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What a wild ride for _SPʭ]^_SLWQZQ
“Although many of us in the mining industry and our vendors may be impacted from the pandemic, we can again step forward and help sustain these tourism industry businesses ƋĘųŅƚčĘƋĘĜŸÚĜþÏƚĬƋŸå±ŸŅĹţŰ J anuary brought unprecedented optimism for the upcoming exploration and mining season. In January, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and his three
stepped up to help others through donations to food banks, .STWO]PYɪ^7`YNS-ZcSZXPWP^^^SPW_P]^_SP>LWaL_TZY,]Xd and other charities. 9ZbbT_S,WL^VLZ[PYTYRMLNV`[bPL]P^PPTYR_SP collateral damage to industries, businesses and individuals as a result of the pandemic. The oil industry, fishing and mining industries are slowly ramping up, and although it will take time to recover, there is a clear path forward. @YQZ]_`YL_PWd_Z`]T^X_SL_PX[WZd^ZYP ZQPaP]d#UZM^ in Alaska is a non-starter this season. All but a couple of the major cruise lines have canceled their scheduled cruises to ,WL^VL?SL_XPLY^XZ]P_SLY XTWWTZYPc[PN_POaT^T_Z]^ will not be coming to Alaska this season, hotels will not open, rail excursions are canceled, flightseeing, fishing charters, river rafting, whale watching, glacier adventures, local vendors, and restaurants will not have the seasonal clientele that sustains many of these businesses and their employees. Tourism is a major component of our Alaska economy LYOT_T^Yɪ_U`^_M`^TYP^^P^T_ɪ^Z`]YPTRSMZ]^LYOQPWWZb Alaskans. Although many of us in the mining industry and our vendors may be impacted from the pandemic, we can again step forward and help sustain these tourism industry businesses through this difficult season. Many of us who have lived in Alaska for years have never taken the opportunity to really see all the wonders that this great state has to offer. 9ZbT^_SP_TXP_ZOTYPZ`_TYZYPZQZ`]R]PL_ restaurants, charter a fishing trip, go for a rafting adventure, take a flightseeing tour, take a helicopter ride to a glacier, visit your local microbrewery, or go on a whale- and marine life-watching cruise. See Alaska, support our fellow Alaskans, and be a vital component of our economy.
.ZXXT^^TZYP]^ZQ/P[L]_XPY_^ZQ9L_`]LW=P^Z`]NP^ Environmental Conservation, and Fish and Game attended _SP,^^ZNTL_TZYZQ8TYP]LW0c[WZ]L_TZY,80=Z`YO`[TY Vancouver, B.C. The Governor and his Commissioners demonstrated their support for the Alaska mining industry and invited exploration and mining companies to come to Alaska. That visit and the robust global economy set the stage for what looked like a stellar exploration and mining season in Alaska. Ah, but then came another “made in China” product that reshaped the overall health of the global population and our PNZYZXTN^?SPNZ]ZYLaT]`^.:A4/ $SL^NWLTXPOXZ]P _SLY WTaP^TY_SP@YT_PO>_L_P^bT_SXZ]P_SLY! million people infected worldwide. The death toll from this pandemic is just one anguishing aspect of this tragedy. The other is the economic devastation that has engulfed many parts of the country and the world. Alaska has been fortunate with a low infection rate compared with other states, but we are paying the price from the resulting mandatory shutdown of “non-essential” businesses and “hunker down” prescription set in motion to NZXML__SP^[]PLOZQ.:A4/ $ 8Z]P_SLY ,WL^VLY^SLaPQTWPOQZ] unemployment. This is staggering when considering Alaska SL^L[Z[`WL_TZYU`^_LMZaP" [PZ[WPNZ`[WPObT_SL drastic increase in the cost of doing business and curtailed production from essential industries such as oil/gas and mining. The upside to the lost revenue to the state and municipalities is how Alaskans and Alaska industries such as mining companies and the major oil and gas producers have
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The Alaska Miner
July 2020
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