Editing Platinum, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Platinum
|native_name              = Arviiq
     
| native_name_lang        = esu
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Theb1934 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Destroyed airplane at Platinum, 1948
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = USA Alaska
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Alaska

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Bethel Census Area, Alaska|Bethel]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Mark Moyle<ref>{{Cite book|title=2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League|year=2015|page=126}}</ref>
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Lyman Hoffman]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Bryce Edgmon]] ([[Independent politician|I]])
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = February 13, 1975<ref>{{cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=[[Juneau]]|publisher=Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1996|page=120}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 122.53
|area_land_km2            = 122.41
|area_water_km2           = 0.12
|area_total_sq_mi         = 47.31
|area_land_sq_mi          = 47.27
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.05

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 55
|population_density_km2   = 0.45
|population_density_sq_mi = 1.16
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 4
|elevation_ft             = 13
|coordinates              = {{coord|59|0|47|N|161|48|59|W|region:US-AK|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 99651
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-61080
|blank1_name              = 
|blank1_info              = 
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}

'''Platinum''' ({{langx|esu|Arviiq}}) is a city in [[Bethel Census Area, Alaska]], United States. The population was 61 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], up from 41 in 2000.

==Geography==
Platinum is located at {{coord|59|00|47|N|161|48|59|W|type:city}}.<ref name=gnis>[https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:0::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1408072,Platinum GNIS Feature Detail Report for: Platinum]</ref> It is located on [[Goodnews Bay]] adjacent to the mouth of the Small River and eleven miles southwest of [[Goodnews, Alaska|Goodnews]] and the [[Kilbuck Mountains]].<ref name=gnis/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|44.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|44.6|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} of it (0.16%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Climate===
Platinum has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Dfc]]) with short, cool and rainy summers and long, cold winters with moderate snowfall peaking during March.{{Weather box
| collapsed =
| location = Platinum, Alaska (1939-1964)
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 52
| Feb record high F = 47
| Mar record high F = 46
| Apr record high F = 53
| May record high F = 65
| Jun record high F = 79
| Jul record high F = 82
| Aug record high F = 73
| Sep record high F = 68
| Oct record high F = 63
| Nov record high F = 48
| Dec record high F = 44
|year record high F = 
| Jan high F = 20.8
| Feb high F = 22.1
| Mar high F = 24.2
| Apr high F = 33.6
| May high F = 44.8
| Jun high F = 53.8
| Jul high F = 57.0
| Aug high F = 56.5
| Sep high F = 51.6
| Oct high F = 39.8
| Nov high F = 28.6
| Dec high F = 18.8
|year high F = 
|Jan mean F = 14.4
|Feb mean F = 15.0
|Mar mean F = 17.4
|Apr mean F = 27.7
|May mean F = 39.0
|Jun mean F = 47.7
|Jul mean F = 51.6
|Aug mean F = 51.7
|Sep mean F = 46.0
|Oct mean F = 34.6
|Nov mean F = 23.1
|Dec mean F = 12.1
|year mean F = 
| Jan low F = 8.0
| Feb low F = 8.7
| Mar low F = 10.7
| Apr low F = 22.4
| May low F = 33.3
| Jun low F = 41.6
| Jul low F = 46.1
| Aug low F = 46.9
| Sep low F = 40.5
| Oct low F = 29.3
| Nov low F = 17.6
| Dec low F = 5.8
|year low F = 
| Jan record low F = −34
| Feb record low F = −32
| Mar record low F = −26
| Apr record low F = −11
| May record low F = 2
| Jun record low F = 31
| Jul record low F = 32
| Aug record low F = 32
| Sep record low F = 22
| Oct record low F = 6
| Nov record low F = −21
| Dec record low F = −29
|year record low F =
|Jan avg record high F = 38.8
|Feb avg record high F = 38.4
|Mar avg record high F = 38.7
|Apr avg record high F = 44.3
|May avg record high F = 57.0
|Jun avg record high F = 64.6
|Jul avg record high F = 69.6
|Aug avg record high F = 65.3
|Sep avg record high F = 60.0
|Oct avg record high F = 50.5
|Nov avg record high F = 41.9
|Dec avg record high F = 37.5
|year avg record high F = 70.7
|Jan avg record low F = -18.9
|Feb avg record low F = -18.8
|Mar avg record low F = -11.7
|Apr avg record low F = 4.8
|May avg record low F = 21.7
|Jun avg record low F = 34.4
|Jul avg record low F = 39.3
|Aug avg record low F = 39.2
|Sep avg record low F = 28.8
|Oct avg record low F = 14.7
|Nov avg record low F = -4.0
|Dec avg record low F = -16.9
|year avg record low F = -25.8
|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.07
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.24
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.28
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.81
| May precipitation inch = 1.28
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.19
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.10
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.24
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.73
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.60
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.56
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.29
|year precipitation inch = 22.38
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 9.8
| Feb precipitation days = 9.6
| Mar precipitation days = 10.8
| Apr precipitation days = 8.5
| May precipitation days = 11.0
| Jun precipitation days = 9.6
| Jul precipitation days = 12.9
| Aug precipitation days = 18.6
| Sep precipitation days = 17.7
| Oct precipitation days = 15.0
| Nov precipitation days = 10.2
| Dec precipitation days = 9.3
| year precipitation days = 143.0
|Jan snow inch = 7.4
|Feb snow inch = 8.9
|Mar snow inch = 10.0
|Apr snow inch = 2.7
|May snow inch = 0.6
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 1.5
|Nov snow inch = 4.0
|Dec snow inch = 5.6
|year snow inch = 40.6
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 5.6
|Feb snow days = 6.3
|Mar snow days = 7.9
|Apr snow days = 3.9
|May snow days = 0.9
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 2.0
|Nov snow days = 3.8
|Dec snow days = 5.7
|year snow days = 
|source 1 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
| title = xmACIS2
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = August 15, 2023
}}</ref> }}

==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.<ref name=gnis/>

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]].<ref name=Bo>{{cite book |last1=Bennett |first1=Bo |title=Rods & Wings |date=2000 |publisher=Publication Consultants |location=Anchorage |isbn=9781888125627 |pages=70–72}}</ref>

During [[Aleutian Islands Campaign|World War II]], the [[Alaska Territorial Guard]] served to safeguard it against Japanese attack as it was the only source of the [[military strategy|strategic]] metal [[platinum]] in the [[Western Hemisphere]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Marston|first=Marvin R.|title=Men of the Tundra: Alaska Eskimos at War|publisher=October House|year=1969|pages=51, 54–57}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1940= 45
|1950= 72
|1960= 43
|1970= 55
|1980= 55
|1990= 64
|2000= 41
|2010= 61
|2020= 55
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Platinum first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated in 1975.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 41 people, 17 households, and 9 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|0.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 26 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 7.32% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 90.24% [[Race (United States Census)|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}} the school had 20 students.<ref>"[http://platinum.lksd.org/about/arviq_school Arviq School]." Arviq School. Retrieved on July 13, 2018.</ref>

==Geology==
[[File:Platinum Alaska geologic map.png|thumb|left|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 deposit]]s 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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mertie |first1=J.B. |title=Platinum Deposits of the Goodnews Bay District, Alaska, in Mineral Resources of Alaska, USGS Bulletin 910-B |date=1939 |publisher=US Government Printing Office |location=Washington |pages=115–145 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0910b/report.pdf |accessdate=August 25, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Bethel Census Area, Alaska}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|59|00|47|N|161|48|59|W|display=title}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Bethel Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]