Dept. Of Mines
Investigates Jade,
Asbestos Deposits
By ESKIL ANDERSON
COLLEGE, Alaska, July t5—
During June and early July of
this year mineral investigation in
the Kobuk-Noatak region of
Northwestern Alaska were again
conducted by the Territorial De
y -■ * • . ' •
parfcment of Mines. Some new in
formation was obtained on the as
bestos and jade deposits of the
Shungnak region and on mineral-!
ization in other parts of the Kobuk
and Noatak river basins.
The Arctic Circle Exploration
Company continued work on a
tunnel designed to tap a lens of
tremolite asbestos, r Production
from this lens is expected to be
resumed during July. The deposit
is located on Asbsetos Mountain
at the head of Dahl Creek near
Shungnak.
Interest in the jade of the Ko
buk region has increased consid
erably. There appears to be
enough jade in streams cutting
the asbestos formation to provide
the basis for a very small but in
teresting local industry. However
if the material is shipped to the
Continental United States in the
raw form most of the benefit to
the Territory which could be de
rived from such an industry will
be lost and production of jade
probably will continue for only a
short while.
In the upper Kobuk region a
reconnaissance trip was made on
the Nauneluk River and on lower
Reed and Pah rivers. *
In the lower Noatak region a
similar reconnaissance was made
in the Eli river basin east of Noa
tak village. From preliminary
work done during 1944 and 1945
it appears that there is a belt of
sulphite mineralization in the
mountains near the Kobuk-Noatak
divide from the headwaters of the
Tutuksuk and Salmon rivers west
ward to the headwaters of the
Agashashok and Eli rivers. The
Tutuksuk and Salmon rivers flow
into the Kobuk river from the
north, about 30 miles east of Ki
ana. The Agashashok and Eli riv
ers are tributaries of the lower
Noatak river.
This summer further explora
tory* work is expected to be car
ried on by the United States Bu
reau of Mines in the Kobuk as
bestos district and also in the area
between the lower Kobuk and No
atak rivers. The Arctic Circle Ex
ploration Company plans to con
tinue the mining of tremolite as
bestos and prospecting of chryso
tile occurrences. Placer jade is
now being brought in from some
of the streams near Shungnak and
should soon be available to those
interested.
The twelve-month calendar was
arranged by Julius Caesar. I
0 0 0
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