of statistics and the publication of an annual volume under the title of Mineral Resources. It is proposed to continue this work, and to make it as complete and accurate as the means available will permit. It seems particularly appropriate that the Government should collect statistics of mineral production, and give the volume prompt publication and wide circulation. The first ten annual volumes have appeared as a distinct publication by the survey, but in the future it is proposed to issue the statistics as the second part of the annual report of the director.
Geologic Economic Work. The geologic examination of the mineral resources is one that commended itself very strongly to Mr. King. He regarded it as the primary work of the survey, and gave it great impetus by establishing surveys of the Leadville district of Colorado and of the Eureka and Virginia silver districts of Nevada, These were carried forward under Major Powell, and new economic work was entered upon. Dr. Becker surveyed and completed a report on the quicksilver deposits of California, and began a thorough survey of the gold belt of California. Profs. Irving and Van Hise surveyed and reported on the copper district of Lake Superior, and pushed forward researches on the iron-ore districts of Wisconsin and Michigan. The phosphate deposits of Florida were studied, and the mapping of the coal fields of the Appalachians was begun. With the development of areal geologic work, 1886 to 1891, many minor economic problems were met with and studied. Previous to 1892, when the appropriation for geology was reduced more than one half, a large percentage of it was employed in distinctly economic work. With the revival of geologic work the present year, the geologic examination of the mineral resources has received attention. A statement of what has been and is being done the present year will explain the present policy of the survey.
Four field parties were engaged in the areal survey of the coal fields of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; one party on the iron-ore deposits of western North Carolina; one party on the marbles, etc., of northwestern Georgia; one party in making a preliminary study and reconnaissance of the gold belt of Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia; one party on the southern limit of the roofing-slate belt of eastern New York; one large party on the iron ores of northern Wisconsin; one party on the mining districts of the Helena atlas sheet of Montana; one party on the Cripple Creek gold field, and in making a reconnaissance of the Rico district of Colorado; one party in completing the survey of the Leadville (Col.) district; one party in surveying the coal field of the Trinidad, El Moro, and Walsenburg sheets, Colorado; one party in studying the artesian water problem of the valley of the Arkansas, in Colorado and Kansas;
