Platinum, Alaska

Platinum Arviiq
City
Destroyed airplane at Platinum, 1948
Platinum Location in Alaska
Coordinates: 59°0′47″N 161°48′59″W
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Census Area	Bethel
Incorporated	February 13, 1975[1]
Government
• Mayor	Mark Moyle[2]
• State senator	Lyman Hoffman (D)
• State rep.	Bryce Edgmon (I)
Area [3]
• Total	47.31 sq mi (122.53 km^2)
• Land	47.27 sq mi (122.41 km^2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km^2)
Elevation	13 ft (4 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	55
• Density	1.16/sq mi (0.45/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP codes	99651
Area code	907
FIPS code	02-61080

Platinum (Central Yupik: Arviiq) is a city in Bethel Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 61 at the 2010 census, up from 41 in 2000.

Geography

Platinum is located at 59°00′47″N 161°48′59″W.^[4] It is located on Goodnews Bay adjacent to the mouth of the Small River and eleven miles southwest of Goodnews and the Kilbuck Mountains.^[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.7 square miles (116 km²), of which, 44.6 square miles (116 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (0.16%) is water.^[5]

Climate

Platinum has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with short, cool and rainy summers and long, cold winters with moderate snowfall peaking during March.

Climate data for Platinum, Alaska (1939-1964)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	52 (11)	47 (8)	46 (8)	53 (12)	65 (18)	79 (26)	82 (28)	73 (23)	68 (20)	63 (17)	48 (9)	44 (7)	82 (28)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	38.8 (3.8)	38.4 (3.6)	38.7 (3.7)	44.3 (6.8)	57.0 (13.9)	64.6 (18.1)	69.6 (20.9)	65.3 (18.5)	60.0 (15.6)	50.5 (10.3)	41.9 (5.5)	37.5 (3.1)	70.7 (21.5)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	20.8 (−6.2)	22.1 (−5.5)	24.2 (−4.3)	33.6 (0.9)	44.8 (7.1)	53.8 (12.1)	57.0 (13.9)	56.5 (13.6)	51.6 (10.9)	39.8 (4.3)	28.6 (−1.9)	18.8 (−7.3)	37.6 (3.1)
Daily mean °F (°C)	14.4 (−9.8)	15.0 (−9.4)	17.4 (−8.1)	27.7 (−2.4)	39.0 (3.9)	47.7 (8.7)	51.6 (10.9)	51.7 (10.9)	46.0 (7.8)	34.6 (1.4)	23.1 (−4.9)	12.1 (−11.1)	31.7 (−0.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	8.0 (−13.3)	8.7 (−12.9)	10.7 (−11.8)	22.4 (−5.3)	33.3 (0.7)	41.6 (5.3)	46.1 (7.8)	46.9 (8.3)	40.5 (4.7)	29.3 (−1.5)	17.6 (−8.0)	5.8 (−14.6)	25.9 (−3.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−18.9 (−28.3)	−18.8 (−28.2)	−11.7 (−24.3)	4.8 (−15.1)	21.7 (−5.7)	34.4 (1.3)	39.3 (4.1)	39.2 (4.0)	28.8 (−1.8)	14.7 (−9.6)	−4.0 (−20.0)	−16.9 (−27.2)	−25.8 (−32.1)
Record low °F (°C)	−34 (−37)	−32 (−36)	−26 (−32)	−11 (−24)	2 (−17)	31 (−1)	32 (0)	32 (0)	22 (−6)	6 (−14)	−21 (−29)	−29 (−34)	−34 (−37)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.07 (27)	1.24 (31)	1.28 (33)	0.81 (21)	1.28 (33)	1.19 (30)	2.10 (53)	4.24 (108)	3.73 (95)	2.60 (66)	1.56 (40)	1.29 (33)	22.38 (568)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	7.4 (19)	8.9 (23)	10.0 (25)	2.7 (6.9)	0.6 (1.5)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	1.5 (3.8)	4.0 (10)	5.6 (14)	40.6 (103)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	9.8	9.6	10.8	8.5	11.0	9.6	12.9	18.6	17.7	15.0	10.2	9.3	143.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	5.6	6.3	7.9	3.9	0.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	3.8	5.7	36.1
Source: NOAA[6]

History

Platinum was named in the 1930s due to the platinum ore found in the area. The site was a mining boomtown by 1937 boasting a roadhouse, two trading posts and a population of 50. A post office had been established in 1935. An earlier Inuit village called Arviq had been abandoned. The town was incorporated as a city in 1975.^[4]

Ray Petersen Flying Service was awarded the exclusive contract in 1937 to fly for the Goodnews Bay platinum and iridium mine, hauling miners and company supplies out of his base at Bethel, Alaska.^[7]

During World War II, the Alaska Territorial Guard served to safeguard it against Japanese attack as it was the only source of the strategic metal platinum in the Western Hemisphere.^[8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1940	45		—
1950	72		60.0%
1960	43		−40.3%
1970	55		27.9%
1980	55		0.0%
1990	64		16.4%
2000	41		−35.9%
2010	61		48.8%
2020	55		−9.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

Platinum first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1975.

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 41 people, 17 households, and 9 families residing in the city. The population density was 0.9 inhabitants per square mile (0.35/km²). There were 26 housing units at an average density of 0.6 units per square mile (0.23 units/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 7.32% White, 90.24% Native American, and 2.44% from two or more races.

There were 17 households, out of which 47.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 26.8% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 43.9% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $22,500. The per capita income for the city was $7,632. There are 33.3% of families living below the poverty line and 22.0% of the population, including 33.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64

Education

Lower Kuskokwim School District operates the Arviq School, K-12. Due to a decline in student enrollment it closed in Spring 2001, but it reopened in October 2007. As of 2018^[update] the school had 20 students.^[11]

Geology

Platinum, Alaska, geologic map showing the location of creeks associated with platinum placer deposits.

In 1926, Walter Smith, an Eskimo, discovered what he thought was "white gold" at the mouth of Fox Gulch, a tributary of Platinum Creek. Samples sent to the United States Bureau of Mines in Fairbanks determined it was actually platinum. In 1928, Charles Thorsen discovered platinum in Clara Creek, while Edward St. Clair discovered platinum in Squirrel Creek. Consolidation of the subsequent mining claims resulted in Goodnews Bay Mining Co. and Clara Creek Mining Co. becoming the major operators mining these placer deposits containing 60 per cent platinum and 22 percent iridium. The largest nugget was found on Squirrel Creek and weighed 1.5 ounces. These placers are found in the drainage east of Red Mountain, which is composed of dunite. However, platinum has not been found on the mountain. Goodnews Bay Mining Co. started operating a dragline excavator on Squirrel Creek on August 11, 1934, and on Platinum Creek and Fox Gulch in 1937. The company started operations with a dredge in Nov. 1937. The Clara Creek Mining Co. started mining operations on Clara Creek in 1936. A total of 3000 ounces of platinum metals were recovered from all mining operations between 1927 and 1934, and 18,000 ounces between 1934 and 1937.^[12]

References

1. 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. p. 120.
2. 2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League. 2015. p. 126.
3. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
4. GNIS Feature Detail Report for: Platinum
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
7. Bennett, Bo (2000). Rods & Wings. Anchorage: Publication Consultants. pp. 70–72. ISBN 9781888125627.
8. Marston, Marvin R. (1969). Men of the Tundra: Alaska Eskimos at War. October House. pp. 51, 54–57.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
11. "Arviq School." Arviq School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018.
12. Mertie, J.B. (1939). Platinum Deposits of the Goodnews Bay District, Alaska, in Mineral Resources of Alaska, USGS Bulletin 910-B (PDF). Washington: US Government Printing Office. pp. 115–145. Retrieved August 25, 2018.

59°00′47″N 161°48′59″W