ,Juneau Dist. (Skamvay) u Pekovich, TV. S., Port Snettishain Juneau Iron lode development % Box 524, Juneau Juneau Dist. (Sumdum) 0 ?i Kodiak Copper lode development 3 C1 Peninsula Esl,loration Co.. Sitkalidak Island 0 R. E. ~rauiter& Associates, Icodiak Dist. (Kodiak) Box 551, Kodiak 5 Cn "Peterson, Hans, Dome Cr. tributary Cape Nome Hydraulic g Nome to Iron Cr.

Pitts, Fred, Lake Cr. Koyukuk Hydraulic Big Lake ICoyukuk Dist (Chandalar)

P.R. & H. Mining Co., LIastodon Cr Fairbanks Nonfloat Box 462, Fairbanks Circle Dist. (Circle)

Price, Stanton, Spruce Cr. Juneau Nonfloat Windham Petersburg Dist. (Sumdum)

Pringle, A. W., llhode Island Cr. Hot Springs Nonfloat Hot Springs Hot Springs Dist (Tananal

**Prospectors, Inc., Myrtle Cr. Fairbanks Prospecting 544 2nd Ave., Fairbanks Koyukuk Dist. (Chandalar)

Purdy Brothers, Myers Fork and Atwater Fairbanks Nonfloat Chiclcen Bar (Eagle)

Quail Creek LIining Co., Quail Cr. Rampart Nonf loa t Wm. Redig and 31. C. Haugdahl, Rampart Dist. i Livengood) General Delivery, Fairbanks

Quebec 11etallurgical Industries, Near Klukwan Haines Iron placer and lode 15 ;: Ltd., Juneau Dist. rskagway) development PY C/O Josephine Bonkowski, 0v Box 40, Haines 33 4 Radovan. Martin, Glacier Cr. 11cCarthy Copper lode prospecting 1 McCarthy Nizina Dist. (LIcCarthy) % r!u Ragner, Joe, Head of 1T701f Cr. Fairbanks Gold lode prospecting 1 E Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Livengood) - w2 Rainbow Mining Co., Goose Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat z Box 266, Nome Kougarok Dist. (Bencleleben) 2 0z Red Mountain Mining Co., McCann Cr. Bethel Placer drilling 2 L A. L. Howard, Seattle, Wash. Goodne~vsBay Dist. (Hagemeister (platinum) 0 Island) z'I! Red Top Mining Co., Near Aleknagik Bristol Bay hlercury lode development 3 r( Wren, Waskey & Wolfe, Bristol Bay Dist. (Dillingham) m Dillingham M

Ricks, Dean, Fairbanks Dist. Fairbanks Prospecting Fairbanks !Big Delta) *Roberts, George, Camaano Point Iietchikan Antimony lode clevelopinent 2 Tillicum Mining Co., Ketchikan Dist. (Icetchikan) 1940 2nd Ave., Icetchikan (D 4 Robinson, George F., Wade Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat I % Boundary Fortymile Dist. (Eagle)

*Rohn, E. H., Mines Nome Beach Cape Nome Small scale hand 1 Nome Dist. (Nome)

Rosander, T., Yankee Cr. Innoko Nonfloat 9 Ophir Innoko Dist. (Iditarod) 33

Runnels, R. L., Upper L*Iiller Gulch Chitina Small scale hand 10 Gulkana Chistochina Dist. (Mt. Hayes) z 0 *Sankovich & Peterson, Glacier Cr. Fairhaven Nonfloa t 2 College Fairhaven Dist. (Candle)

*Savage, Patrick, Flat Cr. Mt. McKinley Nonfloat Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod)

*Savage, Patrick, Spruce Cr. Innoko Nonf loa t Flat Innoko Dist. (Ophir)

**Savage, Patrick, Long Cr. Nulato Nonf loa t 5 r0 Ruby Ruby Dist. (Ruby)

Schaeffer, Russel, 3Iukshulilc Cr. Kuskokwim Nonfloat-gold, tungsten. 1 2 Crooked Creek Aniak Dist. (Sleetmute) and mercury (/i

**Schaeffer, Russel, Cinnabar Cr. ICuskokwim >Iercul.y lode development 1 Crooked Creek Aniak Dist. (Taylor Mts.)

Schultz, Henry, Vicinity of McCarthy McCarthy Copper lode development 1 McCarthy Nizina Dist. (McCarthy)

*Schwaesdall, Andy, Myrtle Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loat Wiseman Koyukuk Dist. {Chandalar)

*Selawik Mining Co., Headwaters of Selawik Noatak-Icobuk Prospecting Selawik River (Shungnak) Selawik Dist.

Seldovia Chrome Co., Inc., Red Mountain vicinity Seldovia Chromium lode 2 3 Seldovia Homer Dist. (Seldovia) prospecting wM 0 **Slate Creek Mining Co., Slate Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loat 3 5 Fairbanks ICoyukuk Dist. (Chandalar)

*Slate Creek Placers, Slate Cr. Chitina Louis Elmer, Slate Creek Chistochina Dist. (Mt. Hayes)

Slocum Arm Mining Co., Cox-Bolyan Mine Sitka Cobol via Juneau Chichagof Dist. (Sitka)

Smith, A. B., TTaldez Cr. Talkeetna Hydraulic Denali Traldez Creek Dist. (Healy) 3 8 **Smith, Loren and Utter, Don, Eagle Cr. Chitina Placer prospecting 2 Palmer Chistochina Dist. (&It. Hayes) s 2 *Smith, Pitcher and Co., Southeast Alaska Several Lode prospecting Ketchikan i

Stampede Mines, Stampede Cr. Fairbanks .Antimony lode and mill 4 Box 1896, Fairbanks Icantishna Dist. (Mt. McICinley) Exploration only

Stanich Brothers, Porcupine Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat and placer 2 Fairbanks ICoyukuk Dist. (Wiseman) drift Stanton, Harold, Thunder Cr. Talkeet na Hydraulic Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna) Nonfloat Strandberg & Sons, Coloraclo Cr. Innoko 926 - 4th Ave., Anchorage Innoko Dist. [Ophir)

Strandberg & Sons, Indian River Fort Gibbon Nonfloat 926 - 4th Xve., Anchorage Hughes Dist. (Hughes)

Strandberg & Sons, ICureka Cr. Hot Springs Nonfloat 926 - 4th Ave., Anchorage Hot Springs Dist. (Tananal

*Strandberg & Sons, Yentna Dist. Talkeetna Lode prospecting 926 - -4th Ave., Anchorage (Talkeetna 1Its.I

Strandberg & Sons, Nixon Fork Mine Mt. McKinley Gold lode tlevelopment 926 - 4th Ave., Anchorage LIcGrath Dist. (Medfra)

Stuver, Jules, Head of Happy Cr. Mt. LIcKinley Hydraulic Flat Iditarod Dist. (Iditarod) 0 Swanson Brothers, Hunter Cr. Rampart Nonfloat 2 ?l Rampart Rampart Dist. (Tananal z Hz Swatch, 81, Corpus Christi Cr. Fairbanks Xonfloat F3 Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist.

Taraski, A. J., Cache Cr. Talkeetna Hytlraulic Talkeetna Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna!

**Tauber, Joe, Llyrtle Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand 1 Bettles Field Iioyltkuk Dist. (Chandalar)

Thunder Mines, Inc., Thunder Cr. Talkeetna Box 933. Anchorage Yentna Dist. (Talkeetna)

Tiger Talisman Placers, Dahl Cr. Cape Some Houston Alexander, ICougarok Dist. (Bentleleben) Box 294, Nome

Timberline Placers, Porcupine Cr. Fairbanks Nonflo:~t Spade & Stout, Afiller Rouse Circle Dist. (Circle,

**Titus, Jack, Penny Cr. Cape Some Small scale hand Solomon Nome Dist. (Solomon)

*Trinity Mining Co., Trinity Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Nome ICougarok Dist. (Bendeleben)

*Tucker, S. A,, Sweepstakes Cr. Cape Some Small scale hand Haycock ICoyuk Dist. (Candle)

Tweet, N. B., and Sons. I

Ulen, Joe and Pingalo, Sam, Nolan Creek Bench Fairbanks Sonfloat Wiseman Koyukuk Dist. (Wiseman)

Uotila and Hard, Ophir Cr. Innoko Nonfloat Ophir Innoko Dist. (Ophir)

U. S. S. R. & M. Co. Fairbanks Dist Fairbanks 6 gold dredges Box 1170, Fairbanks i Fairbanks, Livengootl)

U. S. S. R. & AI. Co. Nome Dist. Cape Kome 2 gold dredges Box 438, Nome (Nome! U. S. S. R. & 11. Co. IIosquito Fork Fairbanks Stripping Box 1170, Fairbanks Fortymile Dist. (Eagle)

I-. S. Steel C'o. Southeast Alaska Several 1Iii:eral esplorarions

U. S. Tin Corp., Cassiterite Cr. Cape Noine Lode tin mine Lost River via No~ne Port Clarence Dist. (Teller)

*lTlaar. John, Windy Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Nome Port Clarence Dist. (Teller)

Vi~icich.Billy, Ester Dome Fairbanks Gold lode prospect Pasadena. Calif. Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

Wackwitz, Charles and Fred, Bedrock Cr. b'airbanks Prospect cieveloplnent Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. ( Livengood)

*Wade-Hampton Mining Co., Disappointment Cr. Wade Hampton Sonfloat Fortuna Ledge h4arshall Dist. (Russian 3Iission)

Watson, Ben, Yakataga Beach Cordova Snlall scale hand Yakataga Yakataga Dist. (Bering Glacier)

Weaver, TTern and Rainbaud, John, yapoleon Cr. Fairbanks Hyclraulic Chicken Fortymile Dist (Eagle)

Weinard, Frecl O,, 5IucL Cr. Fairhaven Sont'loar Candle Fairhaven Dist. (Candle)

**Western Alaska Mining Co., Russian IItns ICuskokwim Mercury prospect R. J. Anderson, Aniak Dist. (Sleetmute) development Box 121, Spenard

Westlake, Theodore, Iclery Cr. Noa tak-Kobuk Small scale hand ICiana Kiana Dist. (Baird 3Iountains)

**White Bear Lode, Indepentlence Cr. Cape Xome Lead-Silver lode Archie Ferguson, Icotzebue Fairhaven Dist. (Candle) Ilrospecting

Wilke, Jaclc, Squa\v Cr. Fairbanks Nonf loa t Boundary Fortymile Dist. (Eagle)

Wilkinson, Robert TV., Miller Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Miller House Circle Dist. (Circle)

Williams Mining Co., Gilmore Cr. Fairbanks Nonfloat Fairbanks Fairbanks Dist. (Fairbanks)

**Willis, George H., and Oswald Willis Cr. Kuslrokwiin 5Lercury lode development Sleet mute Aniak Dist. (Sleetmute)

Withrow, A. W., Bedrock Bar on Fairbanks Small scale hand Fairbanks Icoyukuk River Koyukuk Dist.

Wiurm, Andrew, Dome Cr. Cape Nome Hydraulic Box 491, Nome Kougarok Dist. (Bendeleben)

Wolf Creek LIining Co., Inc., Wolf Cr. Fairbanks Yonfloat Box 141, Fairbanks Fairbanlrs Dist. i IAvengood)

**LVollard. Joe, Bedrock Cr. Innoko Sonfloa t Ophir Innoko Dist. (Ophir)

**MTollard, Tom. Lower Ganes Cr. Innoko Gold dredge Ophir Innoko Dist. (Ophir) *Worm! Otto. Some Beach Cape Nome Small scale hand 1.5 Notne Nome Dist. [Nome) 4

Savier, Ilenry A,, Gold Run Cr. Fairhaven Small. scale hand 1 Candle 1:airhaven Dist. (Candle)

Young, Larry. Dry Cr. Talkeetna Placer preparations Denali T'aldez Creek Dist. (Healy)

Zaiser. Clarence. Greenstone Cr. Nulato Nonfloat I'oorman Ruby Dist. (Ruby)

*Zencla Gold Mining Co.. Boulder Cr. Cape Nome Placer tin drilling Box 695. Some 1 ort Clarence Dist. ITeller)

*:Zero Placers, Garfield Cr. Cape Nome Nonfloat Lyman Madden, Nome Kougarok Dist. (Bendeleben)

Zurek, \V. J., 1Iastodon Cr. Fairbanks Small scale hand SIiller House Circle Dist. I Circle)

1-195:j only *:@-I954 only ***-Part-time prospector. but propects more than the "n.eekendMprospectors.

"Nonfloat" indicates: nlechanical placer operalion using draglines and/or bulldozers to transport gravel ~~onflcatinga-ashing plant, bedrock sluiceboses, or elevateci sluices.

~~Ilj~drai~lic"indicates operation in ivliich gravel is cscavated and tl.ansportet1 to sluiceboses solely by \vatel' jets from h!'draulic nozzies.

"Small scale hand" inclicales operation in ivhich gravel excavation and tl.iinsporta!ion is accomplishetl 134' hand 3r ground sluicing.

ACTIVE COAL MINES, 1953-54

Same a~ltlAtldres~ of Operator I,ocatio11 of ;\.li~~e Mining District Type of Approximate and Operation Crew (USGS Quad- rangle)

Alaska Native Service, Xeade River Barrow Dist. Underground Juneau Point Barrow Field (Meade River)

**Arctic Coal Co., Lignite Cr. Bonnifield Dist. Strip Box 55-1, Fairbanks Nenana Field (Healy)

*Buffalo Coal Mining Co., Buffalo Mine Willow Creek Underground 27 Box 2257. Anchorage 1Iatanuska Field Dist. (Anchorage) gz Cripple Creek Coal Co., Cripple Cr. Bonnifieltl Dist. Strip Box 622, Fairbanks Nenana Field (Healy) 2 Evan Jones Coal Co., Jonesville Mine Willow Creek Underground and strip 180 3 Box 619, Xnchorage lfatanuska Field Dist. 0 (Anchorage) ?J z *Homer Coal Corp, 3IcNally Property Homer Dist. Strip Icibby and Owens, Icenai Field (Seldovia) m? Box 1015. Xnchorage 10 Houston Coal Mining Co., Houston Station-A.R.R. Willow Creek Strip 505 Barrow St., Anchorage SIatanuska Field Dist. (Anchorage)

*Longhorg and Anderson, 6 miles south of Xnvilr Dist. Unclerground Box 523, Nome Unalakleet (Unalakleet, Near Eska Willow Creek Strip and underground 10 ;; 11rak Coal Co., 0 Palmer Llatanuska Field Dist. (Anchorage)

Pioneer Coal Mining Co., Inc., Premier Mine Willow Creek Undergroi~nd Wilcox and Rice, 1Iatanuska Fielcl Dist. Box 1863, Anchorage (Anchorage)

Suntrana Mining Co., Healy Cr. Bonnifield Dist. Underground 521 Third Ave., Anchorage Nenana Field (Healy) r-3 50 Usibelli Coal Mine, Healy Cr. Bonnifield Dist. Strip and undergrouncl Suntrana Nenana Field (Healy) 9

* 1953 only ** 1954 only

OIL AND GAS EXPLORA'PTON PROJECTS ACTIVE DURING THE BIENNIUM, 1953-1954

Same anti Address of Company Loo7tion of Esploratioll Type of Esploration

Alaska Gulf Oil & Gas Co., Vicinity of Goose Bay Leasing ground, planning 326 - 4th Ave., Anchorage Cook Inlet province to drill in 1955

Alaska Oil & Gas Development Co., Nelchina Valley near Eureka Drilling Box 2000, Anchorage

Anchorage Oil & Gas Co., Houston area, railbelt Drilling 505 Barrow St., Anchorage Upper Cook Inlet province

Brooks-Scanlon Oil Co., Interior Alaska province Leasing Minneapolis, Minnesota Icateel River area Associated with Fairbanks Oil & Gas Co.

Fairbanks Oil & Gas Co., lnterior Alaska Province Leasing Room 205, Hall Building, Icateel River area Preliminary geological and 527 - 4th Ave., Fairbanks engineering work

Humble Oil Co., Alaska in general Extensive aerial reconnaissance

Iniskin Unit Operators, Chinitna Bay area Drilling Havenstrite oil Co., Alaska Peninsula 811 W. 7th St., Los Angeles 7, California

Kivalina Oil Association, Northwest Alaska Leasing Box 200, Fairbanks Geological field exploration Ohio Oil Co., Alaska in general Leasing Finley, Ohio or Preliinii~aryreconnaisance Los hngeles, California

Phillips Petroleum Co., Iiatalla-Pakataga province Drilling Bartlesville, Oklahoma, or Performance contract with the Gitchell Bldg., Dept. of Interior on large acreage 4th Ave. & I: St.. Anchorage 3

Richfieltl Oil Co., Iienai Peninsula Leasing Los Angeles, California

Shell Oil Co., Cook Inlet-Alaska Peninsula Leasing Hoge Bldg., Seattle, IVashington province Geological field exploration 4 field parties -

mz Standard Oil Co.. ICatalla-Yaltataga anti Cook Geological surveys and seismic Ln 225 Bush St., Inlet-Susitna provinces exploration 2 San Francisco, California Performance contract with the Dept. of Interior on large acreage g m 3 Texas-Y~lkonOil CO., Interior Alaska province Leasing 0 Fairbanks Iiateel River area Associated with Fairbanks Oil r gL Gas Co. Z

CI 'resota Oil Co.. Interior Alaska province Leasing Fort \XTorth, Texas Kateel River area Associated with Fairbanks Oil & Gas Co.

The Texas CO., .Ilaska in general Preliminary reconnaissance Box 2332. Houston, Texas

Union Oil CO., Alaska in general Leasing Los Angeles. California Preliminary reconnaissance ' Stcu.art, 1t. I.>., I'rospecting in Alaska (26-page pamphlet), I)ec'e~tll~er,19.4 1. (1tc:viscttl t,o Nove!?zt)er 1049) -Ttrj)ort of the Conlinissioner of Mines to the Gove~.nor,two bienna entied I?cce~nher31, 19!4. *Glover, A. E., Industrial minerals as a field for prospecting in Alaska, including a glossary of elements and minerals (82-page hooklet). March 1945. (Revised Lo May 1946). ,\nclc.rson, Kskil, Asbestos and jade occurrences in the k'o'nuli River region, Alaska; Pamphlet No. 3-It, May 1945. I?och:n, J. C'., Some high calcium limestone deposits in Southeastern Alaska: P'amphle; No. 6, March 1946. ILeport of the Co~nmiss!oner of Mines, biennium ended December 31, 1946. lieport of the Commissioner of Mines, biennium ended December- 31, 1948. Report of the Commissioner of Mines, biennium ended December 31, i950. *Itcpol t of the Commissioner of Mines, biennium ended Decemhel. 31, 1952. I'ropcr C'lainl Staking in Alaska; Info!-mation Circular, No 1. August 15, 1953. Rights of Canadians in Alaska under the Mining Laws; Information Circular No. 2, September 15, 1953. Hints for Prospectors on the Mainland of Southeastern Alaska; Informa- tion Circular No. 3, March 15, 1954. Alaska Uranium Information; Information Circular No. 4, December 15, 1954. *Out of print---on file in certain public and university libraries. Printed at DeLong's Totem Press. Juneat~.Alusl~u. 1055