The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 155
7 marks the 25-year anniversary of the Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska being among the largest producers of zinc on the planet. For the more than 13,600 Inupiat who are shareholders of NANA Regional Corporation, owners of the land where Red Dog is found, this world-class mine's success is measured by more than the amount of zinc shipped to world markets every summer. "It has been a revolutionary thing for our region economically and demonstrates the kind of development...
Miners see mountains of federal regulations standing between them and the development of Alaska’s unparalleled mineral wealth. In the recently published Fraser Institute Survey of Mining Companies, 449 global mining executives ranked Alaska 59th, right below Zimbabwe, when it comes to uncertainty concerning environmental regulations. This perception is not just that of those observing Alaska from afar, but also one shared by the miners who are trying to develop and operate m...
God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. [T]he tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. - Thomas Jefferson, 1787 For openers, it appears that neither of the leading contenders for the presidency of the United States has identified any significant positions on the development of natural resources on public lands. Sen. (Hillary) Clinton, D-NY, it may be presumed, will emulate her predecessor and casually...
Nearly three weeks after Teck Alaska, operator of the Red Dog Mine in northwest Alaska, sued the Northwest Arctic Borough over a steep tax hike implemented at the beginning of the year, the chasm between the two sides seems to have only widened. In preparation for its plans to "aggressively pursue a satisfactory legal resolution" to the charges brought by Teck, Northwest Arctic Borough has released information outlining its perspective on the argument. In a Jan. 26 statement,...
The Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska is highly regarded as an example of a mining company and local aboriginal interests sitting down at the negotiating table and working out a deal that serves the economic and social interests of both. A steep tax hike, however, threatens to shorten the life of the world-class zinc mine and thereby the partnership forged between Teck Resources Ltd. and NANA Regional Corp. The tax increase was introduced recently by the Northwest Arctic...
After 20 years of exploration and permitting, the Donlin Gold project is on the downhill side of gaining the permits needed to develop a mine at the 39-million-ounce gold deposit in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region of Southwest Alaska. On Nov. 25, the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers released a draft Environmental Impact Statement for what will likely be among the largest gold-producing mines on the planet. The Donlin Gold Mine being considered in the draft EIS includes a...
Barrick Gold Corp. and Novagold Resources Inc. Nov. 30 reported that the Donlin Gold Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been published by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, a significant permitting milestone for the 39-million-ounce Donlin Gold project located in the Kuskokwim region of Southwest Alaska. Leaders of Calista Corp., the Alaska Native regional corporation that owns the mineral rights at Donlin Gold, and Kuskokwim Corp., the village corporation that owns the...
Earlier this month, the Alaska Miners Association held its annual convention in Anchorage amid plummeting metals prices and an over-all atmosphere of economic uncertainty now stretching into its fourth year. Individuals from around North America and beyond were present and conversations outside of the technical sessions seemed to gravitate toward how best to climb out of the doldrums that seem to grip the mining industry on a global scale. One individual was heard to say that...
From an expanding ownership interest in one of the largest producing zinc mines on the planet to grassroots gold exploration, NANA Regional Corp. is delving into all phases of mining across the 24.3 million acres of extremely minerals-rich land in Northwest Alaska. During the past 26 years, this Alaska Native regional corporation and the more than 13,800 Iñupiat shareholders whose forebears settled the northwest corner of Alaska thousands of years ago have enjoyed some...
The Governor has stripped the state's Public Access Assertion and Defense Unit from the fiscal 2015 budget, potentially jeopardizing several programs critical to resources development in Alaska. Access to remote locations has long been a critical issue, first due to a lack of infrastructure, then due to the manpower demands of two World Wars in the Twentieth Century. Ultimately, as metals prices began to build, and funding for exploration became available, vast treasures were...
The following summary overview of the history of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was presented at the Alaska Miners Association Convention held in Anchorage earlier this month as part of the celebration of the association's 75th anniversary. The history of ANCSA is rooted in the occupancy of Alaska by Russia in the early 18th century. The Russian authority in Alaska was first decreed in 1766 when the Russian government declared the natives of Alaska to be Russian...
From Kotzebue to Ketchikan, Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority is using its financial muscle and its ability to build and operate large infrastructure projects to help mining companies overcome the challenges of developing the often remote mineral riches that the Last Frontier has to offer. "We are working with local communities and mine developers on infrastructure projects throughout Alaska, including port facilities and energy supply," said AIDEA external...
The Inupiat people of Northwest Alaska breathed a sigh of relief when Teck Resources Ltd. decided to move ahead with development of the Aqqaluk deposit at the Red Dog Mine. The 51.6 million metric tons of high-grade ore in the deposit that lies next door to the main deposit will extend the life of the world-class zinc-lead-silver mine, and continue to provide economic benefits for 12,000 NANA Regional Corp. shareholders for another 20 years. "We are excited to move forward...
The Pebble Partnership, a 50-50 joint venture between Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. and Anglo American plc, can chalk up one win and one potential loss toward the development of a mine at its copper-gold-molybdenum deposit in Southwest Alaska. On the plus side, the Alaska Board of Fisheries rejected Proposal 13, a plan to establish a state fish refuge for the Bristol Bay region that would have threatened the Pebble project. After listening to more than five hours of...
The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada is set to recognize Richard Garnett and NovaGold Resources Inc. for their role in the discovery and exploration of the multimillion-ounce Donlin Creek gold deposit in Southwest Alaska. The Thayer Lindsley Award for an international mineral discovery will be presented to the explorers March 2 at the organization's 2009 International Convention, Trade Show and Investors Exchange. This annual award, which honors the memory of...
The discovery story of the multimillion-ounce gold deposit at Donlin Creek began in 1909 when prospectors rushed through the region following news that gold had been discovered on the George River about 50 miles to the southwest. For the next 25 years, hand and hydraulic placer mining continued on Donlin Creek in Southwest Alaska. In 1941 Robert Lyman started the modern era of placer mining on Donlin Creek. Signing away his entire winter salary, the hardworking miner put a...
10 is 90 percent over. As we approach the calendar change and the other mid-winter holidays, it is reasonable to reflect and prognosticate. Eight short years ago, we were on the dawn of a new era. Republicans controlled the White House, both houses of Congress, Alaska's governor's mansion and both houses of our state Legislature. The stars were perfectly aligned. It was a time for celebration because the dark decade was past and resource development in Alaska, most...
In a July 3 decision, the Alaska Supreme Court confirmed that the ballot initiative 07WTR3 is not an appropriation and can be placed on the ballot for the August 26 Alaska primary election. Ballot Measure 4 is currently listed in the Division of Elections 2008 primary election media packet. According to that listing, the ballot measure facing Alaska voters will read: Ballot Measure 4 - Bill Providing For Regulation of Water Quality (07WTR3) This bill imposes two water quality...
Rosie Barr, spokeswoman for NANA's "Voices of Reason Campaign," told Mining News that anti-mining initiatives expected to come before Alaska voters on this fall's ballot would shut down existing mines like the huge Red Dog zinc-lead mine in Northwest Alaska and prevent the permitting of future mines, many of which would be developed on Alaska Native corporation lands. In undertaking this campaign, NANA is fighting to retain the land ownership and mineral rights granted to all Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims...
Pacific North West Capital and Stillwater Mining Co. have begun the 2008 drilling program at the Goodnews Bay Platinum Project in Southwest Alaska. The $1 million program has two primary targets, Last Chance and Susie West prospects, defined with rock and soil sampling programs in 2006 and 2007. In addition to about 3,000 meters of core drilling planned at Last Chance and Susie West, the companies will also continue an auger soil sampling program on Susie Mountain which will...
I'm ready to give the Devil his due. The Star Trekkie commercials that the Renewable Resource Coalition, or whatever nom de guerre Bob Gillam currently hides behind, are very clever. They are not true, but then again, truth and freedom of speech have always been wholly disassociated when it comes to advertising. The Gillamites attempt to raise the inference that the initiatives that have been offered for the ballot next August will stop the Pebble mine, but won't affect other...
The Clean Water Initiatives that could come before Alaska voters in the general election next fall "are dangerous and deceptive proposals that Alaska cannot afford," according to a key executive at NANA Development Corp. Rosie Barr, resources manager for the operating arm of NANA Inc., the Alaska Native regional corporation for Northwest Alaska, spoke out against the initiatives and outlined the economic benefits of the Red Dog zinc-lead mine to Alaska at an industry...
The decision was taken months ago, but now the reasons for it have been explained. Nothing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has said in its May 22 ruling on Kensington mine is likely to bring encouragement to the project's developers or employees whose livelihoods have been put at risk, but at least now Idaho-based Coeur d'Alene Mines can start to analyze the judges' objections. Juneau Native corporation Goldbelt also suffers from the ruling, which vacated its permit to construct a marine terminal for the transportation of...
A bill in the Alaska Legislature that would place severe restrictions on water use in the Bristol Bay area is undergoing revision by its sponsor, Rep. Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham. House Bill 134, was motivated by concerns about the possible development of Northern Dynasty's Pebble mine, but many of those who testified to the House Special Committee on Fisheries said it could block all other forms of development and even subsistence activities. New additions to a committee substitute version of the bill exempt unincorporated...
In a week when lead and zinc hit record-breaking high prices, it was particularly appropriate for Vancouver-based Teck Cominco's president and CEO, Don Lindsay, to be visiting Alaska for the seventh time. The state is home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, Red Dog, and the company has further demonstrated its commitment to Alaska with the recent opening of Pogo gold mine, a partnership with Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining. The Alaska Miners Association presented Teck Cominco with its new mine award this year. Walter Sampso...
