The Nome Nugget

Around Nome
By HARRY LUDBROOK

Did you know that Nome has been the source of nearly one-fourth of the mineral wealth produced in the Alaskan territory during the past 40 years? And did you know that it still is the least developed portion of the country today? Well, it's so. And it is true only because of the lack of transportation which same has been Alaska's bugaboo since it became a territory. Like all well known exploitations in the past history of our country, Alaska has had its surface wealth scraped off by men who have acted as hogs might well act under given circumstances. Little thought has been given to the real welfare of this beautiful country with its thousands of resources awaiting the touch of Midas.

Do you remember the platinum recovered from the Dime Creek placers, and on Bear and Sweepstakes Creek, and at Willow Creek? Tungsten, too, had its day around 1916 and 1918. Silver ores are found in many places in the Nome district, especially around Fish River and on the Kugruk River.

Antimony ore, in the form of stibnite, is one of the most widely distributed minerals in Alaska and with a new war in the offing its need will be felt crucially soon. King copper is plentiful around the Noatak region and also around Kobuk near Shungnak. And the York district is well known for its rich deposits of tin but, so far, only the Tin City and Lost River mines are operating.

Just 25 miles from Nome there is more iron ore than Michigan ever thought of having and it is just awaiting the forethought of some big operator with a little nerve to open up. Coal, too, with a ready market right here in Nome is to be had just for the taking. Oil is being piped from the Barrow region now, or soon, but where one well exists now, there should be thousands later on.

It's too bad that all the visionaries are broke and the man with the money is too conservative or too busy looking for the immediate dollar, otherwise this would be a wonderful country in which to live.