PLACER MINING IN ALASKA IN 11)04, 
By Alfred H. Brooks. 
INTRODUCTION. 
An estimate based on such data as are available previous to the pub- 
lication of the Director of the Mint's report indicates that the product 
of the Alaskan gold placers for the last year has been about $6,000,000. 
Approximate a production of placer gold. 
[Based on estimates by Director of Mint.] 
1899 $3, 000, 000 
1900 5, 900, 000 
1901 4, 800, 000 
1902 5, 500, 000 
1903 5, 750, 000 
1904 b 6, 000, 000 
If these figures are correct there was an increase in 1904 of only 
$250,000 over 1903. The reason that this increase is not greater is 
probably to be found in the unfavorable season, which prevented 
the anticipated increased production of the Seward Peninsula placers, 
and to the apparent falling off in the output of the Koyukuk district 
as compared with 1903. These facts, though possibly discouraging to 
those who are developing the northern fields, should not be inter- 
preted as indicating that the maximum production has been reached. 
Placer mining in Alaska will continue for man} T years to come, and, in 
the opinion of the writer, its annual contribution to the world's wealth 
will at least double during the next decade. 
It is unfortunate that so many of the larger mining enterprises oi 
Alaska should have suffered both from lack of concise knowledge o' 
the conditions of operation and from the inexperience of those t( 
whom the management has been intrusted. At least half of the com 
panics which have attempted legitimate placer mining in this field oi 
a large scale have ended in dismal failures. The failures are due t< 
many causes, but probably the most common is the omission of 
careful study, not only of the gold contents of the placers to b 
«The production of lode mines, which in 1904 was about $3,000,000, is not included in this table. 
b Based on estimates made by Alfred H. Brooks, 
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