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ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 



5. South Kuiu - The South Kuiu Wilderness arei is aleo discussed 

 by govtrnnent scientiata in MF-1970-B. The authors of that 

 report hava identified a portion of the proposed Wilderness as 

 highly prospective for mineral deposits and have ranked the 

 mineral potential of that area at a "two" when ooasured on a 

 scale of one to five where one is the highest possible potential. 



6. Calder/Holbrook - The Calder/Holbrook Wilderness proposal 

 incorporates at least seven known mineral deposits including one 

 former operating mine, patented mining claims and active 

 unpatented raining claims. The area was recently reviewed by 

 government scientists (MF-1970-B) and was ranked aa a "one", on a 

 scale of one to five, as demonstrating potential for specific 

 mineral deposit types. 



7. Karta River - The purposed Carta River Wilderness area 

 Incorporates a large segment of the Hollia mining district, 

 active mining claims and a past producing gold mine. The 

 justification for this wilderness appears to be an effort to 

 protect the fishery in the Karta River. However, this fishery 

 can be adequately protected under existing law without the 

 requirement for a blanket wilderness classification which not 

 only incorporates the Karta River drainage but a considerabla 

 additional land area as well. 



8. Kegan Lake - The designation of the Kegan Lake area aa 

 Wilderness ignores recent evidence and data made available from 

 U.S. Bureau of Mines studies indicating a strong potential for 

 rare earth element deposits in this and adjoining areas. The 

 area, as nominated, also incorporates an historic mining 

 district, patented mining claims and active unpatented claims. 

 A U.S. Forest Service review of the resources of the Kegan Lake 

 area concluded that the area has high potential for further 

 mineral discovery and production, 



9. Nutkwa - The purposed Wilderness area borders on the second 

 most productive mining district in southeastern Alaska. Active 

 exploration within the district has targeted rocks in the north 

 half of the purposed Wilderness as potentially containing mineral 

 deposits of a type similar to those that had previously been 

 mined. The designation of this area as Wilderness would 

 extinguish that potential. 



We have identified for you nine of the twenty-three prospective 

 "Wilderness" candidate areas that we believe should be excluded 

 from "Wilderness" designation. This is not to say that we 

 support a "Wilderness" designation for the remaining fourteen 

 areas. Philosophically we feel "Wilderness" represents an 

 admission on the part of society, in this case government, of its 

 Inability to intelligently manage our national resources. 



