Full text
Coal i3inj.ng:
and
F r o d u c t i m of coal f~orzlt h e I ~ ~ t a ~ ~ u Benana f i e l d s
ska
f o r t h e fiscal year ending June 30, 1925, amounted t o a total
of 22,290 t o n s , vhich i s an increase of approximately 5,300
t o n s D ~ J L ~ tTh 2 t o f t h e preceding fisca:L year, Of t h e total
t o n n a g e , 70 p e r c e n t Tas produced i n t h e hlatanuslra field, and
3 0 p e r c e n t i n t h e TJemxm f i e l d . Of t h e c o a l prsduced in t h e
1:atan:~ska f i e l d , a p ! ~ r o x l m t e l y200 t o n s was semi-hi t u r n i n . 3 ~ ~
coking c o a l , mined at Coal Creek i n the Chicksloon s e c t ion.
The balance, which is high grade sub-bituminous c o r l , canme
from t h e Eaka-JonesviLle and X o o s ~Creek sections. The
f o s a e r s e c t i , m produced 49,274 t o n s , a11 o f which came from
\L-+ E 5 - 171
t h e Evan Jones mine at Joneaville, and t h e l a t t e r produced
15,049 t o n s , mhich came from t h e Premier, Baxter-Bedall, and
Rawson p r o p e r t i e s . '&Lth t h e exception 09 about 500 tons mined '
d u r i n s the w i n t e r at t h e Roth p r o p e r t y on upper Healy l ? i v e r ,
a l l c o a l mined in t h e 2Jenana f i e l d W ~ E : produced a t t h e Sun-
trans mine of t h e Healy R i v e r C o a l Co~:poraLion a% IIenly.
Prospecting, f o r and devolupment of coal scams i n t h e
Matanilska f i e l d proceeded. during t h e year with the result that
t h o proven a v a i l a b l e tonnage of commercial. coal is v e r y matorj-
a l l y increased over t h 6 preceding year. The most signifi-
cant new deaslopments of the year were t h e cutting of the
c o a l searno of t h e North limb of the Eska syncline by the
crosscut tunnel. driven from the bottom l e v e l o f t h e Evan Jones
mine ; and t h e dsrnunstrat i o n of probably important adc3itionaI.
reserves 09 mineable con1 on each of t h e u n i t s o f the lioone
.j4- Es"*/&8
Creek s e c t i o n , particularly the H o m r d - J o s s ~ n permit area.
The tonnage exposed on t h e Iiovmrddesson ground is sufficient
to arrant t h o construction of an extension of t h e 130osc Creek
spur t o t h e property, and preliminary 3 o r k i n preparation f o r
t h e building of this spur h a s been commenced. Renewed
i n t e r e s t was m n i f e s t e d in t h e deposits o f anthracite coal at
Anthracite ridge, east; of Chickrzloon, to which s e c t i o n s e v e r a l
t r i p s twere mads by i n t e r e s t e d . p : z r t i e s . It war; found t l ~ ~ t
prospecting work say f f.cient t o denlclnstrate t h e probable t o n a ~ g e
of a n t h r a a i t e c o a l in t h e deposits t h a t ~ o u l dbe available for
mining at a reasonable c o s t is p r o f ~ b 1 . yj u s t i f i c d , and s t e p s
are being taken to secure c a p i € : ~ fl o r that purpose.
Ey Important, underground development a t t h e Buntram mine
,,LhbT'
i n t h e Healy R i v e r s e c t i o n of t h e 1Sena.n~f i e l d consisted i n
exlensivc vork on t h e six%hGeam of t h e coal s e r i e s , that hsts
servecl. L o prove t h e collunercfal vzlue of that bed anG the exist-
ance of a v e r y l a r g e additional tonnage of cheaply mineable coal.
Ao'ditiom.2 knowledge of t h e la,rge seaoms o f coal known t o exisml;
i n t h e e a a t e r l y p o r t i o n o f the Hea.3.y Rives s e c t i o n i m s gained
by prospect in$ and development m r k conducted during t h e
winte:r months on t h e R o t l r permit area, which lies s e v e r a l
miles up Hewly R i v e r .from t h e 8unt.rarn mi.ne. Under favorable
conditions this area could probably produce an enormous ton-
nage of coal of satisfactory grade. some of v~hichis cannel
Places: B:lnirg:
--_I-
Trlbutztry t o t h e A l a s k a RaSlroad are about twenty p l a c e r
mining d i s t r i c t s , m i t h i n which a c t i v e operati.3na were conducted
i n 1924, and i n connection with, which o p e r a l i o n s approximately
1,500 men were employed, In a, general m y these tributary
pl.acer regions m y be grouped as folloasr Faf rbanks; Upper
Yukon, including t h e Chandrtlar, Oircle , Eag3.e-Seventy-EiS.e,
and F o r t y -Mile d i s t r i c t s ; Central Yukon, including' tho Tolo-.
a n a , Boat Gpr ings and Rampart districts ; brier Yukon, i n c l u d i n g
the Ruby, Uarshall, fditaxad-Imoko, and Koyukuk d i s t s f e t s ;
the Pentm region; end the Keno,i Peninsu:Liz region. Xu nd.dilfon
t o t h e above w i n r e g i o n s , plaosr mining agerations were con.-
ducted om a small. scale in %he Kantlshna , %nnif i c l d , and.
Vsldez Greek dj.stri.cts.
While d e f i n i t e figures are not y e t at band s a t o the
production of go@@from t h e m r i o u o p l a c e r regions, it 1 s k n o w
that t h e value o f the output in 1924 exceeded that of 1923 by
about $250,000. Ope rat ions on t h e Upper Yukon inere hampered
by an u y l u s ~ ~ l ldyr y season and colrcr.lequent shortage o f water,
but o t h e r d i s t r i c t s exper ienoed fi~voru.blem t e r oondit i o n s
and nmany 09 them slowed an increased output o v e r t h e preced-
ing yeax.
Important development R i n t h e pla-cer mining s i t u a t i q n
i n t h e F a i r b a n k s xegf on became k ~ 0 d~ u 1r i n s the year LI:at give
promise of g r e a t l y increased activity in that reginn o v e r a
p e r i o d of m n y years t o came. It has l ~ n gbeen k:iom t h a t
throughouit t h e Fairbanks region t h e r e are large reserveE o f
low grade gravels t h a t cannot be p r o f i t a b l y mined by methocis
heretofore employed. The mining o f t h e s e g r a v e l s on a1 Large
s c a l e by means of dredging, follaming improved -thri.txritr~methods
af coruparat i v e l y recent Aevelopmsnt arid g r e a t l y improved
transportation f a c i l i t i e a and fus1 upp ply a f f o r d e d by t h e
A l a ~ k aRaJLxoalt, 8eem8 now &88wed, By t h e close of t h e
d4C7 - 99
f i s c a l year a p p r o x l m f e l y 300 men were employed by t h e Fairbanks
Exploration Company in preliminary development work and con-
struction. During the p a s t wir~tc:rart extensive program of
d r i l l i n g rras carried on by t h i s and o t h e r oompnnies by vhich
w a ~determined the gold. content of large a r e n a i n t h e several
sections of t h e 'airbanlcs region. The scsu1.t;~were 2pparentl-y
satisfactory. Aside from t h i s ~;o:rkof exploration anci develop
ment t h e s e aere 55 grocluctive sununcr p l a c e r operations in t h e
Fairbrznlce region, employing ap-,roxfmtely 300 men, and 18
winter exift mines, employing about 100 men. The value of
t h e gold output of t h e r e g i o n was greater t h a n in 1923. The
summer o p e r a t i o n s included t h r e e d r e d ~ e s ,one of which ~ m s
operated f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n 1324.
Tdost; of the oper&tiana in t h e upper Yukon :region are
conducted by a m a l l groups of rnincrs o r s i n g l e individuals
17h3 arc ~ c r z t t e r e dover wide areas. In 1924 t h e r e were about
230 p l a c e r miners employed in t h e :region. The season was mu-
s u a l l y d r y and therefore mfnvorab2e f o r successful placer
o p e r a t i o n s , and t h e value of t h e gold produced 1.m~l e s s than
&. syc --@
fox t h e preceding y e a r . The Berry d-redge m s operated as
usual on Mammauth Creek in t h e Circle d . i s t x i c t .
T'ne Ho'G S p r i n g s and Tolovam d i s t r i c t s 09 the Ckntral
Yukon r e g i o n hcd unusilally good supplies ~f water i n 1924 and
as a3cmsequence mde an increased production. of gold over 1923.
The Rampart d i s t r i c t m s very quiet and only about 20 men Rere
er~iplgyedduring t h e season of 1924.
A b u t 30 p1.acer operations m x e conducted in t h e Xditarod
dintrict, t h a t gave employment to 135 men, Tmo dredges, employ-
i n g 39 men, Eera operated on Otter Creek. A goo& supply of
meex was available 131 most asections of t h e d i s t r i c t , A
shortage of labor was experienced a f t e r t h e middle of J u l y ,
The gold output of t h e d i s t r i c t for 1924 vras about $175,000.
The gold. produce& i n t h e Xnnoko itistrict ms somewha2; l e s s than
in 1923. Two dredges, one hydraulic plrsnt , and ef&L g3:ound-
sl.uicing p l a n t s , mere o p e r a t e d in t h e d i s t r i c t d u r i n g t h e year.
Very l i t t l e activity i s : r e s o r t e d from t h e Ruby d i s t r i c t , and
l i k e w i s e from tile Masahall d i s t r i c t on t h e loner Yukon. Ehile
t h e p r o d u c t i o n of gold from t h e Jloyukuk d i s t r i c t %as conipaxa-
t f v e l y small, v e r y cncou:ragiug r e s u l t a were obtained from t h e
extensive prospecting that *ms carried on,
Placer mining operations in the Yentm region gave emphoy-
ment t o about 10Cl men in 1924, and included one dredge, 14
hydraulic p l a n t s , and 6 ground-.sluioing ou'cf its. The season
mats favorable i n s o f a r as water conditions are concerned, and
t h e normal, output af gold tvsr; maintained.
Xn t h e Rope, S m x f ~ e ,o.nd Girdwood d i s t r i c k s of t h e Kemi
' Peninsula region f i v e hydraulic plants afiB a nurabcr of grou~xd-
sluicing outfits were a c t i v e d u r i n g t h e y e a r . Tile total g o l d
output o f the region f o r 1924 i ~ :estim.tod t o be about $f52,0i)Q.
A c t i v i t i e s in t h e Kantishna, W m i f i e l d and VaZdez Creek
d i s t r i c t s vere on a small scale and t h e production of g o l d
from them m a n o t of importance,
---
Lode E i n i x :
The extant and importance of mineral sesources in t h e
form o f ZoAe d e p o s i t s in r e g i o n s tributary f o the Alaska Rail-
road a r e very imperfectly krmwn. 1;oA.e mining: has been very
slow i n developing, an& I-,% the presen't time is cunf ined vholly
t o f r e e - m i l l i n g go$&;, ares, v;kich, being t r e a t e d at t h e l o c a l i t i e s
I
%here mined, provide no i a p o s t a n t tonnage t o t h e R a i l r o a d .
P r o a y e c t f n ~f o r lode^ i n the i n t e r i o r of AJ.a,s!ca has been
subardinated t o t h e mare a l l u r i n g search %or placer g92d.
The scarcity of bedrock outcrops i n large sections of t h e
1nterf.or regions has also prevclited t h e discovery of l o d e
deposits that m y exist. Ovfng t o lack of Lrailc anrl d i f f i -
cuLty of accesn, areas i n t h e h l z s k a Range, %be Talkeetna
1:ounCains and the C h q a c h Range th8-t a r c known t o c o n t a i n
a r e s o f metals o t h e r than gold have been but irnp;:rfectly
examined, and l i t t l c is 'xnov+n of t h e i r p o t e n t i a l . inrpor:.t:l,nce
t o the! Railrand a s sources of tonnage.
The y i e l d of gold from t h e nunergus t;mxll but r e l a t i v e l y
h i g h g r a d e 1oAos of t h e Fairijanks d i s t r i c t "nr,2~ s l i g h t l y less
i n 19214 Liian in 1923. The reduced c o s t of operation brought
about by t h e completion of t h e Alaeka Railroad t o F a i ~ b a n k ~ ,
!?ill probably result, h~rrrever, i n t h e reopening o f m n y
snlt%llquartz propertics that have I~een.i d l e f o r years, and
a more ia.tenr;ivc search for new veins.
The %illow Creek district i n t h e Talkzetnit. Kountalnc,
f a t h e most i n p o r t a n t l o d e gold area y e t d l s e a v e r e d l t r i b u t u , r y
t o the Railroad. The production of g o l d f r m t h i s d i s t r i c t
i n 1924 anmunted t o about $200,000, and Bevelopment v a r k done
d u r i n g t h e year intlicates s rrsa.terially increased production
f o r t h e y e a r 1925. A very encouraging f e a t u r e of t h e past
yearic deveLoprneriC work in t h e W i l l o ~Creek d i s t r i c t is t h e
success attending the search f o r orc a t much lower l e v e l s
than have h e r e t o f o r e been opened in t h e d i s t r i c t .
A s a result o f improved Lrans?orl;ntion provided by roads
being constructed by t h e Bureau of PuSlio Roads, a ncltable
increase in prospecting f o r gold lodes on Remi Peninsula
a s evident during t h e year.
j,5$4' 3-
',7ork gas continued at t h e L i b e r t y B e l l p r o p e r t y near
Ferry i n the Bonnifield d i ~ ~ t x f c t ,
1::hex-e a g o l d l o d e has been
under development f o r t h e p n t three y e a r s w i t h a crew of
about f i f t e e n men engaged.
I Additional develogr~cntwork mas a l s o done on a. nromising
miby s i l v e r l o d e prospect on Portage Craek near Ghulitna
station,
ArlaLyaaa o f Various Coals :dined
frr ibuta.ry t o t h e 12la,slca Railr :ad.
F t O C R ~Tear Ending June 30,1025.
Evan Jones Cozl Company.
The mine o f t h e &an Jones Coal Company is siLw,Led a t J ~ n e a -
oilbe,ane mile meat of Eaka. P i e n-nalyais given is 05 t h e nv-
fsrsge of uampTes t a k e n ,P t h e c o a l d e l i v e r e d t o t h e A l a s k a h i l s
road d u r i n g thc month 09 February, LI32!5. The coal waa mined from
t h e s o u t h k i r ~ bof t h e Eska synclSne,wnd I F , T L ~ washed n t t h e coal
I .
vmsbery i-Lt =the mine. i h e p l a n t f s se:rvad by a standard-wage
BPUT at' t h e A l a ~ l c aRailroad,
L4uisture...... .........
As R s c Z .
.7.22
Ais: Dried
--"zx% Dry Coal -
Vola,tike ml;Lex........
......... 38.28 42,08 41.26
Fixed Ca:rbon..
Ash..*............ .-..
a r i t f a h thern!aal units..
45.42
13,52
47.07
34.16 .
40.3.9
3.4. 5 7
12,258
Sulphux. ...............
---------.32
11,373 11,909
.33
- C . , . I I L I I I - - I - I Y I I
. 35
Ross Xeckey Property.
The c n i t l mined at t h e Rosa Heckey p r o p e r t y is a sahi-
bitumiaaun ookf ng coal,a u i tablo f o r use :zc blaclcnazith coa,l.
The coal $9 secured from t h e westerly extension of t h e seams
developed by t h e 3n.vy .Alaska Goal Comrntoeion at Coa.1 Creek,
2 miles f r m t h c junctiorl of t h o Chfckztlrson and & . ~ ; ~ z Y ~ u ~ ~ ; L
Rivers,and i s mined d u r i n g the winter and aledded t o the raj.lroad
n G r s s a t i ~ ci c e . This coal i a used by t h e Ala,skn, RaiLrasd i n mxking
coke fax foundry use,%nd i a f3undt t o be ec~ualt o e a s t e r n coking
c o u l n f o r t h i a purpose.
Ross k?eckey P r o p e r t y (continued).
As Rec'd A i r Dried Dry Coal-
%ofsture.............. 2.39 .40
Volatile 2Aatter..
Fixed carbon
.....
.......... 21,68
67.85
22.12
69.23
22.21
69.51
Ash ................... 8.08 8.25 8.28
B r i t i s h therml u n i t s . . 33,973 14,258 l4.,315
SuZph~rr ............... .6L , -62 .83
Premier Cowl Mining Company.
The Premier Coal :fining Company o a e r a t c s under t h e Lease
of Bruno Agostino on Unit Noel in t h e :loose Creek s e c t i o n . The
coal i0 h o i s t e d through a s l o p e from t h e main @n;+my llevel,ahich
i e at a d e p t h of a p p x a x i n ~ , t e l y250 f e e t below t h e &ur%ce. The
mine 29 sdjacen-t; t o t h e t r a c k s o f t h e U o o ~ eCreek narrow gwge
the
spur of t h e A L a s l k a Railroad. The analysis i s of somples o f / c o n l
d e l i v e r e d t o t h e A l a s k a KEbilro~d.in April 2925.
..............
?.~c~isLure
hs H e c x
5.46
--
A i r Dried
2 . 54
Dry Coal _
.......
V o l a t i l e XatLer
Fixed Carbon .......... 44.53 37.69 38.96
45.90
39.87'
47.10
Ask 12.32
. . r . - . * r . * * * r . * * * . * 12. 70 13-03
Sritish thermal u n i t s . ,
Sulphur ...............
11,772
30
12,236
.21 .22
12,452
P h i l l i p s Coal Company*
The P h i l l i p s Coal Company operates under t h e permit of t h e
Rawson Coal Goupany,whose property i r s i t u a t e d on t h l~i n e of
t h e propose8 e x t e n s i o n a9 t h e F,:..oose Creek apus,sncl and abaust
21 mileo above t h e present terminus of the spur. %he analysis
is of samples of s c a r of c o a l &el-ivered t o t h e AXaslrrt Railxoad
P h i l l i p u Coal Company (ci~nti:luedf .
PE: Fieq'd Air t;rier*J, h y (hEl~
2bi~liat1~xer r * r * . + * r - . .
... ..
Pixect ijarbon ... .., . .
V o l a % k l e !.IraLtex
5.60
.
37.82
44 55
1.85
39-32
46-32
40, QEr
47.19
Ash ......l....+.t..l.
z r i t i ~ f lthermal
12.03
LX,766
12.53,
32,220
12.75
12,4133
S ~ 3 i p l l 1 1+~ . . , .unit^,
.. ... r .I9 .30 .a.
~ilae:~
Eitutnimaua Coal. Company,
Yhe h b ~ k a9itiln1il;i~t?aGo&% Corupany operates t h e pxapcrt y t ha.%
Itias fcsrmcrly been knoaa cj,w t h e ? a x t e l r , ~ r mxter-3ec'le13, mine,
tnliic'ti f a t & t w t e d r3rh tizs p r e s ~ n tterminus of t h e !loom Cresk
n.f:rrovi ;uaE;e s p u r of t h e A l a s k a b l l r a a d . The nrmlpcia g i v e n 1s
of n faca sample taken from a eenrfl r e c e n t l y develo2ed an the
propor.f;y,,and i e t h a r 2 f o r e n3t r o p ~ a e e ~ ~ t a t iofv ethe average a f t h b
c3aX %hathas been d e l i v e r e d from tihe property,
?kolsttrse . .. ... .. .. As Heutd
5.4'7
---
air Dried
%,55
Tjry Coal
Volatih? Ve.tter*. , . .
+
Fixed C a r b n .*. .... 8.65
38.34
46.74 *.
, 46,85
48.Xt3
8.92
41-40
49,45
9.15
Ash . . * . * * * * . . * C e * . * * *
3 r i t f e b thcxml uniLfi
S t ~ l p h ~ I L I C * . + * t . . + , U . *
., k2,3t33
.SQ 12,766
.52 .
13,100
53
'The following i~ the analysis of t h e nvcrage of samples of
7500 toas of run-of-mine coal delivered %o %Be Alaak& K a f b o n d
::~ieti.~re, ,............ ..... A i r -;1
V o U $ i l e 7k:n.tter
F i x e d Bt~xban
Ash 0 . .
, ,
, , ..... . . .
0 * . . * . * * . * * * . * . .
Britlsh therim2 units,,
lien a d j : ~ c c n ts tbc Agostins konra proniaes an4 t h e pxopcrty
af t h e Alaska SiQuminous Coal Company. T h e principal flsvefnpment
work Ims becrr done at a p o i n t nboat a half mile above t h e gl.~rlc8nir~c
of the Iiavrs3n CoaL Campany and about three t n i l e ~above t h o mine
of t h e Alaska 3itumiuoun Caal Cozip~ny. The e x t u n ~ f g no f t h e narxsw
propexty, Ccsr:l-:.ercial protitact Lon has not y e t been a % t e n ~ p t s d ~ b u t
given is t h a t of a face sample taken from ;:o,3 bed rqherc? 1% vtns
p e n o l r z ~ t e dby tha rmia crosscut a d i t ,
be X3.ectr%
. ;<
;~;;14ist~~le. . .......,,
L I . . 30.76
V ~ l n % l L e;ratter
I . L I . . I 5.74
Ffxed Carbon 45-42
ksh
. 11,9931
9.08
E r i t f s h Llnarnlal units..
SUIP~UP .a'?
m . * r r ~ r a ~ + . r * . . c
-C--CI...11'C- "..Il-.-"P-P
Bea3.y River Coal Cor?3oration.
I 5untrann Xi ne)
She Suutrana mine af t h 2 E e a L y River Coal Sorpi3ra%isn
extending ag:)roxicw.tely OUT :ilfLe~;up Rcaly River fsorn t b ~
ta%~.iz
of" E:ealy. Tba coal mirzcrl,tirhile p , ~ ~ r e a e i nt hg e l i ~ n i t i e rcinaracter-
i s t i c of o l ~ k i n gon O X ~ J ~ U TtBo a l r , h a o bceu pronluncerl a suh-
fiealy River Coal. Cory~r.tttir3n( c:7:1tinueil).
bituwiaoun coal. The n m l y ~ i ais t h a t 09 FL composite of the
aampXes t a k e n af tine coal c2aLiv.czed t o t212 A h s I t c i . Tiaflroad
d u r i n g t h e month of February 1925.
Xs R G C ~ C ~ ' Air UrieB Dry f.:oal
'The R.P.lioth .property,mkich is held under perrnft,is sit-
uqted about 8 m i l e a shove Swtrana on Realy River, 2oa.l f a mined
o n l y d u r i n g t h c :hter rnonthe,~hen it be sladd&d d a m 11eaI.y
River on t h e foe t o %ha saZlrszbd apu& at Sufltrana, 'Irhe nnn2yeit;