30 ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES TN 1906. 
ANTIMONY. 
Stibnite, the sulphide of antimony, has been found at a number 
of widely separated localities in Alaska, and in view of the constantly 
increasing demand for antimony it has seemed worth while to call the 
attention of prospectors to it. In 1906 the price of the metallic anti- 
mony increased from 14 and 15 cents to 25 and 26 cents a pound. 
The consumption of antimony in 1905 for the United States was 5,712 
short tons, with no production except some recovered with lead ores. 
This fact has stimulated the search for commercial ore bodies contain- 
ing the metal. Antimony finds its principal use in the manufacture 
of various alloys and in some chemical compounds. 
Stibnite is a soft mineral, of a lead or steel-gray color, having a 
streak of similar color usually with a more or less perfect cleavage 
visible to the naked eye. This mineral is usually found in veins hav- 
ing a quartz gangue and associated with various other metals. The 
ore often contains some gold and silver. Of the valuation of the 
ores Schnatterbeck a makes the following statement: 
For the information of minors it may be said that smelters pay for ore accord i i lg I o 
its content of antimony (determined by a fire assay) and its freedom from impurities, 
such as arsenic, lead, and copper. Ores carrying loss than 50 per cent, metal are not 
marketable at present unless they have other unique features which would facilitate 
smelting. The smelter usually deducts about 30 cents per ton for sampling and weigh- 
ing ore. In calculating the value of an ore the basis of quotations for metal in London 
is used, and should the ore exceed 50 per cent metal a premium is allowed, while for 
every per cent less a discount is exacted. 
No ore bodies containing stibnite of proved economic importance 
have been found in Alaska. The ore is, however, known to occur 
at the localities mentioned in the following paragraphs: 
Antimony ores have been reported from various localities in Seward 
Peninsula, but the only occurrence known to the writer is on Manila 
Creek and is described elsewhere in this report (p. 139). 
Mr. Prindle reports the occurrence of stibnite in the placers of 
Cleary and Esther creeks, and he found it in place on Chatham 
Creek. At the latter locality 6 a vein a foot or more in thickness 
occurs in the schists. 
In the Kantishna region Mr. Prindle found stibnite associated with 
the auriferous gravels on Eureka and Friday creeks, and in place on 
Caribou Creek. (See pp. 216, 219.) 
a Schnatterbeck, C. C, The production of antimony in 1905: Mineral Resources U. S. for 1905, ( . S. 
Geol. Survey, 1906, p. 437. 
&Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 284, 1906, p. 114. 
