2020 Alaska Mining Outlook g ‘Massive opportunities’ for minerals industries
Permitting, budgeting will remain in the spotlight
BY TIM BRADNER
For The Alaska Miner Alaska has moved up several notches in the Fraser Institute’s last annual minerals industry survey, so Alaskans must be doing something right. The state is the second-best place for min- ing investment in the United States in the latest 1]L^P] ]P[Z]_ BZ]WObTOP ,WL^VL T^ ʭQ_SMP^_ In Fraser’s previous report, the state was No. 10 in the worldwide measure, which is still notable amid 91 jurisdictions in the survey. “Every year, the Fraser Institute solicits data over several months from 2,600 individuals and companies involved in various facets of the min- ing industry,” said Brent Goodrum, Alaska Dep- uty DNR Commissioner. It’s always been known that Alaska has one of the world’s best endowments of mineral re- sources, but a lot of the recent gain in Fraser’s ranking has to do with an improved regulatory environment. For the 2018 report, 291 responses were re- ceived with data on 91 jurisdictions. Goodrum indicated an increase in respondents that saw favorability in Alaska’s permitting sys- tem. Goodrum used Fraser’s rankings to promote Alaska investment at the American Exploration and Mining Association’s annual meeting Dec. 5 in Reno, Nevada. For the most part, Alaska has been politically friendly for miners since the Gold Rush. However, the remoteness of many prospects, lack of infrastructure, a strict regulatory envi- ronment and active opposition groups have giv- en the state a reputation as a tough place to do business.
Pro-mining governor changes state’s image That may now be changing. There’s a pro-min- ing governor in Juneau and a development-friend- ly federal administration in Washington, D.C. Exploration is up and the governor and state leg- islators are giving state agencies the funding they need to issue permits when they are needed, and to do the reviews thoroughly so permits can with- stand lawsuits. Credit is due the Legislature and governor be- NL`^P_SP^PL]P_Z`RSdPL]^QZ],WL^VLʭYLYNTLWWd Photo courtesy Usibelli Coal Mine )IWTMXIMXWHIǻGMXWXLIWXEXISJ&PEWOEMWMRGVIEWMRKMXWS[R MRZIWXQIRXMRWYTTSVXSJQMRMRK
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The Alaska Miner
January 2020
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