Essays on Alaska Mining g
Next generation of miners ]PʮPN_ZYM]TRS_Q`_`]P^
Rodney Lee: “The Role Alaskan Minerals Play In My Life” Alaska is known for being a cold and unforgiving place to live, but it is also known as one of the most beautiful states to visit, in both winter and summer months. Our northern state is additionally well-known for the minerals oc- curring naturally within the envi- ronment: zinc, lead, copper, gold, silver, and coal, as well as min- erals used in construction such as sand, gravel, and rock. Mining supplies 4,500 direct mining jobs and 4,700 indirect jobs in Alaska, many of these for Alaskans who choose to stay here Montana Murphy: “Mining Magic ” Much like the blood pumping through our veins, the minerals mined here in Alaska sustain life as we know it, whether or not its necessity goes recognized to the average citizen. Unfortunately, in the tradi- tional classroom education, my classmates and I are usually YPaP]ZʬP]PO_SPZ[[Z]_`YT_d_Z learn about a process so critical to our quality of life. Instead, we memorize algebraic equations and read Shakespearean litera- ture; modern schooling does lit- tle to prepare us for or facilitate our understanding of the reality of the working world outside of
*).847ƶ348* 2SRXERE2YVTL]ERH7SHRI]1II VIGIMZIHXLI 8SRM1,SSHVMGLGLSPEVWLMTW TVIWIRXIHF]&PEWOE7IWSYVGI*HYGEXMSREXXLI &2& GSRZIRXMSRMR&RGLSVEKI8LIWGLSPEVWLMTWLSRSV8SRM ,SSHVMGLEXMVIPIWWERHNS]JYPQIQFIVERHWYTTSVXIVSJ XLIEWWSGMEXMSRERH&PEWOEƶWQMRIVW-IVI[ITYFPMWLXLI [MRRMRKIWWE]WXLEX2SRXEREERH7SHRI]WYFQMXXIH TVSZMHMRKEYRMUYI]SYRKTIVWTIGXMZISR&PEWOEQMRMRK
year round (Resource Develop- ment Council, 2019). In addition to providing jobs and economic value, some minerals in particu- lar — coal, sand, and gravel — play a role in my rural Alaskan life by making my winter months survivable. Coal provides us with energy for heat and electricity. Sand and gravel increase safety high school. Without Alaska Re- source Education and guests from the Alaska Miners Association, I would not have discovered how minerals mined across the state are responsible for maintaining the technological advancements that impact me individually in addition to almost every single person globally. One of my stepdad’s teeth ʮL^SP^bSPYPaP]SPR]TY^bTOP - ly, a glimpse of the golden crown covering a molar of his. My mother’s pacemaker might have been coated in gold, had she been allergic to the original material. Silver in low doses greatly aids _SPPʬPN_TaPYP^^ZQ^ZXPLY_TMT - otics, which we take when sick, because of its natural antibacte-
on our roads. I have personal connections to these minerals; my family has worked for the Department of Transportation (DOT) for years, and I am currently interning in light diesel mechanics at Usibelli Coal Mine (UCM).
CONTINUED on PAGE 25
rial qualities. My little niece is set to soon have an MRI scan, which would not be possible without the use of copper. Gold, and silver, as well as zinc and lead, come from the Alaskan mines Fort Knox, Kens- ington, and Greens Creek, and potential sources of copper and gold will originate from the pro- posed Pebble and Donlin sites. Modern medicine and process- es save countless lives and help even more every day, including me and my family, and we have minerals to thank for that. When the winter in Alaska hits, and we are left blanketed in darkness for the majority of
CONTINUED on PAGE 24
22
The Alaska Miner
January 2020
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online