NEW TYPES OF
ORE DEPOSITS
DEVELOPED
Interesting and significant in
formation regarding investigation
and developmeet of deposist of
asbestos and nephrite, a near rel
atiev of jade, in the remote Ko
buk River region of northwestern
Alaska is furnished by Eskil W.
Anderson, associate mining engi
neer for the Territorial Depart
ment of Mines, who has arrived
in Juneau from his headquarters
at Nome in order to report to
B. D. Stewart, Commissioner of
Mines, the results of his exten
sive field examinations in the
northwest section of the Territory
during the past season. Mr. An
derson brought with him strik
ing specimens of both asbestos
and the jade-like nephrite, which
are on view in the office of the
commissioner of mines.
Although the occurrence of
both of these minerals in the Ko
buk River region has been lihown
for several decades, and brief re
ports upon them were published
many years ago both by the U. S.
Geological Survey and by the Ter
Territorial Department of Mines,
it is only within the past two
years that detailed and extensive
investigations of the deposits have
been undertaken.
Much of Mr. Anderson’s time
during this period has been spent
in traversing afoot the extensive
belt of rock adjacent to the Ko
buk River Valley and some of its
tributaries particularly Shung
nak River, within which the min
eralization occurs. As a result of
his observations and findings ex
ploratory trenching and other
testing work was undertaken dur
ing the past season by a party in
charge of H. E. Heide, of the U.
S. Bureau of Mines, with whom
Mr. Anderson cooperated close
ly.
'As the investigations progress
ed and the potential importance
of the deposits became known lo
cally, the Arctic Exploration Com
pany, which conducts large-scale
gold placer operations at Candle
near the north shore of Seward
Peninsula and not far from the
mouth of the Kobuk River, de
cided to undertake commercial
development of the deposits. This
work has been “carried on active
ly by the company with heavy
mechanical equipment during the
past season and with a crew av
eraging about 15 men. Before
navigation closed on the Kobuk
River over 20 tons of very high
grade tremolite asbestos was
mined and shipped to Kotzebue
the nearest ocean port to the
mouth of the river. Thence the
material was transported by
steamer to the States. Further
exploration of the tremolite de
posits by means of power-drills
is being continued during the
winter season. It is probable that
a subsatntially increased tonri^*
of asbestos will be mined and
shipped from the region next
year.
During the past year tremolite
asbestos has been eagerly sought
for by dealers in the States. Ma
| terial of the type and purity of
| that shipped from the Kobuk
River region is scarce and there
A. A- A. A_ A. A. A- A_ A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A
I
fore in great demand. Its most
important use is as a filter in the
chemical industry.
The type of asbestos known as
Shungnak River section of the
Shungnak River section fo the
Kobuk River region. This type j
has very tough fibers and is used
in the manufacture of fireproof
textiles. It is still on the War
Production Board list of most
critical minerals and the highest
grade material commands a price
of from $650 to $750 per ton in
eastern markets.
The jade material occurs in the
same region within a belt ap
proximately 40 miles, long that
lies parallel to the Kobuk River
and at a distance of from five to
15 miles north of the river. It is
found principally in the form of
float material in gravels of
streams tributary to the Kobuk
river that crosscut the mineraliz
ed zone. Jade in place in bed
rock also occurs on Jade Moun
tain in the Jade Hills and else
where in the Shungnak region, j
Particular interest attaches to
•the material at this time because
it is thought the Eskimos of he
region may be able to use it in
the preparation of attractive art
objects, and thus be provided
with a new ‘‘home’’ industry.
In addition to his work in the
Kobuk River region, Mr. Ander
son, using three Eskimos as!
guides and assistants, made a trip
of investigation to the central
section of the Noatak River Val
ley where Eskimos had reported,
the occurrence of copper miner
alization. This journey, which
■ commence at the mouth of Sal
mon River, a northerly tributary
of the Kobuk above Kiana, re
quired walking a distance of ap
proximately 75 miles across the
Baird Range or mountains, which
separates the Valley of the Noa
tak River from that of the Ko
buk. The region covered in this
investigation had never before
been professionally examined and
few persons except Eskimos have
visited it. Mr. Anderson found
correct the reports given him by
the Eskimos, whose statements
are usually dependable in such
cases. The region is extensively
mineralized, and affords an at
tractive and almost untouched
field for prospecting.
Full reports on all of these in
vestigations are, now being pre
pared in the office fo the Terri
torial Commissioner of Mines and
will be available to the public
as soon as completed.
Gunnar kaasen
HOSPITALIZED
Gunnar Kaasen, who had the
misfortune to injure his knee
while working, has been hospit
alized for the past two weeks, but
is now much improved and hopes
to be home again soon.
Air weighs about 533 grains a
cubic foot.
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