488 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of statistics and the publication of an annual volume under the 

 title of Mineral Resources. It is proposed to continue this work, 

 and to make it as complete and accurate as the means available 

 will permit. It seems particularly appropriate that the Govern- 

 ment should collect statistics of mineral production, and give the 

 volume prompt publication and wide circulation. The first ten 

 annual volumes have appeared as a distinct publication by the 

 survey, but in the future it is proposed to issue the statistics as 

 the second part of the annual report of the director. 



Geologic Economic Work. The geologic examination of the 

 mineral resources is one that commended itself very strongly to 

 Mr. King. He regarded it as the primary work of the survey, and 

 gave it great impetus by establishing surveys of the Leadville dis- 

 trict of Colorado and of the Eureka and Virginia silver districts 

 of Nevada, These were carried forward under Major Powell, and 

 new economic work was entered upon. Dr. Becker surveyed and 

 completed a report on the quicksilver deposits of California, and 

 began a thorough survey of the gold belt of California. Profs. 

 Irving and Van Hise surveyed and reported on the copper district 

 of Lake Superior, and pushed forward researches on the iron-ore 

 districts of Wisconsin and Michigan. The phosphate deposits of 

 Florida were studied, and the mapping of the coal fields of the 

 Appalachians was begun. With the development of areal geo- 

 logic work, 1886 to 1891, many minor economic problems were 

 met with and studied. Previous to 1892, when the appropriation 

 for geology was reduced more than one half, a large percentage 

 of it was employed in distinctly economic work. With the re- 

 vival of geologic work the present year, the geologic examina- 

 tion of the mineral resources has received attention. A statement 

 of what has been and is being done the present year will explain 

 the present policy of the survey. 



Four field parties were engaged in the areal survey of the coal 

 fields of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland ; one 

 party on the iron-ore deposits of western North Carolina; one 

 party on the marbles, etc., of northwestern Georgia ; one party 

 in making a preliminary study and reconnaissance of the gold 

 belt of Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia; one 

 party on the southern limit of the roofing-slate belt of eastern New 

 York; one large party on the iron ores of northern Wisconsin; 

 one party on the mining districts of the Helena atlas sheet of 

 Montana ; one party on the Cripi^le Creek gold field, and in mak- 

 ing a reconnaissance of the Rico district of Colorado ; one party 

 in completing the survey of the Leadville (Col.) district ; one party 

 in surveying the coal field of the Trinidad, El Moro, and Walsen- 

 burg sheets, Colorado ; one party in studying the artesian water 

 problem of the valley of the Arkansas, in Colorado and Kansas ; 



