Alaska Minerals Critical for Renewable Infrastructure
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elements needed for EVs, wind turbines and other high- tech applications. Dunleavy said graphite, cobalt, rare earths and other minerals needed for the White House energy policies could be produced in Alaska without the environmental and human rights concerns that are imported with these materials sourced from places like China and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “If you want to protect the environment, you do it here in America, and if you really want to protect the environment, you do it here in Alaska,” he said. “Alaska would be better off for it, the world would be better off for it, and we will improve our national security.” Earlier this year, federal agencies filed a motion to rescind the permits for the Ambler Access Project and suspended the right-of-way across 25 miles of federal land needed for this proposed 211-mile road to the Ambler Mining District, a region of Northwest Alaska enriched with copper, cobalt, zinc, and other minerals critical to the Biden administration’s energy and infrastructure initiatives. “Rather than encourage and support development in places like the Ambler District, the Biden administration is trying to stop it,” Dunleavy said. SAMPLE ARCHIVE SYSTEM, INC. A Better Way to Handle and Store Your Samples • A proven concept in handling core • Provides a more compact, cost effective, weatherproof method of storing • Constructed of rugged, durable, UV-resistant black high
White House efforts to stop natural resource development in Alaska prompted the governor to establish the Statehood Defense initiative, which was funded by state legislators last year. Alaska’s mines and mineral exploration projects employed residents from 95 communities across the state. “We shouldn’t have to spend millions of our own dollars fighting our own federal government,” Dunleavy said, likening the efforts to stop Alaska resource development to sanctions on the state. “I prefer to have a federal ally instead of an adversary, but this is where we are at,” he added. Toward the goal of building a reluctant alliance, the governor’s office hopes the White House gets the message that President Biden’s renewable energy and EV ambitions need the cobalt, copper, graphite, rare earths, and other minerals Alaska’s mining sector has to offer. “We are going to do everything we can to support you because your industry produces jobs, opportunity, creates wealth and revenue for the state of Alaska,” he told the crowd gathered in Fairbanks to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Alaska Mining Day.
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June 2022 I The Alaska Miner I www.alaskaminers.org
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