THE ALASKA MINER JOURNAL: The publication is member-only news mailed to AMA members, eight times a year, in months when the Magazine is not published. The Alaska Miner Journal is dedicated to those who work in and support the mining industry in Alaska, its commitment to the people, and the resources of our state. Our goal is to disseminate information on responsible mineral development, educating the public about the value of mining, providing information for our membership and the general public, providing policymakers the information they need to understand the mining industry and monitor political and regulatory processes affecting mining in Alaska.
REDPATH USA CORPORATION Mining Contractors and Engineers redpathmining.com
December 2021 Volume 49, Number 12
Journal of the Alaska Miners Association
The Alaska Miners Association Political Action Committee is grateful to those who have supported this year and attended its recent fundraiser. Read more on Page 3.
Thanks for Supporting AMAPAC!
Thank You for Supporting AMAPAC!
Eric Cole Sales Rep. Juneau Branch
Alvin Ott Product Support Fairbanks Branch
Eric Cole Sales Rep. Juneau Branch Eric Cole Sales Rep. Juneau Branch
Alvin Ott Product Support Fairbanks Branch Alvin Ott Product Support Fairbanks Branch
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Reliability and power – get both with Volvo.
Photos by Judy Patrick The Alaska Miners Association Political Action Committee (AMAPAC) had a fundraiser in November at Bell’s Nursery in Anchorage. AMAPAC would like to thank the dozens of people who showed up to help support pro-mining candidates like Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Sens.Josh Revak, David Wilson and Click Bishop!
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A Message from the Executive Director
A Message from the Executive Director
saw Joe Usibelli, President, Usibelli Coal Mine coming in as our first Hard Hat Hero, challenging all others to join him. CONTANGO ORE, Hecla Greens Creek Mining, and Soloy Helicopters quickly followed. Dozens of Convention sponsors quickly committed to converting their sponsorship to a Core Supporter or Blast Buddy. Since its launch, we have seen miners step up to close the gap left behind by canceled fundraisers, and it is beyond humbling. Please see the recognition of Durability Heroes, Supporters, and Buddies in this Journal and help me to thank them for their support. At the end of November, AMAPAC held an in-person fundraiser at Bell’s Nursery in Anchorage. It was absolutely wonderful to see so many of your faces (in person!!) again, amongst fragrant trees and Christmas cheer. Between those that joined us at the event and those that donated from afar, AMAPAC raised over $20,000 in 2021 — a non-election year — to support candidates that support mining. Finally, we recently concluded branch elections and have formally elected our 2021-2023 AMA Board of Directors. I am so excited to work with this group made up of both longtime members and new faces, all with great energy to give to AMA. At our Annual Meeting, new Statewide
Thank you to the companies, organizations and individuals who have already supported the Durability Project. See the full list on Page 11.
Officers were elected, and we are blessed to have the leadership of Bartly Kleven, President; Lorali Simon, First Vice President; and Blake Bogart, Second Vice President. There will be extensive profiles on your Statewide Officers and our eight Branches of Directors in the January magazine, so we can all get to know them a little better. We also thanked (insufficiently, in comparison to what we do at our Annual Banquet) outgoing President Bill Jeffress. We are all adamant that we will give Bill a well- deserved send-off when we can, so we won’t let him get very far. I know it goes without saying just how much Bill has given to our industry and to AMA, and for now, I will just say he’s at the top of my list of what I am thankful for. I wish you all the very best Christmas holiday, and I am so looking forward to 2022!
Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director
Dear Alaska Miners, Members, Supporters and Friends: As 2021 comes to an end, I am so excited for the holidays. There has been so much to celebrate this year, and so much to be thankful for. I’ve got to tell you I’m feeling pretty festive. I’ve repeated a lot recently that looking through the past 20 months at AMA makes you feel like a proud parent. We have experienced some of the most challenging
times perhaps in our organization’s history. Yet, instead of struggling through those challenges, Alaska miners have stepped up in ways that have made our operations, projects, and businesses even better. Last month, we unveiled the Durability Project, our fundraising effort to fully fund AMA’s mission at a time it is needed more than ever, at a time we cannot host our large events that fund our advocacy efforts. At 7 a.m. the day we unveiled the Durability Project, we
“We protect the environment because this is the land where we grew up.” – Evan Polty Jr. Lead Mechanic, Donlin Gold Born in Pilot Station and Resident of Russian Mission
Executive Board Bartly Kleven, President Lorali Simon, First Vice President Blake Bogart, Second Vice President Kim Aasand, Treasurer
Branch Chairmen Ted Hawley, Anchorage
The Alaska Miner is the official journal of the Alaska Miners Association, published eight times a year exclusively to our members.
Rich Sivils, Denali Ken Hall, Fairbanks Liz Cornejo, Haines Jim Clark, Juneau Houston Morris, Kenai Ken Hughes, Nome Robert Fithian, Ketchikan/Prince of Wales
It is published in partnership with the Alaska Miners Association by Fireweed Strategies LLC, 4849 Potter Crest Circle, Anchorage, AK 99516.
We actively seek contributions from our members and the mining industry. Please email story ideas and photos to Lee Leschper. Advertising Rates and New Tips For advertising information, or to submit news, story ideas and photos, call or email Lee Leschper at 907-957-6025 or Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com Alaska Miners Association Staff Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director Jennifer Luiten, Membership and Fundraising Director Darlene Strickland, Bookkeeper/Membership
Respectful development for all generations.
Committee Chairmen Kevin Adler, Convention
Follow us anytime: Online at AlaskaMiners.org Like us on Facebook at Alaska Miners Association Follow us on Twitter @alaskaminers
Howard Grey and JP Tangen, Federal Oversight Mike Satre and Lorali Simon, State Oversight
To learn more, visit us at donlingold.com
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Coeur Alaska Welcomes New Employees at Kensington Mine
USFS Approves Bokan Rare Earths Exploration
In May, Ucore announced a planned $400,000 program to upgrade the heavy rare earths enriched resource at Dotson Ridge. The program approved by USFS includes the collection of 50 channel samples along a 2,000-meter stretch of exposed outcrop at Dotson Ridge and the collection of 50 metric tons of bulk sample material for pilot-scale metallurgical recovery methods at SGS Canada’s Lakefield facility. Ucore had originally planned to carry out the Bokan sampling this year but has decided to wait until next summer to carry out the fully permitted program. The 2022 sampling program is expected to position Ucore in completing a prefeasibility and feasibility study for developing a mine at Bokan soon as rare earths markets continue to heat up as the global adoption of electric vehicles push up demand for these metals. Under its Alaska2023 development plan, Ucore intends to begin delivering rare earths to global markets in a little over two years.
By Shane Lasley, North of 60 Mining News Drilling at Ucore Rare Metals’ Bokan Mountain project in Southeast Alaska has outlined a rare earth elements deposit at Dotson Ridge enriched with the critical metals niobium, zirconium, beryllium, hafnium, titanium, and vanadium. Ucore Rare Metals Inc. Nov. 17 announced that the United States Forest Service has issued a one-year authorization for trenching and bulk sampling at the Bokan Mountain rare earths project in Southeast Alaska. Located on Prince of Wales Island, the Dotson Ridge deposit at Ucore’s Bokan Mountain project hosts 4.79 million metric tons of indicated resource containing 31,722 metric tons of total rare earth oxides — 14 lanthanide elements, yttrium, and scandium — plus 1.05 metric tons of inferred resource with 6,979 metric tons of total rare earth oxides. In addition to rare earths, this Southeast Alaska deposit hosts appreciable amounts of niobium, zirconium, beryllium, hafnium, titanium dioxide and vanadium — all considered critical to the U.S.
Photo Courtesy Rochelle Lindley, Community & Government Affairs Manager, Coeur Alaska Coeur Alaska’s Kensington Mine had 11 new employees start work at the mine in October — and a pretty big variety in the new hires! In the photo: three underground miners, one mechanic, one surface operator, one assay lab technician, one mill operator, and one geologist. Not pictured: one automation technician, one database administrator and one contracts administrator.
BO NU IEL DO IUNNGC AE LAATS AK AT I M E CONAM’s track record of succesful projects has proven that resource development can be done responsibly while protecting Alaska’s fragile environment. Our firm understanding of Alaska’s unique challenges and commitment to HSSE and planning have translated into satisfied mining clients across the state. We get dirty so you get the pay dirt.
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AMA Showcases 2021 Efforts
DIGGING INTO 2021 ADVOCACY WORK The Big Picture 54 letters, testimony, editorials, other written communications 45 presentations, media interviews, public engagements 255 policymaker and stakeholder meetings ON THE FEDERAL FRONT
ON THE STATE SIDE State policy positions Elections Watch & analysis
Annual adoption of federal policy positions Working with a new Congress and a new president Linking President Biden’s green goals to need for minerals Mining Law Reform Clean Water Act advocacy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers program changes Led on the Roadless Rule Exemption Evaluation of DOI 30x30 lands conservation initiative Clean Water Act advocacy BLM land planning Toxics Release Inventory Engagement on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act bill
New & existing legislator briefings
Technical comments on
COVID-19 mining issues CACFA testimony & advocacy
SB155 technical comments
DNR water regulations
Engagement w/ Alaska Minerals Commission
DEC Triennial Review comments
AMA IN THE COMMUNITY
PROUDLY PROVIDING ALASKA with underground, surface and helicopter supported core drilling for mineral exploration and geotechnical work.
WHERE TO FIND US
Quarterly Alaska Miner magazine and monthly journal | McKinley Research’s Annual Economic Benefits of Alaska’s Mining Industry | Annual AMA member Handbook and Service Directory | AMA website updates | Active Facebook and Twitter accounts | Management of “click to comment” tool
Mining Day at Southeast Alaska State, Tanana Valley, and Alaska State Fairs | Western States Mining Coordinating Council | Nome Community and Central Mining District | Minexpo convention | Many more…
800-322-3201 • office@ruendrilling.com ruendrilling.com
ALASKAMINERS.ORG
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The 2021 Durability Project Moving Forward with AMA’s Mission
AMA Durability Project
Sponsors (as of press time)
Thank you to these companies, organizations and individuals who have pledged their support to AMA’s Durability Project!
Your contributions are invaluable in helping to ensure the future success of AMA’s mission and outreach.
HARD HAT HEROES
I’m in! I support AMA’s critical mission of advocating for Alaskans working in the mining industry. Donate $ Hard Hat Hero ($10,000 and above) Premier placement in all recognition materials on AMA website, social media, and publications Special Facebook recognition and profile on your company/operation/project 5-minute spotlight at an AMA Statewide zoom meeting to highlight your organization and support of AMA Organization-specific writeup in Alaska Miner Journal Core Supporter ($5,000 and above) Enhanced placement in all recognition materials on AMA website, social media, and publications Stand-out Facebook recognition of all Core Supporters Organization-specific writeup in Alaska Miner Journal Blast Buddy (Any amount under $ 5 ,000) Placement in all recognition materials on AMA website, social media, and publications CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY: CONTACT NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: EMAIL:
Contango Ore Inc. Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company
Soloy Helicopters Usibelli Coal Mine
CORE SUPPORTERS
Coeur Alaska-Kensington Mine Constantine Mining, LLC Donlin Gold LLC Gold Buyers of Alaska: GBA Assaying & Refining HighGold Mining Ltd Kinross Alaska
NANA Northern Star (Pogo) LLC Oxford Assaying & Refining Corp Redpath USA Corporation Ruen Drilling, Inc. Taiga Mining Company Teck Alaska Red Dog Operations
BLAST BUDDIES
Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology Sealaska Corporation SRK Consulting Stantec Consulting Services Inc. Stoel Rives LLP
GeoMetallica Golder Associates Inc. Graphite One (Alaska) Inc. H2T Mine Engineering Services LLP HDR Heliostar Metals Ltd
ACZ Laboratories Alaska Aggregate Products , LLC Alaska Land Status Aurora Resource Exploration LLC Austin Powder Company Automatic Welding & Supply Corp. Avalon Development Corp Boart Longyear Company Boreal Environmental Services Borell Consulting Services LLC ConocoPhillips Contech Engineered Solutions Core Geoscience LLC Denali Industrial Supply, Inc DGI Geoscience US Inc. Doyon, Limited Elemetal Direct Energy Laboratories Inc. Fairweather, LLC Freegold Ventures Limited Frontier Supply
Surveyors Exchange Co TOTE Maritime Alaska Inc Trilogy Metals Inc. Tundra Consulting, LLC Ucore Rare Metals Inc. US Ecology Alaska, LLC
Hyak Mining Company International Directional Services Jeffress & Associates
Lynden Matson Millrock Resources Inc. Mining and Petroleum Training Service Motion & Flow Control Products Northrim Bank Northspan Drilling Ltd. Orica USA Inc. Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants Perkins Coie LLP Petro Marine Services
Weir Minerals North America Western Alaska Copper & Gold
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Wood & Wood Technical Zonge International Inc.
INVOICE ME
Mailing address (if different than above):
CHECK Check Number: CREDIT CARD Card Number: Expiration Date:
Individuals Paul Glavinovich Ken Hall David Heatwole Richard Lessard Larry Peterson
Security Code/CID:
Billing Address (if different than above):
Signature:
Date:
Submit this form with your company logo to jennifer@alaskaminers.org
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Contango ORE Buys Lucky Shot Gold Mine
accessible gold mine project. “Although it is full steam ahead for the Manh Choh project based on the latest Kinross guidance, the Lucky Shot project represents an exciting opportunity to add significant additional value for Contango shareholders and marks a new focus for the Company,” said Contango ORE President and CEO Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse. After the Willow district mines were shut down due to the war effort, little happened on the property until the 1980s when Enserch Exploration conducted an extensive exploration program, which included the development of a 457-meter exploration adit below the Lucky Shot Mine. In 1984, Enserch completed 11 underground core holes and seven surface core holes in the Coleman zone at Lucky Shot. From 2005-2009 Full Metals Minerals completed an additional 34,103 meters of drilling in 173 core holes from surface along a more than one-mile trend of high- grade gold mineralization that encompasses four zones – Coleman, Lucky Shot, War Baby, and Murphy. Each of these zones is a section of a continuous vein that has been segmented by high-angle faults.
By Shane Lasley, North of 60 Mining News Contango ORE Inc. has announced it has acquired full ownership of the historic Lucky Shot gold mine project in the Willow Mining District of Southcentral Alaska. A road-accessible project about 75 miles north of Anchorage, the 8,590-acre Lucky Shot property blankets a large portion of the Willow Creek Mining District, including the pre-World War II Lucky Shot and War Baby mines. It is estimated that from 1918 until being shut down by the federal War Production Board in 1942, these two underground operations produced some 252,000 ounces of gold from 169,000 tons of ore, indicating an average head grade of around 1.6 oz (50 grams) of gold per metric ton. All told, the various mines on the Willow Creek property produced roughly 500,000 ounces of gold from ore with an average grade north of 1 oz/t (31 g/t) prior to being closed during World War II. With Kinross Gold Corp. taking the lead on the feasibility- level studies at Manh Choh, a gold mine project near the village of Tetlin in eastern Alaska that is being advanced under a joint venture between Kinross (70 percent) and CORE (30 percent), Lucky Shot offers CORE another
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Recreated PMS
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Industrial Pumps of Alaska Grateful for Support After Fire
Soldotna Community Steps Up in Big Way to Help
Kenai branch chair Houston Morris and Industrial Pumps of Alaska would like to thank the Soldotna community and local volunteers after a fire in early November. “We want to say thank you to our friends, family, staff, customers and community for all the support after our facility caught fire Nov. 4. We were super fortunate that CES was able to save our shop. We could have easily lost everything. CES Soldotna is amazing and we are grateful. “We were able to have our computer system and phones online hours after the fire, and thanks to multiple people and businesses in our community, we were able to be back in the shop working on pumps with only a four-day delay. “The front offices and conference rooms are gone but they will be back better than before. “So, a huge thank you again to everyone that reached out with a message, stopped by the shop to check on us or came in on their time off to help us sweep and clean. The experience has been very humbling and fortifies the reason for living in this amazing community. It is the best. We will do our best to pay it forward.” The facility’s hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Photos Courtesy Industrial Pumps of Alaska
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Changing the way business is done in Alaska
Photo by Judy Patrick Photography
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AMA Elects New Board of Directors; Meet Them Soon!
Northern Dynasty Stands Firm Behind FEIS
waters of the Bristol Bay region for the long term, which have been essential to commercial, subsistence, and recreational fisheries, as well as other activities that support Alaska Natives and communities in the area. With the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, concerns regarding potential damages to the habitat, and ultimately, the fishing industry of which Bristol Bay hinges its economy upon could be harmed by Pebble. In a statement, the Pebble Limited Partnership wrote: “The EPA’s announcement that it wants to ‘consider new information available’ essentially recognizes the fact that we submitted an actual detailed mine plan and initiated the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) review process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This resulted in the publication of an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for the Pebble Project that shows it can be developed without harm to the Bristol Bay fishery while providing substantial benefits to the communities closest to the project. It is also worth noting that the EPA did not have this significant volume of detailed technical information when it took unprecedented action against the project. We will work to ensure this is fully understood by the EPA especially at a time when the nation will need the minerals Pebble could provide to help the country utilize more sources of renewable energy and is in line with the administration’s climate change agenda.”
By A.J. Roan, North of 60 Mining News Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. this month announced its statement regarding the Nov. 17 news release by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in which the governmental agency extended the deadline regarding its intention to implement Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act. “While it is not yet known what action, if any, the EPA will finally take, we are cautiously optimistic about their commitment to consider new information that has become available since the 2014 Proposed Determination and to make science-based decisions,” said Northern Dynasty President and CEO Ron Thiessen. Reported mid-last month, the EPA stated it had set a timeframe for considering new information available to determine the next steps in the Bristol Bay Clean Water Act Section 404(c) process for the Pebble copper mine project in Southwest Alaska. “We do not know which new information they may use in their decision, but we believe that the strong administrative record of the overwhelmingly positive Final Environmental Impact Statement of 2020 that was prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should be an important part of it,” Thiessen added. As for its final purpose, the EPA has said the finalized CWA 404(c) determination would help protect the
AMA continues to find creative ways to get business done when gathering isn’t possible. The Annual Board of Directors meeting was held via Zoom in November, and AMA elected a new 2021-23 board. See the January Alaska Miner Magazine for profiles of the Directors!
Next Generation Miner: Bronson Burns
to ensure your advertising message is reaching Alaska's mining industry throughout 2022.
Former AMA Staffer Sharon Cox recently shared photos with us and we hope you enjoy seeing the next generation of Alaska Miners as much as we did! Sharon shared: “Hi Deantha. I would like to submit my grandson’s (Bronson Burns) pic for your next article on Next Generation Miner. His father, Tim, works for Kinross — he is an operator. I was in North Pole a few weeks ago for the birth of Tim’s second son, Brodie, when we took the pics.” Photo Courtesy Sharon Cox
Advertising Deadline for the 2022 Alaska Miners Handbook is January 31. Don’t miss it! To be included, call or email Publisher Lee Leschper, Fireweed Strategies 907-957-6025 | Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com
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Corporate Members
Whether you need geophysical, geological or exploration support services, our ideas, experience and northern expertise mean you’ll have the best thinking on your project. Go ahead – pick our brains.
Please support and thank these companies who have renewed their support and corporate membership in AMA. Their continued support makes possible all the work we do in and for the mining industry. A & D Drilling ACZ Laboratories Inc. Advanced Supply Chain International LLC AECOM Ahtna Inc. AIDEA Alaska Aggregate Products LLC Alaska Airlines Alaska Business Hyak Mining Company IBEW Local 1547 Idaho Mining Association Industrial Pumps of Alaska Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada RAM Enterprise, Inc. Ravn Alaska
Colaska Colorado Mining Association Columbia River Carbonates Commonwealth North, Inc. CONAM Construction Company ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. Construction Machinery Industrial LLC Consumer Energy Alliance Contango ORE, Inc. Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) Craig Taylor Equipment Company Crowley Fuels LLC Cruise Lines International Alaska Cryopeak LNG Solutions Cummins Sales & Service Dawson City Chamber of Commerce Delta Constructors Delta Industrial Services Inc. Denali Industrial Supply Inc. Desert Air Alaska DGI Geoscience US Donlin Gold LLC Dorsey & Whitney LLP DOWL Doyon, Limited DXP Alaska Pump & Supply Eastern Oregon Mining Association Ecological Land Services Inc. Energy Laboratories Inc. Equipment Source, Inc. ERM Alaska ESS Support Services Everts Air Cargo F.R. Bell & Associates, Inc. Fairweather LLC First Bank First Things First Alaska Foundation Freegold Ventures Ltd Frontier Supply Company GCI Business General Refining Corporation Geosyntec Consultants Geotemps Inc. Global Physical Asset Management, Inc. Gold Buyers of Alaska -dba:GBA Assaying & Refining Granite Construction Company Graphite One Inc. Graymont Great Northwest Inc. Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Ground Truth Americas Inc. Haines Development, Inc. HDR Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company Heliostar Metals HighGold Mining Ltd Holland America Line - Princess Cruises Hy-Tech Drilling USA Ltd.
Redpath USA Corporation Remote Made Easy (PSSA) Remote Site Services Inc. Resolution Minerals Ltd Resource Development Council Rotak Helicopter Services Roughstock Mining Services LLC Royal Gold Inc. Ruen Drilling Inc. Ryan Air Inc. Samson Tug & Barge Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology Satellite Technical Service Sealaska Corporation Shoreside Petroleum Inc. SLR International Corporation Society For Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Soloy Helicopters LLC Sophie Station Suites - Fountainhead Hotels Sound Quarry Inc. Southeast Conference SRK Consulting Stantec Consulting Inc. Stoel Rives LLP Sundance Mining Group Swick Drilling North America T & J Enterprises Inc. Taiga Mining Company Inc. TDX Corporation Teck Alaska Inc. - Red Dog Tectonic Metals Inc. Temsco Helicopters Inc. The Alaska Support Industry Alliance The Silver Institute TOTE Maritime Alaska Inc. Tower Hill Mines Inc. - Livengood Project Trilogy Metals, Inc. Tyler Rental Inc. Ucore Rare Metals Inc. University Redi-Mix US Ecology Alaska, LLC Usibelli Coal Mine Inc. Utah Mining Association Veritiv Visit Anchorage Weir Minerals Wells Fargo Bank Alaska Western Alaska Copper & Gold Company Western Pacific Crane & Equipment
Institute of Northern Engineering International Directional Services Ipop LLC ISCO Industries JCM Industries Inc. Juneau Economic Development Council Just Refiners USA, Inc. Kinross Alaska Klondike Placer Miners’ Association Knight Piesold & Company Koza Ltd USA Inc Lignite Energy Council Lynden M-W Drilling, Inc Madison Lumber & Hardware Inc. Mascott Equipment Company Matson McKinley Research Group
Alaska Coastal Aggregates LLC Alaska Commercial Fishing & Agricultural Bank Alaska Forest Association Alaska Frontier Constructors Inc. Alaska Industrial Hardware Inc Alaska Oil and Gas Association Alaska Policy Forum Alaska Power & Telephone Company Alaska Railroad Corporation Alaska Resource Education Alaska Rock Products Association Alaska Roteq Alaska State Chamber of Commerce Alaska Trucking Association Ambler Metals LLC American Exploration & Mining Association American Land Rights Association Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Anchorage Sand & Gravel Inc. Arcticom LLC, a BSNC Company Arizona Mining Association Aspen Hotels of Alaska Associated General Contractors of Alaska Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia Aurora Geosciences (Alaska) Ltd. Automatic Welding & Supply Avidian Gold Corporation AVTEC - Alaska Vocational Technical Center BDO USA, LLP Beacon Occupational Health and Safety Services, Inc. Blackwolf Copper & Gold Ltd. Bobcat of Juneau Boreal Environmental Services Boyer Towing Inc. Brenntag Pacific Brice Inc. Brilliant Media Strategies Alaska, Inc. Builders Choice Modular, LLC C & R Pipe and Steel Inc. CalCIMA Calista Corporation Carlile Chamber of Mines of Eastern British Columbia Chugach Alaska Corporation City of Ketchikan Coastal Helicopters Coeur Alaska - Kensington Mine
yellowknife • whitehorse • juneau
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Metco Alaska LLC MFCP/Jackovich Millrock Resources Inc.
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Mitsubishi Materials USA Corp Montana Mining Association Motion Industries, Inc. NANA National Mining Association Nevada Mining Association New Mexico Mining Association NISS NMS North Coast Electric North Star Terminal & Stevedore Co. LLC Northern Air Cargo Northern Industrial Training, LLC (Anchorage) Northern Industrial Training, LLC (Palmer) Northern Star (Pogo) LLC Northrim Bank Northspan Drilling Ltd. Northwest Mine Supply Northwest Pump Northwest Territories & Nunavut Chamber of Mines Nova Minerals Limited NovaGold Resources Inc. Orica USA Inc. Oxford Assaying & Refining Pathfinder Aviation, LLC PDC Engineers/RESPEC Pebble Limited Partnership Peggy Petroleum Products Perkins Coie LLP Petro Marine Services PND Engineers Inc. PolarX Limited Property Rights Foundation of America, Inc.
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New and Renewing Members
Alaska’s Largest Gold Nugget For Sale
By Mining.com A rare and massive gold nugget, weighing around 20 pounds, has been put up for sale 23 years after it was discovered and it’s expected to reach at least $1 million at an auction taking place in December. The Alaska Centennial Nugget, estimated at the size of a baby’s head, was discovered by gold miner Barry Clay near the town of Ruby, Alaska, in 1998, 100 years after the 1896 Klondike Gold Rush. He found the valuable remnant while pushing dirt with his bulldozer along the shores of the Swift Creek Mine. The nugget is the largest ever found in Alaska, and only smaller than the “Boot of Cortez” nugget found in Mexico, which weighs 24 pounds. Clay is said to have buried the nugget near a tree, buying time until he decided what to do with his remarkable find. The current owner bought the rock directly from Clay, and it has been in the same family for more than two decades. The auction will be the first public offering of the museum-quality piece. The fact that the Alaska Centennial gold nugget exists at all makes it all the more exceptional, Craig Kissick, Director of Nature and Science at Heritage Auctions said in a video. “Fewer than 50 gold nuggets over 250 ounces exist as gold in nugget form… (it’s) inherently rare; gold nuggets of massive size, even more so,” he says. Some of Alaska’s richest placers worked in the area around the town of Ruby from 1910 to 1920. There are only a handful of commercial mining operations there today.
Thank you to all the AMA corporate and individual members who joined or renewed their membership to the association in October. You make AMA possible! Corporations Builders Choice Modular, LLC Desert Air Alaska NISS Veritiv Professional Mike Hinton William Morris Taylor White Individual Lee Beasley Joey Benetka Tom Luce & Roberta Berry Alex Deeds Mark Immonen Margarette Jones Brian McJunkin Rob McLeod
Ron & Nancy Ralston John & Kristi Schaff Evan Venechuk David G. & Sharon M. Wright
Anthony Esping Clayton Gooden Janice Hill
Not yet a member of the Alaska Miners Association? Or have not yet renewed your membership for 2021? Renew today so you don’t miss a single issue of The Alaska Miner or this year’s 2021 Alaska Miners Handbook and Service Directory, available only to AMA members. Call or email Jennifer Luiten, Membership and Fundraising Director 907-270-9232. jennifer@AlaskaMiners.org.
Museum Seeks Ancient Mammoth Tusks
Photo Courtesy Heritage Auctions
When ancient mammoth tusks are found in Alaska they receive a varied destiny. Some are plowed back into the ground by miners while others are kept or sometimes sold. If tusks are found on private, state or tribal lands they can enter into commerce whereas if they are found on Federal land they cannot be taken from the land. A museum in Ohio accepts ancient tusks and sections of tusks as donations. The Amish area museum is known as David Warther Carvings and a review of their work can be seen on their website at www.warther.org . Donors who are individuals as well as corporations can claim a tax deduction based on the value of the tusks
because the museum is an IRS recognized 501(c)3 organization. The tusks or tusk sections can be evaluated by one of several qualified appraisers in Anchorage who are able to evaluate them from photos and other information such as weights and measurements if the tusks are in a remote location. This could be a unique opportunity for individuals and corporations in the mining industry to realize some value from this unusual resource and to help a museum at the same time. The museum can be reached for more information through its website.
The Alaska Centennial Nugget.
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GOLD & SILVER BULLION IS A GREAT INVESTMENT.
Alaska Mining Calendar
Alaska Earth Sciences Comprehensive Geologic Services
n Jan. 12, 2022: Alaska Oil and Gas Association Conference, Dena’ina Center, Anchorage; www.aoga.org/annual- conference n Jan. 28-29: Associated General Contractors Conference (rescheduled), Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage; www.agcak.org/annual-conference n Jan. 31 – Feb. 2: Association of Mineral Exploration – British Columbia Roundup Conference, Vancouver Convention Center, Vancouver, BC (with Hybrid option); roundup.amebc.ca
p Geologic Consulting p Geologic Staffing p Geological Engineering p Reporting (including 43-101) p Logistics/Operation Coordination p Remote Site Management p GIS Services • Geologic Consulting • Geologic Staffing • Geologic Engineering • Reporting (including 43-101) • Logistics/Operation Coordination • Remote Site Management • GIS Services • Permitting Assistance • Community Engagement • Claims Staking • Claims Administration • Equipment Rental p Permitting Assistance p Community Engagement p Claims Staking p Claims Administration p Equipment Rental
Dedicated to responsible development of Alaska’s resources.
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p Geologic Consulting p Geologic Staffing p Geological Engineering p Reporting (including 43-101) p Logistics/Operation Coordination p Remote Site Management p GIS Services
Dedicated to responsible development of Alaska’s resources.
p Permitting Assistance p Community Engagement p Claims Staking p Claims Administration p Equipment Rental
AMA Branch Meetings
11401 Olive Lane, Anchorage, Alaska p 907-522-4664 www.alaskaearthsciences.com Dedicated to responsible development of Alaska’s resources.
n AMA continues to meet virtually via Zoom on a regular basis. Branch Meetings are being held together as one statewide meeting every Friday at 7 a.m. Alaska time. n See branch events updates here: www.alaskaminers.org/ama-member- branches
11401 Olive Lane, Anchorage, Alaska p 907-522-4664 www.alaskaearthsciences.com
Missed an issue? All issues of The Alaska Miner Journal are online at the Alaska Miners Association website: alaskaminers.org/monthly-journal. Help us spread good news about mining!
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