the truth and defending Alaskans’ right to build.
is a wonderful platform to brag about yourself, your fellow miner or fellow company. I would even throw out a challenge to our membership … who can submit the most “Brags”? Maybe a special award presented at the 2026 Fall AMA convention …” AMA Bragger of the year?” If you are a social media Luddite like me, you can always send your stories or suggestions to brag about to our publisher of this fine magazine at lee.leschper@fireweedstratigies.com. This tees up our priorities for 2026: increase explora- tion activity and “shots on goal,” drive for permitting certainty and predictable timelines, and push hard on the enabling basics that make projects real — especially reliable, affordable energy and workforce development. None of that is abstract. It’s how Alaska attracts capital, advances projects and ultimately builds more functional mines. Miners don’t brag. Fine. But we can recognize each other’s wins, we can defend each other when the facts get twisted, and we can speak with clarity and confi- dence about the value we deliver. Alaska’s mining story is strong. Let’s tell it — straight, measurable and proud! Dave Larimer AMA PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
So what does it look like to “brag” the right way?
Not chest-thumping. Not glossy slogans. The mining community doesn’t need to change who we are. We need to add a capability: clear, consistent, factual communication. We should be willing to say plainly what we contribute — and back it with proof points people can understand. That means publishing simple metrics and stories: local hire and workforce training numbers; safety leading indicators; local procurement spend; recla- mation progress; monitoring results. It means putting faces to the work — showing the men and women who keep operations safe and compliant in real Alaska conditions. It means inviting people in where we can: classroom visits, job fairs, community open houses and site tours (yes, know and acknowledge we do this … lets keep the momentum!). As the Alaska Miners Association, we can make this easier and more consistent. Send us your photos, your snips, your vignettes on the positive stories you see from our industry. AMA’s social platforms are managed by our wonderful Projects & Communications Manager, Carin Currier. Send ‘em to carin@alaskaminers.org. This
IT'S TIME TO BRAG ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY
There’s a line I’ve heard for years in Alaska: miners don’t brag. We show up, we do the work, we solve the problems in front of us and we move on to the next shift, the next drill pad, the next weather window. That mindset is part of what makes Alaska mining what it is — practical, resilient and mission-focused. But here’s the straight talk: if we don’t tell our story, someone else will. And the version the public hears too often is incomplete at best and deliberately dis- torted at worst. Mining in Alaska today isn’t a cartoon from a bygone era. It’s disciplined industrial work: engineered systems, rigorous safety culture and constant environ- mental monitoring in some of the toughest operating conditions anywhere. It’s miners and mechanics, drill- ers and geologists, welders and electricians, environ- mental technicians and heavy equipment operators. It’s planning and logistics, transportation, redundancy and winterization, and the kind of operational excel- lence that only comes from teams who understand that mistakes in Alaska carry higher costs. The truth is, the “good work” mining delivers is real, measurable and happening right now — often quietly. It’s family-wage jobs and careers that allow Alaskans to stay in Alaska. It’s training pathways that turn entry-level workers into equipment operators, mill- wrights and supervisors. It’s opportunities for veterans who bring a safety-first mindset, leadership and a bias for execution. It’s local procurement that fuels small businesses — from freight and fuel to catering, construction and fabrication. It’s taxes, royalties and payroll that circulate through communities and the state. And it’s infrastructure — airstrips, roads, power upgrades, communications — that can create lasting value well beyond the mine fence line when done right. And yes, it’s environmental performance that can be tracked, tested and verified. Modern projects don’t “hope” they’re doing it right — they measure. Water quality programs, baseline studies, mitigation plans, monitoring data and progressive reclamation are part of
standard operations. That doesn’t mean mining has zero footprint. It means we manage risk with engineering and accountability, and we can show our work with facts. OK … yes I know I’m preaching to the choir here … Now, a reality check about culture: we’re a humble community and “bragging” doesn’t come naturally. It’s hard to point the finger at yourself and say, “Look at what I did.” Most miners would rather keep their heads down and let results speak. But here’s the workaround that fits who we are: we can point the finger at each other. We can publicly call out the good things we see in our crews, our contractors and our fellow opera- tors — without it feeling like chest-thumping. There’s nothing wrong with positive reinforcement. A straight- forward “atta boy,” a “good game,” or a quick recogni- tion of a safety win, a reclamation milestone or a local hire success — those acknowledgements build pride internally and credibility externally. And we also need to add one more muscle: standing up for your fellow miner. Alaska has no shortage of negative op-eds, misleading headlines and narratives that paint mining with the broadest, darkest brush. Some of it is honest disagreement; plenty of it is not. There are well-funded “outsider” campaigns and dark-money efforts that push anti-development mes- saging with little accountability and even less connec- tion to what it takes to build careers and communities here. We don’t need to sit idle while that story spreads unchallenged. When false claims hit the paper, social media or the public square, we should respond — calmly, factually and consistently — and we should do it together. If you or your company has the ability, step in: write the letter, offer the correction, show the data, share the real story and back up your neighbor in the industry. That’s not being political — that’s protecting "Here’s the straight talk: if we don’t tell our story, someone else will. And the version the public hears too often is incomplete at best and deliberately distorted at worst."
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. ROOTED IN RESPECT.
6
7
THE ALASKA MINER - THE MAGAZINE OF THE ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION
SPRING 2026 | ALASKAMINERS.ORG
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online