Ogden Daily Standard | 1920-01-01 | Page 2 | Alaska's Mineral Output Smallest since Year 1910

I uo ! Alaska's ffligera! ; Output Smallest Since Year 1910 i WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. Alaska's mineral output in 1919 was the small est of any year since 1910. and its value was less than half that of 191C, preliminary estimates of the geologi- , cal survey made public today show. The output for the year brought onlvjl about $18,S50,000 as compared with $28,254,000 in 191S and $18,000,000 in' 191G. The decline was attributed prlncl- ' pally to the reverting of the copper in-! , dustry to normal conditions as n result ' of the fall in the price of the metal since 191G, when tho war demand . i greatly stimulated production. High i operating costs also caused a depres- 1 sion in gold mining. Eight copper mines were operated., in Alaska in 1919, producing about 44.- f 1 S00.000 pounds valued at ?8,C00,000. j I The production in 1918 was 09,225,000 ' , pounds, valued at $17,099,000. 1 The value of the annual output of I gold declined from $10,700,000 in IOIG'i to $9,000,000 in 1919. . Alaska still contains large reserves I of gold-bearing gravels that can be ' i minod profitably when transportation I conditions arc improved, the report j ' said, adding that " the most Important event of the year for the future in!. mining In Alaska was tho continuation of the work on the government railroad rail-road and the assurance by congressional congres-sional action of the money needed to complete the line." "Better and cheaper steamboat service, on both ocean and river, are also imperative." the report said, i "Moreover, the railroad must be supplemented sup-plemented by trails and wagon roads." As a by-product to gold and copper mining. 590,000 ounces of silver and i S00 tons of lead were mined during the year. The value of the gold mined in Alaska Alas-ka from the discovery of the precious metal in 18S0 to 1919 was placed al $437,400,000. oo