PRODUCTION OF METAL IN ALASKA The United States geological survey sur-vey has Just Issued, as an advance chapter from "Mineral Resources of the United States." a report by Alfred Al-fred H Brooks on the mine production produc-tion of precious and semiprecious met als in Alaska In 1H12 Metallferous mining In Alaska, says Mr. Brooks. Dade Important advances last year Although the output of gold platers was less than In 1911, the installa tlon of large plants, notably of tired ges, In many districts Is encourag Ing for the future of this industry More Important "as tiie , r . r. made In lode gold mining, the output of which was greater than in previ ou8 years. Copper mining also advanced, ad-vanced, partly because several large plants Increased (heir output, part ly because a number of small mlntu were developed on account of the high price of copper. The development of the coal fields still awaits the establishment of a definite policy In regard to the disposition dispo-sition of the public coal lands. The delay In securing cheap fuel for the territory has now for many years caused a stagnation In many Industries Indus-tries Railway construction and. to a certain extent, railway operation haw stopped and many mining enterprises en-terprises have been hampered If not entirely abandoned on account of the uncertainty as to the fuel problem Very few Alaskans have any direct interest in coal claims or In mining, but the entire population of the territory ter-ritory is desirous of seeing the coa! fields developed, because It is believed be-lieved that this will bring about advancement ad-vancement in many otner Industries Above all. It will entourage the operation op-eration and the construction of railways, rail-ways, which are all Important to the territory. The total mine production of gold, silver and copper In Alaska in 1912 was valued at J22.2S5.821. against $20,505,664 in 1911. an increase of f 1.780. 158. The value of the gold production pro-duction of Alaska last year Is estl mated at I17.145.951. that of silver at 1316.839 In 1911 the output of gold was valued at $16,853,256. The copper output of Alaska for 1912 was 29.230.491 pounds, valued at $4,823.-031. $4,823.-031. an Increase from 1911 of 1,962,613 pounds.