ANTIMONY FROM ALASKA MINE TO BE SHIPPED TO JAPANESE MARKET
By Paul (Ip) Lien
Antimony, mined at Stampede
Creek, will be shipped directly
from Alaska to Japan starting
this summer as a result of a con
tract recently made by Earl R.
Pilgrim and a New York export
ing firm with a Japanese mining
company.
“Two hundred tons of ore and
high grade concentrates will be
shipped out of Anchorage this
year," said Pilgrim.
Stampede Creek is located fifty
miles west of Healy on the Alaska
Railroad.
When operations start this month,
the mine operated and owned by
Pilgrim will be the only antimony
mine operating in the United States.
There are other mines, such as
the Sunshine Mine in Idaho which
mines antimony, but it is a silver
mine and the antimony is a by
product.
College Professor
Pilgrim came to Fairbanks in 1922
es the first professor of mining en
gineering and metallurgy at the
opening of the Alaska Agricultural
College and School of Mines.
In 1926 Pilgrim resigned from the
college to devote his full time to
mining. He operated on Happy and
Cleary Creeks, and did consulting j
work until 1936, when he became
manager of operations in Alaska for 1
the National Lead Co., owners of the
; Stampede Creek mine.
Pilgrim bought the mine from Na
tional Lead Co. in 1943 when the
Japs invaded Alaska. Since that j
time he has been operating the
mine and hired as high as 18 men
in a single season.
Under the present contract, Pil- !
grim expects to put eight or ten I
men to work for the balance of this
year—and expand operations next j
year.
Since 1943, Pilgrim has been ship
ping his ore to smelters in Califor- !
nia, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
Higher Price
Why does Pilgrim ship ore to
Japan? Because of the higher price
for his product and lower freight
rates.
; “Paradoxically, we now import
most of our antimony from Mexico,”
said Pilgrim.
“The remainder of the antimony
shipped to the United States comes |
j from Bolivia, South Africa, Jugosla
via, Chili and Guatemala..
“Competing for several years with
these countries, I decided to look
elsewhere for a better market,” said
Pilgrim.
After much correspondence. Pil
grim'entirely on his own, put over
his recent deal with an American
exporting firm doing business in
Japan.
At present the Japanese get most
of their supply of antimony from
Communist China and Bolivia in
South America.
What are the uses for antimony?
“It’s used for hardening lead and
in pigment for certain paints,”
added Pilgrim, “and in batteries,
roofing metal, bearings, primers for
ammunition, in chemical com
pounds. and in the manufacture of
plastics.”
Pilgrim will spend some time
modernizing his mine this year. He
GALE TO SURGERY
George Gale, long time Alaska
Railroad employee and presently
teleclerk at Healy, underwent sur
gery last Thursday at St. Joseph's
Hospital here.
Gale was accompanied to Fair
banks by his wife, who is remaining
here while her husband recovers.
Gale is well known for his writings
on Interior Alaska.
will install a new diesel electric
plant, and more modern mill ma
chinery.
The main reason Pilgrim is able
to compete with foreign countries
in the Japanese market is, he has a
very low freight rate from Alaska
to Japan using Japanese ships. These
ships will come into Anchorage any
way. carrying wood pulp, and un
load many products such as cement,
casing, and various other Japanese
manufactured products.
Access Road
In 1961 a pioneer access road was
built to the mine from the Alaska
Railroad.
The ore will be hauled over this
road, and shipped on the railroad
to Anchorage where it will be
picked up by the Japanese freight
ers.
Pilgrim recently attended a meet
ing of the American Antimony Com
mittee in Washington, D.C. He is
vice-chairman of the committee.
Mrs. Pilgrim is now in Falls
Church, Va., and will join her
husband here this summer.
MASONIC TEMPLE
Masonic Temple, 809 First Ave. Dial GL 2-2836
Tanana Lodge No. 162 F&AM
Third Degree, Wednesday, April 11,8 P.M.
Elmer A. Lanstra Worshipful Master
Forbes L. Baker, Secretary
Midnight Sun Chapter No. 6, O.E.S.
Second Friday of Each Month
Pearl Scherer, Worthy Matron
Mary Helen Chaddon, Secretary
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