The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
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The territories of northern Canada, so far, appear to have escaped the novel coronavirus pandemic that is currently sweeping the globe. This is due, in part, to the remoteness of the region. But it's also likely the result of extraordinary steps some mining companies are taking to keep COVID-19 out of the region. Sabina Gold & Silver Corp., a Canadian junior aggressively seeking gold in Nunavut, for example, reported March 17 to delay the start of its 2020 exploration program...
Nighthawk Gold Corp. March 23 reported the final assay results from its 2019 drilling at the Indin Lake gold property, a 110-hole (40,834 meters) program that has a widening of gold mineralization at Colomac and is changing the way the exploration company views this main project on the property. The 899-square-kilometer (222,200 acres) Indin Lake property hosts seven major project areas – Colomac, Leta Arm, Damoti Lake, Treasure Island, JPK, Fishhook and Echo-Indin. Colomac i...
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. March 25 reported that it is temporarily shuttering its LaRonde Complex, Goldex and Canadian Malartic gold mines in Quebec, and reducing operations at its Meadowbank and Meliadine mines in Nunavut. This decision follows a March 23 order by the Quebec government for all non-essential businesses in the eastern Canada province to close in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Based on the Quebec decision, as well as discussion with provincial leaders, Agnico...
Barrick Gold Corp. March 20 announced it has stepped up its emergency response plans for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic at all its sites and offices across the world. The latest round of measures by the global gold mining company includes the suspension of all non-essential business travel and the curtailing of all non-vital projects. Barrick Gold President and CEO Mark Bristow said the company was closely monitoring the very fluid COVID-19 situation, constantly updating...
Teck Resource Ltd. March 23 announced temporary ban on travel from the Red Dog Mine to communities in the NANA region of Northwest Alaska where the world-class zinc mine is located. These restrictions on travel come at a time when NANA Corp., as well as other Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) corporations are looking at ways to prevent COVID-19 from reaching their regions and villages. "Our main priority is the health and safety of our people – shareholders, e...
In what may be the world's grandest example of the Butterfly Effect, a microscopic organism in China has caused a hurricane of change for every person on Earth. For now, this change is uncomfortable, to put it mildly, as we adjust to an ever-shifting landscape of social distancing, working from home (or not at all), wild swings in the financial markets, and growing numbers of COVID-19 infected and fatalities. Many have stated that the world reaction to this newest strain of...
A true northern pioneer far from his Eastern European home, 'Wise' Mike Stepovich, settles in a new land and leaves behind a historic legacy in Alaska's Golden Heart City. The history of Fairbanks is not unlike many other gold rush settlements, rife with rugged explorers, savvy tycoons and luckless vagabonds. So, the melting pot of happenstance plays its hand again and begets a fascinating tale of a frontier city and a man far from home. It is hard to say whether Stepovich...
Novagold Resources Inc. March 23 said the 2020 drill program at the Donlin Gold project in Southwest Alaska continues at this date, but recognizes that the COVID-19 crisis is fluid and is monitoring the state of Alaska health recommendations and will make the necessary adjustments including pushing back the timeline for the balance of the 22,000 meters of drilling planned for this year. Donlin Gold LLC, a joint venture partnership owned equally by Novagold and Barrick Gold...
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak and following the cancellation of the Alaska Miners Association 2020 Spring Convention in Fairbanks, AMA Executive Director Deantha Crockett takes the time to answer 20 questions on how the pandemic is affecting Alaska's mining sector and the association; Alaska's economy; state and federal mining policy; and due process for the Pebble Mine project. Q. Alaska Miners Association recently made the difficult decision to cancel its spring...
In the current environment, it is difficult to avoid discussing the elephant in the room. Essentially, we need to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect mining activities in Alaska in the near and long term. While misinformation and speculation about the disease is rampant, some basic facts seem indisputable – the disease is highly contagious, infected people are often asymptomatic, and there does not appear to be any approved anti-viral available yet. The control m...