46 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY, 1902. [bull. 213. 
tributary from the south to the Kruzgamepa in the Kuzitrin basin, 
and on streams tributary to the Niukluk. All of these belong to the 
Bering Sea drainage. A number of the streams which are tributary 
to Port Clarence were also found to carry commercial values. Some 
developments of placers on streams flowing northward to the Arctic 
Ocean have been made. None of the northerly flowing streams have, 
as yet, been found to be as rich as those of the older and better known 
districts of the South. Many have, however, produced gold in com- 
mercial quantities, and with further developments will probably 
become important producers. 
What has been said of the Nome region proper applies in large meas- 
ure to the other creeks in the region. In nearly every case where dis- 
coveries have been made the first developments are along the present 
stream channels. When these are worked out, which does not take 
long where the streams are small, the prospectors turn their attention 
to the benches and terraces, and these often yield good returns. In 
some cases placers have been practically abandoned which it seems to 
the writer u\ay still carry gold in commercial quantities. Such may 
prove to be the case in districts like the Kugruk, where the miners have 
worked out the small creek beds and have neglected to thoroughly 
prospect the terraces and benches. Of special interest is the very 
large increase in the output of Ophir Creek, a northern tributary of 
the Niukluk. This stream was one of the first on which gold was 
discovered in the Seward Peninsula, and for several years was spas- 
modically worked, but it is only since the introduction of systematic 
methods of mining and extraction that Ophir Creek has become one 
of the largest producers of the region. It has been estimated that its 
production during the last year was upward of 11,000,000. These 
facts augur well for the future of the Seward Peninsula placer fields. 
It seems probable that there are other streams which may go through 
a history similar to that of Ophir Creek. 
YUKON REGION. 
Mining has been going on in the Upper Koyukuk Basin since the 
summer of 1899, and the basin has probably produced from $100,000 
to $200,000 annually. This money has been chiefly taken out of half 
a dozen creeks which are tributary to the Upper Koyukuk about (300 
miles from its mouth. About 500 miles of this distance can be made 
by river steamer. During the last season many miners returning 
from the Koyukuk seemed to be rather discouraged. There seems to be 
no question that there are workable placer fields in the district, but 
the high price of provisions and the short season have prevented many 
of these from being worked at a profit. With water transportation 
within a short distance of these placer mines there seems to be no 
reason why supplies should not be as cheap as on the Yukon. It is 
to be hoped that there will be a reduction in the cost of living, which 
