The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 84
Granite Creek assembles the catalyst-rich projects, scientific expertise to become a first mover in the geological hydrogen space. A belt of rocks spanning the Southeast Alaska Panhandle hosts at least a dozen prospects and deposits enriched with nickel, copper, and platinum group metals (PGM) needed for the energy transition. Could these projects also host hidden stores of geological hydrogen that could offer a clean-burning fuel for the 21st century? Granite Creek Copper...
An interesting tale of a mineral that has shaped human progress for over a millennium, from alchemy to modern industry. Mysterious, enduring, and occasionally deadly, few elements have woven themselves into the tapestry of human history quite like antimony. Revered for its alchemical potential and wielding a double-edged role as both poison and remedy, this versatile element found its way into everything from ancient makeup and medicine to early batteries and, ultimately, a... Full story
Reliance on imports for this white metal could darken days. When people see something pristine white, they often think of it as pure or clean – this imagery is plastered everywhere, from unblemished lab coats to sterilized hospitals. Yet, it may be surprising to know that the rich whiteness seen in many consumer products actually comes from a critical metal, titanium. From the whiteness of milk to the foundation used in makeup, if it is used to lighten or brighten, it most l...
Redox flow batteries are just beginning to hit their stride. Although vanadium is an abundant element, it is quite rare in its metallic form. That fact, combined with its position as a strategic metal for industry, national defense, and the green energy transition, has put it squarely on the list of critical minerals. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), "Estimated U.S. apparent consumption of vanadium in 2023 increased by 27% from that in 2022....
Pentagon turns to Idaho gold mine for a strategic domestic supply of critical metalloid. Falling in the grey area between metals like zinc and nonmetals like carbon, antimony is a semi-metal that possesses some interesting properties that make it a vital ingredient in a wide range of household, industrial, high-tech, and military goods. Despite its widespread uses, many people have never heard of antimony and fewer still realize that this intriguing metalloid is considered... Full story
Eager to expand on 18.2 million oz maiden resource announced earlier this year. Metallic Minerals Corp. June 13 announced the start of the 2024 exploration program at both its Keno Silver project in the Yukon and the La Plata copper-silver-gold-platinum group elements project in southwest Colorado. Metallic's properties in the Yukon's historic Keno Hill Silver District cover 171 square kilometers (66 square miles) of promising targets adjacent to Hecla Mining Company's Keno...
American West plans to expand high-grade resources, test discovery targets this year. American West Metals Ltd. Feb. 26 announced plans for 22,000 meters of resource expansion, definition, and exploration drilling this year at its high-grade Storm Copper project on Nunavut's Somerset Island. In mid-February, American West reported the first-ever industry-compliant resource estimate for Storm. According to this calculation, four deposits within a roughly 10-square-kilometer...
Combined inferred resource between underground and in-pit total 18.2 Moz silver-equivalent. Metallic Minerals Corp. Feb. 26 announced an inaugural mineral resource estimate for its Keno Silver project in the iconic Keno Silver District in Canada's Yukon, culminating in 18.16 million ounces of contained silver-equivalent. Consisting of 171 square kilometers (66 square miles) within the historic Keno Hill Silver District, Metallic Minerals holds 100% of this promising target...
With firsthand knowledge that the Nikolai property in Alaska is seemingly tailor-made to be a domestic source of the nickel, cobalt, copper, and platinum group metals needed for America's energy transition, Greg Beischer shelved Millrock Resources' gold-focused project generator model in favor of Alaska Energy Metals Corp. "Alaska Energy Metals is positioning itself to supply domestic markets with a source of critical and strategic metals," Beischer said when AEM made its... Full story
Metallic Minerals Corp. Jan. 10 announced the results from its 2023 exploration campaign at the company's Keno Silver project in Yukon, Canada, with all its holes encountering high-grade silver, lead, zinc, and significant gold mineralization. Consisting of 171 square kilometers (66 square miles) within the historic Keno Hill Silver District, Metallic Minerals holds 100% of this promising target that lies adjacent to Hecla Mining Company's Keno Hill silver mine. Covering the...
Raging wildfires and record hot temperatures challenged the well-laid plans of a score and more of mineral explorers in Canada's Yukon this year as the 2023 field season shifted into high summer. Most of the companies, however, managed to carry out their exploration for gold, silver, copper, and other minerals across the territory. The fierce and sometimes out-of-control blazes marked one of the worst wildfire seasons seen in Canada in nearly 30 years, consuming more than... Full story
Metallic Minerals Corp. Oct. 19 announced the completion of its 2023 exploration program at its Keno Silver project in Yukon, Canada. Covering 171 square kilometers (66 square miles) within the historic Keno Hill Silver District, Metallic Minerals has been advancing its flagship Keno Silver project that lies adjacent to Hecla Mining Company's Keno Hill silver mine. While not as large as last year's program, the company opted to focus its efforts on the largest and...
NIKOLAI, ALASKA – Alaska Energy Metals Corp. President and CEO Greg Beischer has returned to finish what he started when he first landed in Alaska as a young geologist for INCO Ltd. in 1995 – outline a world-class nickel deposit at Nikolai, a project that lies on the northern margins of an energy metals enriched geological terrane that arcs across the 49th State. "Alaska Energy Metals is positioning itself to supply domestic markets with a source of critical and strategic met...
Metallic Minerals Corp. April 10 announced the final results from the 2022 exploration at its Keno Silver project in Canada's Yukon. While small, the program unearthed impressive silver grades that are in line with the historical Keno Hill Silver District. Consisting of 171 square kilometers (66 square miles) within the historic Keno Hill Silver District, Metallic Minerals has been advancing its flagship Keno Silver project. Covering the eastern portion of the district, along...
Fortune Minerals Ltd. March 23 reported that it is in discussion with the Canadian, United States, and European Union governments to secure financial support for the development of the company's Nico cobalt-bismuth-copper-gold project in Canada's Northwest Territories. Located about 150 road-kilometers (95 miles) north of the Canadian rail system at Hay River, NWT, Nico is a near-development stage project that includes an intriguing mix of critical and precious metals....
Gaining ownership of the Brucejack Mine through the US$2.8 billion buyout of Pretium Resources Inc., Newcrest Mining Ltd. consolidated all the current large-scale gold, silver, and copper production in the Golden Triangle and established Northern British Columbia as a solid foundation for the Australia-based company's growing North American presence. The high-grade Brucejack Mine adds more than 300,000 ounces per year to Newcrest's annual gold production and created synergies...
Though effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lingered, mineral explorers rushed to the Yukon like moths to a flame during 2022. Mining's most daring sector rallied to generate the busiest field season seen in Canada's westernmost territory in years. In June, Natural Resources Canada projected mineral exploration and deposit appraisal spending in Yukon during 2022 to total C$157.9 million, up 14.5% from C$135.1 million estimated for 2021 and nearly double C$83.6 million in 2020.... Full story
From antimony historically mined near the Interior Alaska city of Fairbanks to the zinc and germanium produced at the Red Dog Mine, America's 49th State is a past producer, and a potential future source of the minerals and metals deemed critical to the United States. Earlier this year U.S. Geological Survey updated and expanded its list of critical minerals to include 50 minerals and metals essential to the economic or national security of the U.S. and which has a supply... Full story
Being cynical by nature, and having a solid distrust of the integrity of the popular press, it crosses my mind that the political determination of the United States and its NATO allies to dump our sacred treasure, if not our blood, into the defense of Ukraine precipitates a serious question: Why? When all else fails, I tend to fall back on the wisdom of the ages as generally manifested by bumper sticker memes like "follow the money." In the case of Ukraine (not unlike... Full story
"What is the impact of not mining in Alaska?" Liz Cornejo, vice president Dowa Metals & Mining Alaska, asked during the 2022 Alaska's Minerals: A Strategic National Imperative summit. For such a simple question, the implications are enormous. Alaska is practically synonymous with mining. Aside from the strong tourist appeal – which accounts for a large portion of the state's economy – the remaining economic contributors all come from natural resources. Fishing, mining, oil... Full story
Shining a light on a metal used in nearly all today's economic sectors Used in everything from beer cans to spacecraft, aluminum is a metal most people interact with nearly every day. What many people don't know is this lightweight metal is also a candidate for next-generation rechargeable batteries with the potential to outperform the lithium-ion cells in use today. The major uses for aluminum metal are generally found in: • Transportation – automobiles, aircraft, tru...
Tungsten could be held ransom unless domestic mines open Tungsten, or wolfram, is the 74th element on the periodic table of elements and, like many other metals that have found their way onto critical mineral lists in Canada, Europe, and the United States, this sturdy metal is vulnerable to supply disruption. Tungsten has been known since prehistoric times, and as far back as 350 years ago, Chinese porcelain makers were using this element as a pigment to incorporate a unique...
Superconductors, super magnets, and superalloys, this metal is super The stories behind the discovery of many elements in the periodic table make for a fascinating read, but perhaps top among them should be the 41st element, a shiny, white metal known as niobium – for its story spans over centuries, with twists and turns befitting even the best piece of fiction. Due to the astute observations of Charles Hatchett, a self-educated scientist and analytical chemist, niobium was d...
From an expected multimillion-dollar exploration program on the hardrock sources of the placer gold discovered by Felix Pedro in the Fairbanks Mining District 120 years ago to preliminary investigations of the Nikolai nickel-copper-cobalt-chromium-platinum group element project recently added to its portfolio, Millrock Resources Inc. is looking forward to a busy year of exploration on the properties it has generated in Alaska. "Millrock is looking forward to a very active...
Mineral exploration activity in Nunavut intensified in 2021 as mining companies mounted larger and more extensive programs in response to stronger capital markets, government infrastructure initiatives, and the easing of restrictions imposed to curb effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Spanning 2 million square kilometers (about 782,000 square miles), the territory has 25 communities and about 39,353 residents, of whom 84% are Inuit. Nunavut has no roads, and all but one... Full story
