156 ALASKAN MINEKAL KESOURCES IN 1906. 
ASSOCIATION OF LODES AND CONTACTS. 
In view of the fact that all the lodes so far discovered are in close 
proximity to the limestone-schist contacts, it may be interesting to 
point out that Brooks, Collier, and Hess, in a manuscript which has 
not yet appeared in print, have suggested that these contacts may be 
zones of weakness along which ore-bearing solutions could most easily 
penetrate. If this suggestion is verified by subsequent closer inspec- 
tion of a large number of examples, it will be of immense importance 
in directing the prospector to the more likely places of mineralization. 
It must be remembered, however, that in making so broad a general- 
ization it is not intended to assert that in every place where a con- 
tact is found a deposit of economic importance will occur. The state- 
ment simply means that a valuable ore deposit is more likely to occur 
at such a place than at any other. If, however, the shattered and ] 
easily pervious condition which is so commonly associated with these i 
contacts is duplicated elsewhere, ore deposits are just as likely to occur 
in those places as in the contact zone. 
SILVER-LEAD ORE. 
On Omalik Creek, a branch of Fish River, which is a tributary of 
the Niukluk, a silver-hearing galena lode has long been known. This 
vein was the first lode discovered in Seward Peninsula, and its dis- 
covery dates back to 1881. Since that time it has been worked more 
or less intermittently without producing much metal. During the 
last summer renewed attempts were made to reopen the vein. The 
mine was not visited by any member of the Geological Survey, but 
from the current reports it seemed to be the intention of the company 
to spend the summer months in taking in supplies, but active mining 
operations w T ere not to be commenced until the freeze-up occurred. 
The high cost of supplies and labor makes this undertaking one of 
great expense. 
