Welcome to Fairbanks and Our 27th Biennial Conference
Sitting here at my desk thinking about the upcoming Alaska Miners Association 27th Biennial Conference, I feel so fortunate of the wonderful people that I have met and became friends with in my nine winters in Fairbanks. I love Interior Alaska and Fairbanks as they offer a remarkable place to live for enjoying a career I so dearly love — that of being a miner. Through my professional career, I have realized that miners are a wonderful group of people who care for others and will gladly jump in to help others; miners are family. As you all know, mining has provided the raw materials for countless products and services that we all enjoy in our daily lives. It’s an honor to chair the AMA Fairbanks Conference Committee for this event March 30-April 4 at the Carlson Center. I can’t say enough about the committee members; such a talented group of industry minded professionals. The conference’s theme of “Next Generation: The Future” will bring miners, educators, professionals and vendors from throughout Alaska and other parts of the globe. Mining is a growing industry in Alaska, providing thousands of jobs in more than 50 Alaskan cities. With Alaska being in the forefront of Arctic mining and exploration, the week-long event will highlight innovation and research surrounding arctic environments with two days of short courses and three days of technical sessions that will also include mining projects throughout Alaska. Conference attendees will also enjoy tours of area mines and area facilities. Tours include the Usibelli Coal Mine near Healy, the Pogo Mine near Delta Junction, the Corps of Engineers Permafrost Tunnel north of Fairbanks and the new clean-burning coal-fired power plant at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
displayed. The trade show will have a core shack area with exhibits from Alaska’s exploration projects. There will also be exhibits of local youth science fair projects focused on Alaska’s natural resources. The conference allows attendees to reacquaint themselves with old friends, and the opportunity of making new ones. There is nothing like sharing stories over a cup of coffee at a vendor’s booth of what once was and what will be. We are also excited to invite the public to visit the vendor trade show on Thursday, March 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Of course, miners love to feast at banquets. The Westmark will be the site for the conference banquet Thursday evening with good fellowship, entertainment, and silent and live auctions supporting the Alaska Resource Education program. Three AMA biennial awards will also be presented to honored individuals for the Golden Heart Service Award, Promising Prospector Award, and the Hawley Lifetime Achievement Award. Let us not forget the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation. They will be holding their special Hall of Fame event honoring mining pioneers and new Hall of Fame inductees on Wednesday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Fountainhead Auto Museum. All are invited and I look forward to a packed house for honoring Alaska mining forebears. There will be something for everyone interested in mining at this week-long event and one that all miners can be proud of. For more information about AMA and the 27th Biennial Conference, visit the alaskaminers.org website and Alaska Miners Association Facebook page. Come and join us for a GREAT week!
“Development and job opportunities can coexist in harmony with the subsistence way of life, because you need one to effectively do the other.” – Andrea Gusty, President & CEO, The Kuskokwim Corporation
The conference will host two mining short courses during its first two days. The courses include Critical and Strategic Minerals and Placer Mine Permitting. Technical sessions will follow during the next three days. This event is an opportunity for members of one of Alaska’s largest industries to come together to discuss innovations and economic planning. Technical sessions will include topics on Placer Mining, Policy and Regulations Update, Alaska Geology, Prospecting Alaska Mineral Resources, Engineering and Innovation, and Alaska Projects and Mines. Listening and learning from speakers during the short courses and technical sessions will excite even those with decades of experience, and the novice will go away shaking their head thinking, “I didn’t know it could be done this way ... why didn’t I think of that.” For a detailed schedule of the week’s events, please visit the conference website at alaskaminers.org. Mining professionals will gather in Fairbanks for a three-day trade show from April 1-3. Exhibitors of local and not so local mining related vendors will display their products inside the Carlson Center, and heavy equipment will proudly be
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Photo: Sandvik
Photo: Sandvik
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Mark Huffington, Conference Chair
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March 2020 I The Alaska Miner I www.alaskaminers.org
www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I March 2020
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