cient pressure, suggest a commercial proposition well worth investigation. The possession of the creek claims as dumping ground will be necessary. Such bench claims lend themselves particularly to exploitation by hydraulic methods and may be worked at far lower cost than gravels situated at the level of present stream drainage.

NELCHINA RIVER.

Two prospectors from Copper Center, who were met in the headwater country of the Nelchina and Tyonek rivers, reported that gold was present in all the stream gravels, but in very small quantities. The gold obtained on the Tyonek is almost exclusively in the form of small round plates, worth about a cent apiece. Occasional small shotty nuggets occur, not exceeding 5 or 10 cents in value.

It is reported that the hard conglomerate interstratified with Jurassic shales and sandstones, when panned, failed to yield colors. Yet in view of the unaltered and unmineralized character of the prevailing sandstones and shales, and in view of the comparative coarseness of the gold, it is nevertheless probable that the meager gold content of the present stream channels has been derived by a concentration of the ancient conglomerates.

KNIK RIVER.

It is reported that on Metal Creek, a tributary of Knik River, prospectors discovered pay dirt which yielded $7 or $8 a day to the shovel.

COPPER.

KNIK RIVER.

In August, 1906, prospectors reported the discovery of copper in the high mountains between Knik and Matanuska rivers, but this locality was not visited. The ore shown to the writer is chalcopyrite (sulphide of copper and iron), and is associated with pyrrhotite (magnetic iron pyrites). The ledge is reported to be nearly vertical and to have been traced through four claims. No actual development work has been done. The ore body is said to be 3 feet thick, consisting of 18 inches of solid chalcopyrite and 18 inches of quartz irregularly cut by stringers of ore. Graphitic gouge matter occurs near the ledge. From the foregoing description it appears probable that the deposit occupies a mineralized shear zone, similar to those found in the Prince William Sound region both in its manner of occurrence and in the bed rock with which it is associated. The mountains between Knik and Matanuska rivers, though difficult of access, are thought worthy of prospecting.

KASHWITNA RIVER.

The occurrence of bornite in the mountains east of the Susitna was reported as early as 1898. During the summer of 1906 assessment work was done on copper claims near the head of the north fork of Kashwitna River, a tributary of the Susitna from the Talkeetna Mountains. Samples of bornite said to occur in a granite were seen. The claim is about 120 miles from Knik and is situated 10 miles from timber.