In each issue of The Alaska Miner, we profile an active member of AMA who’s made and is making a significant contribution to the mining industry in Alaska. This issue our Faces of Mining profile is Chris Kennedy, formerly general manager of the Pogo mine and now the new project manager of the Lucky Shot Mine. Faces of Mining
Chris Kennedy Project Manager, Lucky Shot Mine
Who was your mentor in this industry and what did they teach you that remains true today? This is a difficult question because in my 45 years I have had quite a few mentors that have helped guide me and have been around to fall back on for advice when needed. I would also say that these mentors were not all in the form of supervisors but everyday people that I had the pleasure of working with. What lessons have you learned that you want to share with new miners? Nothing is easy! You have to want to make the difference but be willing to be flexible at times to have this realized and to under - stand that when it comes to being an influence to those around you, you have to be respectful and don’t have the attitude that “I know it all!” What would you do differently? In Mining: in regards to taking my career in a different route, I would not change a thing. Long explanation here, in short; I would probably not be the mining individual that I am today. Personally: Most people would look back and say; if only! At this time in my life there is only one thing I could go back and change but because it would be impossible to do so, I would leave my life history the same.
pick one and it had to do with my mining history and expe- rience: it would be the winter nights during the Pogo mine construction period where I had to drive from Fairbanks to Pogo daily due to no rooms at the camp. On the clear crisp Winter nights when the northern lights were out and dancing a crossed the sky, I would
pull over and put on my winter gear, jump into the back truck bed and sit and watch and hear the lights crackle as though they were speaking directly to me!! Besides this experience, there are so many more that I would need sev- eral pages to tell the stories. Especially the 26 years I have spent in the industry here in Alaska. What do you love most about this business? Mining has been good to me — the travel, the different type of mines and the experience gained but most of all it would be the people I have had the pleasure to work beside. Because of these different places and people, I have learned that I can never stop learning and be appreciative where I have been and where I am today!
What was one experience you will never forget? There are so many that I will never forget but if I had to
Where do you see mining in Alaska in 50 years? Good Question!
I hope to see that Alaska is appreciated by our country of the vast amount of mineral opportunity Alaska has and that like today, it is mined responsibly.
What do you see as our biggest challenges? And opportunities?
Challenges: Mining in general has several challenges from those who feel mining is bad, to those who are ok with mining but not in their back yard. And let’s not forget the pressure placed on mining from our government and environmental antimining activists. Please don’t get me wrong, if we cannot mine responsibly then we shouldn’t be mining. But if you look at the mines in Alaska and in general, mining in harmony with the environment is and can be done, especially show that it can be done here in Alaska. Opportunities: Because of how rich Alaska in in min- erals, including critical minerals, the opportunities are endless. However, access and available infrastructure con- tinue to be a large hurdle. But as some mining companies have proven, these can be overcome … it all depends on the mineral find. What keeps you awake at night? Not much keeps me awake at night with exception of
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The Alaska Miner
Fall 2021
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