134 
ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES IN 1906. 
TUNDRA GRAVELS. 
The Nome tundra gravels occupy the crescent-shaped lowland 
extending from Cape Nome to the hills west of Cripple River (see 
fig. 6), about half the area being within the boundaries of the dis- 
trict shown on the Nome special map. The tundra deposits were 
laid down in part by ocean currents and in part by streams, and con- 
sist of silt, interstratified fine sands, well-rounded gravels, and beds 
containing angular fragments and blocks up to 2 feet or more in 
greatest diameter. These large pieces are usually flattened slabs 
of schist, more rarely limestone. Large bowlders of granite, worn 
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Fig. 6.— Sketch map showing the known parts of the second and third beaches (full lines) at Nome and 
their hypothetical continuations (dashed lines). The upper line also shows approximately the area 
of the Nome tundra. 
and more or less rounded, are found on the surface, but were not 
observed in the coarse material below. Flattened and striated frag- 
ments of limestone are also found near the surface. 
Our knowledge of the tundra has been greatly increased durinjj 
the last two years by developments on the buried beaches. Two 
well-defined ancient gravel deposits of this sort have now been 
explored through a part of their length. (See fig. 6.) One of these 
near Nome, lies about three-fourths of a mile north of the present 
coast line and extends eastward to a point within a short distance 
of Cape Nome. At Hastings Creek it is about a fourth of a miM 
distant from tide water, but east of that locality its position is noi 
