Alaska Resource Review, Winter 2026

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2026

TRUMP'S PLANS FOR COAL COULD BENEFIT ALASKA

Study: Port MacKenize poised as state mineral export hub

District represent a potential early driver for Port MacKenzie export development. Being developed by Ambler Metals – a joint venture owned equally by Trilogy Metals Inc. and South32 Ltd. – the Arctic mine in the Ambler District would deliver a stream of mineral concen- trates enriched with 1.9 billion pounds of copper, 2.2 billion pounds of zinc, 335 million pounds of lead, 423,000 ounces of gold, and 36 million ounces of silver over an initial 13-year mine life. This is expected to be followed by concen- trates from the Bornite copper-cobalt deposit also being advanced by Ambler Metals, Valhalla Metals Inc.'s Sun zinc-lead-silver project, and the Roosevelt base, critical, and precious metal project owned by South32. When combined with dozens of earli- er-staged projects, the Ambler District has the potential to ship concentrates through Port MacKenzie for decades.

northwest of the Port of Anchorage, Port Mackenzie offers an alternative with large tracts of undeveloped land designated for in- dustrial use, a connection to Alaska's highway system, and a partially developed 32-mile rail extension that would connect the industrial port to the Alaska Railroad. "When evaluated against throughput re- quirements, expansion potential, and lifecycle performance, Port MacKenzie emerges as the only port capable of scaling to accommodate sustained, high-volume, multi-commodity mineral exports," PND concluded. The report recommends strategic develop- ment at Port MacKenzie that begins with facili- ties to meet anticipated near-term transportation needs but is designed with the flexibility to scale as Alaska mines deliver increasing quantities of minerals and metals needed by the energy, tech, and industrial sectors of the 21st century. Critical minerals-rich copper and zinc concentrates from mines in the Ambler Mining

Global mining executives consider Alaska the richest jurisdiction on the planet in terms of mineral potential, but among the poorest when it comes to the transportation network required to realize that potential. A recent study prepared for the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) envisions a trans- portation network anchored by Port MacKenzie in Southcentral Alaska as the solution. "Port MacKenzie is uniquely positioned to support projected statewide mineral export demand," PND Engineers wrote in the "Alaska mineral production, transportation, and port capacity study" prepared for AIDEA. Currently, most of Alaska's businesses and residents rely on the Port of Anchorage as the port- and rail-linked hub for ocean transport of goods. Situated on a strip of land between downtown Anchorage and the upper end of Cook Inlet, however, this port is limited by real estate and logistical constraints. Just across the inlet, about 2.5 miles

President champions future of industry with new policy objectives COURTESY WHITE HOUSE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S RECENT “CHAM- PION OF COAL” ANNOUNCEMENT MARKS ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE FEDERAL EFFORTS IN YEARS TO REVIVE THE U.S. COAL SECTOR, COM- BINING EXECUTIVE ACTION, MILITARY ENERGY PROCUREMENT AND TARGETED FUNDING AIMED AT EXTENDING THE LIFE OF COAL-FIRED GENERATION. While the immediate beneficiaries ap- pear to be coal-producing regions in the Lower 48 including Appalachia and the Mid- west, the policy shift could create opportuni- ties for Alaska’s coal industry — particularly in export markets, remote power systems and national defense energy infrastructure. At the center of the announcement in mid-February is an executive order direct- ing the Department of Defense to prioritize long-term power purchase agreements with coal-fired generation assets. The administra- tion framed the move as an energy securi- ty initiative designed to guarantee reliable baseload electricity for military installations and mission-critical facilities. The order also reinforces broader policy objectives: n Strengthening grid reliability through dispatchable baseload power. n Supporting domestic coal mining jobs. n Expanding coal’s role in national de- fense infrastructure. n Accelerating regulatory relief for coal production and generation facilities. The announcement coincided with a White House event where industry repre- sentatives presented Trump with a “Cham- pion of Coal” award, underscoring close alignment between federal policy priorities and coal-sector advocacy. Among those in attendance at the White House were Usibelli

— Shane Lasley

Photo Courtesy Usibelli Coal Mine Usibelli Coal Mine President Joe Usibelli Jr. and Lorali Simon, UCM’s Vice President of External Affairs, were in attendance in Washington, D.C. at President Donald Trump's recent announcements focusing on the future of coal production.

eral pathways could connect federal policy changes to the state’s resource economy. Alaska hosts numerous military installa- tions, including air bases, missile defense in- frastructure and Arctic monitoring systems. These facilities operate in isolated grids where reliability and fuel security are critical. If Pentagon energy procurement expands coal-backed power systems nationwide, Alaska-based energy projects stand to ben- efit — especially in regions where coal-fired generation provides stable baseload power or where coal resources are geographically advantageous. Trump also signaled efforts to expand international coal exports as part of broader energy dominance goals. For Alaska, export potential is arguably a significant upside: n The state’s proximity to Asian mar- kets provides a logistical advantage com- pared with Appalachian coal. n Improved federal support for coal could encourage investment in export infra- structure.

Coal Mine President Joe Usibelli Jr. and Lo- rali Simon, UCM’s Vice President of Exter- nal Affairs. Unlike previous coal revival efforts cen- tered primarily on regulatory rollback, the new approach uses government purchasing power as a demand signal. Defense installations represent large, sta- ble electricity consumers. By steering mil- itary energy contracts toward coal-backed generation, the administration aims to: n Guarantee baseline demand for ex- isting coal plants. n Prevent closures of strategic gener- ation assets. n Strengthen grid resilience during emergencies or extreme weather events. The Trump Administration has con- tinually touted that intermittent renewable sources cannot always meet reliability re- quirements for defense operations, position- ing coal as a strategic energy asset. When it comes to Alaska, the state’s coal sector differs significantly from the Lower 48 in scale and market structure, but sev-

Thousands of Miles of Experience Committed to Client Satisfaction Dedicated to Safety Excellence

www.AKRDC.org

ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW MARCH 2026

Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease