THE ALASKA MINER MAGAZINE: Our magazine is published quarterly and delivered to both the members of the Alaska Miners Association and to key decision-makers and leaders in Alaska and beyond. Our goal is to educate, advocate, and lead our industry as one of the strongest, oldest, and most productive corporate citizens in Alaska. AMA’s mission is to promote responsible mineral development in Alaska. We provide key communication between our members, the industry, and policymakers in and out of Alaska. Each issue includes news and information important to our industry and our constituents.
The official magazine of the Alaska Miners Association and the mining industry in Alaska
AlaskaMiners.org
Summer 2023 Volume 51, Number 7
Donlin’s Danny and Betty Twitchell
Alaska's Mining Families
INSIDE THIS ISSUE n Meet Some of Our AMA Members
n BLM Rewriting Land Management Rules n Faces of Mining: Danny and Betty Twitchell n Graphite One Gains Momentum
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Executive Director’s Report
Dear Alaska Miners,
What a summer! At first, we weren’t even sure we’d see a sum - mer! And when it did finally arrive, it was mixed with a storm of challenges to our industry, which frankly kept us from enjoying the beautiful days, lots of salmon and some great pro-mining events all over the state. As you'll see in the pages of this issue of the Alaska Miner, and many social media posts, we've been everywhere! We've had many opportunities at the several state fairs to spread the good news about Alaska mining and meet face-to-face with the Alas - kan communities we serve. It is heartwarming and gratifying to meet regu - lar Alaska families who understand and appreciate what you do, who realize that iPhones and most other conveniences and necessities of modern life don’t run on fairy dust but require minerals like those we mine every day in Alaska. We also, in concert with AK Metal Mines (for - merly known as the Council of Alaska Producers) had the great privilege of providing tours for many of our Alaska legislators and their staffs, to three of our interior Alaska mines. And a huge thanks to all the great people at Kinross Alaska (Fort Knox Mine), Northern Star Resources (Pogo Mine) and Usibelli Coal Mine for welcoming our elected officials and for helping showcase their mines, people and safety standards. For our representatives to act wisely on issues related to mining, it’s critical they see firsthand who we are and what we do. That was the fun part. Not as much fun, we've also spent literally hundreds of hours drafting comments in defense of Alaska mining and you against the newest round of federal attempts to make our job harder. As you'll see also in this magazine, your feder - al oversight committee and your Board of Directors crafted extensive responses and comments to the nearest attempt by the Bureau of Land Management to change the rules for mining nationwide, with particularly onerous impacts on Alaska and Alas - kans. Starting on Page 8, you'll see a condensed ver - sion of more than 10,000 words in response to the new BLM proposals, which are nothing less than a bureaucratic end run around Congress, existing mining law and the sacred rights granted Alaska Natives through ANILCA. All under the guise of attempting to fix prob - lems and perceived threats that don’t exist. And in
direct conflict with the Biden Administration’s own imperatives to improve the production of critical minerals in the U.S., instead of relying on sources from adversarial nations. It defies logic, but if anything, that makes it all the more threatening. So, you might say we're wearing two hats — one spreading good news and the other fighting off the bad. We try every summer in this magazine to also give you a glimpse of some of your fellow members in the industry who do a world-class job every day developing our resources, taking care of each other and protecting Alaskans and the environment. I will confess, I always get both awestruck and a bit emotional when I see and read their stories, and appreciate how lucky we are to have the people we do in this industry. The work continues. This month we’ll be start - ing our regular branch meetings again, leading up to November’s annual convention. I hope to see you there soon!
Deantha Skibinski AMA Executive Director
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The Alaska Miner
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The official magazine of the Alaska Miners Association and the mining industry in Alaska
ON THE COVER: Danny Twitchell and his daughter Betty work for Donlin Gold. Photo Courtesy Danny Twitchell THIS PAGE: AMA Membership Director Jennifer Luiten and longtime board member and miner Paul Manuel at Paul's mine this summer. Photo Courtesy Jennifer Luiten
8 AMA Comments on BLM Rules 16 Faces of Mining: Danny and Betty Twitchell 22 Alaska Railroad Celebrates Centennial 29 Alaska Mining Benefits 2023
34 Profile: TEMSCO Helicopters 36 Profile: Alaska Minerals 42 Profile: TOTE Maritime 44 Newest Mining Business and Service Directory
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 Executive Director’s Report 4 Letter From President Bartly Kleven 6 Donlin Gold Aids Flood Victims
The Alaska Miner is dedicated to those who work in and support the mining industry in Alaska, its commitment to the people, and resources of our state. Our magazine is published quarterly and delivered to both the members of the Alaska Miners Association and to key decision makers and leaders in Alaska and beyond. Our goal is to educate, advocate and lead our industry as one of the strongest, oldest and most productive corporate citizens in Alaska. AMA’s mission is to promote responsible mineral development in Alaska.
EDITORIAL CALENDAR
ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION STAFF
Fall 2023 Annual Anchorage Convention Winter 2024 Legislative and Season Preview
Deantha Skibinski Executive Director Jennifer Luiten Membership and Fundraising Director Darlene Strickland Bookkeeping and Membership
Spring 2024 Project Updates Summer 2024 People in Mining
EXECUTIVE BOARD
BRANCH CHAIRMEN
Bartly Kleven President, Kinross Alaska, Fairbanks Lorali Simon First Vice President, Usibelli Coal Mine, Healy Blake Bogart Second Vice President, Graphite One Inc., Nome Kim Aasand Treasurer, Aasand & Glore LLC., Anchorage
Ted Hawley Anchorage Richard Sivils Denali Ken Hall Fairbanks
Houston Morris Kenai Ken Hughes Nome Robert Fithian Ketchikan/Prince of Wales
Liz Cornejo Haines Jim Clark Juneau
The Alaska Miner 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. For advertising information or news tips, call or email publisher Lee Leschper at 907-957-6025 or Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com.
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President’s Message From Bartly Kleven
Thank you for being the lifeblood of mining
"As you read about your fellow miners, I hope it gives you the same sense of pride and respect these stories give me. There’s no easy day in Alaska mining, and the simple truth that our miners do important work safely and with integrity." T his summer issue of The Alaska Miner, as has become our tradition, is ded - icated to our members and Alaska’s
day in Alaska mining, and the simple truth that our miners do important work safely and with integrity. In particular, I hope you enjoy our Faces of Mining profile of Danny Twitchell and his daughter Betty, working together at Donlin Gold. Danny has been recognized in the past for his great work as a local son, giving back to his community, but his greatest achieve - ment may be raising his family to respect and give back as he has done. Young people are the future of our industry, as well as our state, and we hope Betty is part of our next generation of miners. We are also well along in planning for our biggest event of the year, our annual conven - tion in Anchorage this Nov. 6-9. We are ac - tively gathering sponsorship and trade show exhibitors, as well as speakers, for the biggest mining show in Alaska. If you’ve yet to join this group of elite AMA partners, please con - sider doing so. The need for a strong AMA has never been greater. If you follow the updates from Deantha, you appreciate that staff and our association lead - ership have been burning the midnight oil, providing well-crafted comments to the nev - er-ending stream of new Federal actions that could negatively impact all Alaskans, whether
miners. Each summer, we take time to profile and recognize Alaska Miners Association members, who are the lifeblood of our industry. This is one effort to put a face on Alaska mining: dedicated corporate citizens, Alaska families and hard-working professionals. During COVID, when we had to cancel our critical fundraising events, many of our mem - bers stepped forward to provide financial support. When we came out of the pandemic the AMA Executive Committee tasked a subcom - mittee to analyze membership rates and to provide recommendations that would provide stability for the organization going forward. Ultimately, the AMA Board of Directors ad - opted a new rate structure that is in line with other trade associations in Alaska. Increased rates were proposed and our membership stepped forward to increase their contribu - tions. To each and every one of these amazing companies and individuals, “Thank You!” As you read about your fellow miners, I hope it gives you the same sense of pride and respect these stories give me. There’s no easy
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they are miners or not. The Federal challenges continue and threaten our ability to develop Alaska re - sources and produce minerals, including critical minerals, that the United States is sourcing from unfriendly countries. (As I write this, there are 11 Russian and Chi - nese warships near the Aleutian Islands). Many of these countries have little to no regard for human rights or environmental protections. As you’ll read in this magazine, new at - tempts by the BLM to rewrite the way our lands are managed disregard more than a century of mining law, as well as the core principles of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement. The current administration is pushing for a new green energy econo - my while blocking the mining of the very minerals needed to build the infrastruc - ture. A robust and active AMA is more critical than ever. I hope it has been a productive, enjoy - able summer for you. Be safe out there and we will see you this fall!
Sign up and share the Alaska Miner The Alaska Miner is mailed statewide to Alaska business, government and Native leaders. Subscriptions are complimentary — to sign up just email address and contact information to admin@FireweedStrategies.com. And if you’re already receiving the Miner, sign up your team members and clients who also need to be reading the latest good news about Alaska mining!
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The Alaska Miner
Donlin aids Crooked Creek flood victims
When ice jams flooded Crooked Creek in mid-May, the team from Donlin Gold sprang into action to help neighbors and provide as much relief as possible. The flood caused damage to critical structures, including the hospital and school, and displaced homes. People were flooded out of shelter and some even trapped, cut off from the rest of the village by ice. Water contamina - tion and power outage led to the loss of stored traditional food. The com - munity store was also inundated with water, leaving Crooked Creek in ur - gent need of food, clean water, fuel, and generators. Along with state assistance, Don - lin Gold and other organizations with crews based nearby jumped into ac - tion. They worked with the American Red Cross to shelter and feed those impacted by flooding. With the run - way partially submerged, a Donlin helicopter especially came in handy. Donlin employees unloaded food, bot - tled water, communication equipment and shelter supplies. The gold project team also helped get the word out about The Kuskok - wim Corporation’s food drive to help replenish the traditional foods that were lost. When disaster strikes, we are re -
Photo by Jennifer Wallace, Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management In this aerial photo, chunks of ice follow flooding from an ice jam in Crooked Creek. Donlin Gold provided major rescue and recovery aid to the community when ice jams along two Alaska rivers unleashed major flooding through the community in May.
minded that Alaskans are resilient, strong and take care of each other. Thank you to all who have helped, from delivering food, dry goods, and bedding, to the pilots who transport - ed goods and supplies, to those who loaded and unloaded supplies between flights.
“The health and safety of our Y-K community is our top priority — and we are incredibly proud to be part of it. We are continuing our relief efforts and will share updates and other ways the community can help on our social media pages,” Donlin said in its quar - terly newsletter.
Looking for a past issue? Issues of The Alaska Miner and The Alaska Miner Journal are available online at www.alaskaminers.org/monthly-journal.
For complimentary printed copies, or to set up your compli- mentary subscription, email admin@fireweedstrategies.com.
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Summer 2023
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AMA's comments on proposed BLM rules
Editor’s note: In July AMA comment - ed at length to Tracy Stone-Manning, Director of the Bureau of Land Man - agement, opposing proposed BLM Conservation and Landscape Health Proposed Rule, 88 Fed. Reg. 19583. AMA board and committee mem - bers worked countless hours to craft our total comments, which covered more than 10,000 words, but here is a summary: AMA recommends that BLM withdraw the proposed rule as it is not needed, is not consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Man - agement Act (FLPMA), would require Congressional action and thus ex - ceeds BLM’s authority to promul - gate, and would be detrimental to the mineral industry in Alaska. If the rule is not withdrawn, BLM lands in Alaska should be exempt from the rule as the rule is inconsis - tent with, and potentially in viola - tion of, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), passed by Congress in 1980. If Alaska is included, it is unde - niable that there would be signif - icant impacts on our members and their ability to develop the critical and strategic mineral supplies our nation desperately needs and BLM must fulfill its legal obligations to do an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environ - mental Policy Act (NEPA). It is also undeniable that the Pro - posed Rule fundamentally changes how the United States government manages millions of acres of BLM lands in Alaska without Congressio - nal authorization. The planning processes in these areas are well evolved and such changes would take years to imple - ment by local staff that are already overwhelmed by their current com - mitments. Such on the ground im - plementation challenges and the realities of how they would affect
minerals and other important uses of BLM lands are ignored in the Pro - posal Rule and must be considered before any rule is finalized. The cost of this regulation would be staggering in terms of its eco - nomic impacts and its costs of im - plementation and thus requires Congressional action. The Supreme Court also outlined the “major questions doctrine” to affirm that federal agencies must have clear Congressional authority when regulations issues of impor - tance to the American public. The Proposed Rule will absolutely have “vast economic and political sig - nificance” and would govern land use across millions of acres of public lands. That Congress has chosen not to enact the rule BLM seeks to promulgate here is seen from the fact that in 2016 Con - gress nullified the similar “Planning 2.0 Rule” that was nullified pursuant to the Congressional Review Act and meets both the two requirements to be considered a major question. The Proposed Rule violates and is inconsistent with the Federal Land Pol- icy and Management Act. While the Proposed Rule refer - ences the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), it fundamentally violates FLPMA in multiple ways, including n illegally adding “conserva - tion” as a “use” when Congress did not include it in FLPMA’s specific list of uses (FLPMA Section 103(l)); n redefining key terms al - ready defined by Congress in FLP - MA, “multiple use” and “sustained yield” (FLPMA Section 103(c and h)); n contorting the scope and defi - nition of “areas of critical environ - mental concern” beyond FLPMA’s scope and n using current Administra - tion “conservation,” “restoration,”
and “ecosystem resilience” policies to impermissibly withdraw public lands from public use in violation of FLPMA § 204. The Proposed Rule also revises the framework for establishing Ar - eas of Critical Environmental Con - cern (“ACEC”). Finally with regards to FLPMA, the Proposed Rule creates incon - sistencies with BLM’s 43 CFR 3809 mining regulations per FLPMA’s mandate that mining activities must prevent unnecessary or undue deg - radation (UUD). The Proposed Rule is inconsistent with the Mining Law. The Proposed Rule substantively conflicts with the Mining Law. FLP - MA expressly amends the Mining Law, in a very intentionally narrow and limited way. The Mining Law authorizes and governs the exploration, discovery, and development of valuable miner - als, and allows citizens of the United States the opportunity to enter, use and occupy public lands open to lo - cation to explore for, discover, and develop certain valuable mineral de - posits. Per NEPA, the BLM must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Rule. Yet in the Federal Register notice for the Proposed Rule, BLM states that it intends to apply the Depart - ment’s Categorical Exclusion (CA - TEX) provisions and that BLM is not required to prepare a NEPA docu - ment, either an Environmental As - sessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to assess the impacts of this proposed rule.
CONTINUED on PAGE 10
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January 2021
The Alaska Miner
The Proposed Rule disregards and is in clear violation of ANILCA. ANILCA designated 135 million acres, approximately 60 percent of ALL Federal lands in Alaska into National Parks and Preserves, Na - tional Wildlife Refuges, and Nation - al Wilderness areas, and National Wildlife and Scenic Rivers. In addi - tion to six BLM-managed Wild and Scenic Rivers, ANILCA set aside over two million acres of BLM lands as the Steese National Conservation Area and White Mountains Nation - al Recreation Area. Remaining BLM lands were intentionally left as mul - tiple use lands, part of the balance of “public lands necessary and ap - propriate for more intensive use and disposition.” Congress, in 1980, determined that ANILCA provided the proper balance between conservation and resource development in Alaska. The failure to even acknowledge ANILCA requirements in the Pro - posed Rule is a major deficiency and reason for the Proposed Rule to be withdrawn, if not in its entirety than as it applies specifically to Alaska.
The proposed rule proposes im- proper emphasis on designation of Ar- eas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) in the RMP process. BLM already over-emphasiz - es ACECs in its Alaska RMPs, both in terms of numbers and over - ly expansive scales of ACEC. This leads to unnecessary restrictions on non-conservation land uses in these areas. BLM’s existing designations of ACECs already fail to consider ex - isting state and federal authorities for resource protection, particularly in ACEC designations based on fish - eries. In Alaska, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has the primary function of ensuring pro - tection of fisheries throughout the State as well as their uses, including for subsistence activities. Rules governing the criteria for de- termining and applying ACEC designa- tions need reform. ACEC designations to date in Alas - ka are extremely inconsistent in size,
BLM, CONTINUED from PAGE 8
Alaska-Specific comments on the Proposed Rule
AMA advocates for the multiple use management of BLM Public Lands, consistent with FLPMA. AMA has long advocated for making BLM lands in Alaska available for mining explora - tion and development. AMA has also stressed the importance of BLM lands in providing access both to resources on BLM lands, and even more signifi - cantly, the importance of BLM lands in providing access to state and pri - vate lands, including Alaska Native Corporation lands, in Alaska. RMPs for BLM’s Alaska lands have demonstrated that the existing federal statutes, regulations, and rules pro - vide more than adequate protection for conservation of resources, addi - tional restrictions on development in the proposed rule are not necessary.
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Summer 2023
purpose, and documentation. NO statewide review has ever occurred to ensure that the interpretation of Rel - evance and Significance are applied consistently by different planning groups in different regions. This new proposed rule would only further this imbalance in application. The Relevance and Importance criteria which must be met to qual - ify for any ACEC designation should be reviewed and stringently defined based on the resources present in the entire planning area and not as indi - vidual areas. Existing RMPs governing BLM lands in Alaska more than adequately provide for conservation, including any possible designation of ACECs. Additional au- thority is not necessary. BLM manages 70 million acres of land and minerals in Alaska, plus millions of additional acres of min - eral resources under other federal lands. Since the late 1960s, many of these lands have been off limits to mineral exploration and poten - tial development due to withdrawals
to enable the settlement of Native land claims that resulted in the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and ANILCA. Existing RMPs in Alaska have tak- en years to develop and adding the re- quirements of the proposed rule will further delay implementation of these plans. Most BLM lands in Alaska have approved Resource Management Plans — each has taken years, in some cases, decades to develop. This proposed rule would only add addi - tional time to the already-difficult process. The proposed rule requires additional analysis and adds to the existing complexity and volume of BLM RMPs. The proposed rule fails to consid- er that BLM lands in Alaska are crucial in providing access to state and private lands. BLM lands in Alaska are crucial for providing access to state and private lands, and in many instances the
only access to these lands is across BLM lands. Under the Statehood Act and other federal laws, the state was granted nearly 105 million acres. Under the Alaska Native Claims Set - tlement Act (ANCSA), Alaska Native Corporations were granted nearly 46 million acres. In addition, many Alaska communities are surrounded by federal lands with no developed overland access. The proposed rule would enable BLM to create barri - ers to building communication lines, roads, railroad, and pipeline access routes to these non-federal lands and communities.
In Conclusion
The Proposed Rule is inconsis - tent with law and unnecessary, es - pecially in places like Alaska where the existing RMP process is working and there is no evidence of current or likely undue degradation of BLM lands. Therefore, AMA recommends that BLM withdraw it immediately. If the rule is not withdrawn, BLM lands in Alaska should be exempt from the rule.
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BY NORTH OF 60 MINING NEWS Alaska's attorney general has filed a motion asking the U.S. Su - preme Court to instruct the EPA to correct its overstep in blocking de - velopment of the Pebble project. In January, the EPA issued its final determination for the Bristol Bay watershed in Southwest Alas - ka, known as a 404(c) veto, that not only prohibited permitting the Pebble project according to a 2020 mining plan but also restricted any future permitting to construct or operate a mine across a 300-square- mile region surrounding the world- class Pebble copper deposit. "The EPA action usurps the State's ability and responsibility to protect its own natural resourc - es," the Alaska Department of Law penned in its release. Issued by Alaska Attorney Gener - al Treg Taylor, the motion for leave — essentially a legal procedure that asks the court permission to deviate from established rules — strongly argues that EPA's veto of the Pebble project is a breach of contract be - tween Alaska and the United States, and violated the federal statutory recognition and implementation of the Cook Inlet Land Exchange. The motion also argues that EPA's veto violates the Administrative Pro - cedure Act and is an unconstitution - al taking without just compensation and, therefore, also seeks monetary damages for breach of contract. The U.S. Constitution gives states the right to seek direct jurisdiction in the U.S. Supreme Court for complaints against the federal government. It is anticipated that the Supreme Court could decide whether to hear this case as early as October. Alaska: Undo Pebble veto
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The Alaska Miner
Graphite One awarded $37.5M grant from DoD
awarded a Department of Defense (“DoD”) Technology Investment Agreement grant of $37.5 mil - lion under Title III of the Defense Production Act (“DPA”), funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) in July.
The funding objective of the DoD-Graphite One (Alaska) Tech - nology Investment Agreement is to perform an accelerated Feasibili - ty Study to modernize and expand domestic production capacity and supply for graphite battery anodes necessary for electronic vehicles and alternative energy batteries, as an essential national defense tech - nology item. The DoD grant to Graphite One follows the designation of graph - ite as one of the battery materials deemed under the DPA law to be “essential to the national defense.” At present, the U.S. is 100% im - port-dependent for graphite, with China being the world’s leading producer. The DPA funding allows G1 to accelerate its Feasibility Study cov - ering its Graphite Creek Project 35 miles north of Nome, Alaska. Graphite Creek was recently con - firmed by the U.S. Geological Survey to be the country’s largest known graphite resource, and “among the largest in the world.” “Graphite One is honored to re - ceive this award from the Depart - ment of Defense, funded by the IRA, and we look forward to advancing our Feasibility Study program,” said Anthony Huston, founder and CEO of G1. “This Department of Defense grant underscores our confidence in our strategy to build a 100 per - cent U.S.-based advanced graphite supply chain — from mining to re - fining to recycling. The World Bank Group reports that the production of minerals, including graphite, could increase by 500% by 2050, to meet the growing demand for clean ener - gy technologies.” “This investment to increase do - mestic capabilities for graphite ex - emplifies Industrial Base Policy’s commitment to building a resilient industrial base to meet current and future national defense require - ments,” said Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, Department of Defense Assis - tant Secretary for Industrial Base
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Summer 2023
Policy. “The agreement with Graph - ite One (Alaska) is in furtherance of the Defense Department’s strategy for minerals and materials related to large-capacity batteries.” “Graphite One thanks Assistant Secretary of Defense Taylor-Kale and her DPA Title III team for their support of our proposal, and we look forward to commencing the program,” Mr. Huston continued. “All of us at Graphite One want to express our thanks for the strong support we’ve received from public officials whose mission it is to ad - vance Alaska’s and America’s best interests,” said Mr. Huston. “Sen - ator Lisa Murkowski, the thought leader in Congress on critical min - erals policy from her position on the Senate Energy and Natural Resourc - es Committee — and an early advo - cate of designating graphite and the other battery materials as Defense Production Act Title III materials; Senator Dan Sullivan, the driving force behind a U.S. Arctic Strate - gy from his position on the Senate Armed Services Committee with his past service as Alaska’s Director of the Department of Natural Resourc -
es; Congresswoman Mary Peltola, member of the House Natural Re - sources Committee and a strong proponent of domestic resource de - velopment — and of course the late Don Young, Dean of the House and from the very first, a strong sup - porter of our project. At the state level, Graphite One thanks Gover - nor Mike Dunleavy for nominating us as a High-Priority Infrastructure Project, and for his commitment to making Alaska a leader in critical minerals development.” “We also want to thank President Biden and his White House staff for the decision to designate graphite and the battery materials as DPA Title III materials, underscoring their importance for the nation - al economy and national security,” Huston said. The total amount covered under the Technology Investment Agree - ment to fund the accelerated com - pletion of the Feasibility Study is approximately $75 million of which the DOD’s share is $37.5 million and the Company’s share is $37.5 million. Graphite One’s Supply Chain
Strategy With the United States current - ly 100 percent import dependent for natural graphite, Graphite One is planning to develop a complete U.S.-based, advanced graphite supply chain solution anchored by the Graphite Creek resource. The Graphite One project plan includes an advanced graphite material and battery anode manufacturing plant expected to be sited in Washington State integrated with the devel - opment of the Property. The plan includes a recycling facility to re - claim graphite and the other battery materials, to be co-located at the Washington State site, the third link in Graphite One’s circular economy strategy. The Defense Production Act (the “DPA”) is intended to ensure that America has the resources, mate - rials and technologies needed for national security. The DPA Title III program is dedicated to ensuring the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and home - land security requirements now and in the future.
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Summer 2023
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(Barrick Gold) underground gold mines. It was a great ex - perience and I learned more in two years than I thought possible. I moved back to Alaska in 2016 and started working for Donlin Gold as a Community Relations Coordinator. At the time public speaking was scary to me but I agreed to work the position because I believe that Donlin Gold is a very good company and the economic opportunities a project like Donlin will have in our depressed region are needed. Being from the region I knew it was important to share good information with our people because there was so much misinformation being spread by NGO’s. In 2020 I switched back to the Environmental field for Donlin and I am currently the Environmental Field Coor - dinator and do shift work at Donlin Camp. In each issue of the Alaska Miner, we profile a member of Alaska’s mining industry. In this issue we talk with Danny and Betty Twitchell, father and daughter who have worked together at Donlin Gold. Faces of Mining
Danny and Betty Twitchell Donlin Gold
BY LEE LESCHPER Danny:
I started working in the environmental field for my tribe in Bethel (Orutsaramiut Native Council) in 2002 as the environmental coordinator and in 2004 I moved from ONC to the Native village of Napaimute in the same capac - ity as their Environmental Coordinator. As a coordinator for the tribe, we went to many in - formational meetings hosted by Donlin Gold. I was im - pressed with the effort and information shared by Donlin to keep the region informed. I started working for Donlin Gold in 2006 as an Environmental Specialist. When Donlin Gold started the EIS process and field work slowed down in 2014, I moved down to Northern Nevada and started working at Turquoise Ridge one of our Parent companies
CONTINUED on PAGE 18
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Faces of Mining
Photos Courtesy Twitchell Family ABOVE: Danny Twitchell with his wife, Isha, daughter Bessie, son Daniel and daughter Betty. RIGHT: Danny and Betty with Catherine Kim, head geologist.
FACES, CONTINUED from PAGE 16
What surprised you? How quickly Betty caught on. All my children have extremely good work ethic, but Betty certainly ex - ceeded my expectations. And she took on every challenge with a great atti - tude and helped out in every depart - ment. Camp maintenance, Geology, Environmental, Health and Safety, as well as running our camp warehouse. She also became a very good operator. What lessons have you learned that you want to share with new miners? Mining is an amazing industry with so many opportunities. If you are willing to work hard, learn, and adopt the safety and stewardship cul - ture career opportunities are endless. What would you do differently? I would have started in the mining industry earlier!
What was one experience you will never forget? The time I was stalked by a pack of wolves one winter at camp. But that’s a long story for another time.
It’s been a great journey and a unique place to work!
Tell us more about working together at Donlin … was it easier or harder than you expected and why? Having my daughter work out at Donlin with me was a dream come true. I looked forward to that day for a long time. I knew it would be reward - ing to see my children working out at camp but to get to see my young - est daughter join the work force and come out of her shell and flourish the way she did was an amazing experi - ence. Donlin provides opportunities for our young people to learn job skills while being immersed in a safety and stewardship culture that is second to none.
What do you love most about mining
and about working for Donlin?
The career opportunities that mining provides. Over the years I’ve worked with several different man - agers and leadership teams at Donlin and the one thing that never changed was our commitment to safety and stewardship. We have amazing owners, and they provide us with the tools and resourc - es to operate at the highest level when it comes to safety and stewardship.
CONTINUED on PAGE 20
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The Alaska Miner
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Betty: Do you see a future working in mining? And what would you share with your peers? Absolutely. Be willing to work hard, keep a positive attitude and make safety and stewardship a priority! Where do you see mining in Alaska in 50 years? Flourishing, I hope. Mining has come a long way in regard to mining methods and technology, being able to mine cleaner and safer is the goal and from what I have experienced we are already there. What does AMA mean to you? It is a place where knowledge can be shared, net - working in the industry takes place and the industry is strengthened! What do you do for fun? I enjoy traditional sewing and beading, berry pick - ing, hiking and hunting with my dad. Anything else you want to share? It has been so rewarding getting to work with my dad and experiencing the lifestyle working at Donlin that I heard so much about growing up. I often wondered what it was like to work at Donlin and do shift work in a camp. I am proud to be a part of the Donlin Team.
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The Alaska Miner
Photos Courtesy Alaska Railroad
1923-2023: The Alaska Railroad at 100 years
BY TIM BRADNER In its day, construction of the Alas - ka Railroad in the midst and aftermath of World War I was as defining an event as building of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System in the 1970s. Both were seen as national security infrastructure and key to opening ac - cess to natural resources — the Inte - rior Alaska goldfields in the case of the railroad and newly-discovered North Slope oil fields in the case of the pipe - line. There were key differences, of course.
The pipeline was built and financed by private industry, North Slope oil producers Atlantic Richfield, BP, and Humble Oil (later ExxonMobil). The railroad was a government initiative, owned and operated by the federal gov - ernment until it was purchased by the state of Alaska in 1985 for $22 million. President Woodrow Wilson had the vision to push this strategic infra - structure in 1914, as war clouds loomed in Europe, and to persuade a reluctant Congress to fund its estimated cost of $35 million. Construction began in 2015 with completion in 1923, one hundred years ago on July 15.
President Warren G. Harding trav - eled to Alaska to drive a golden spike at Nenana, southwest of Fairbanks, to mark the completion. On his return trip, Harding died of food poisoning in San Francisco. The number of construction work - ers, peaking at 4,500 in 2017, was not to rival the 10,000 that worked on the pipeline, but the project had a huge impact on Alaska at the time and was to transform the then-territory. An - chorage, founded as a construction
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sharply, and so the President’s deci - sion to build the railroad was justified. In the post-war years Congress ap - propriated $100 million for track reha - bilitation to repair the effects of heavy wartime use. The railroad also started its streamlined passenger service be - tween Anchorage and Fairbanks, a train dubbed Aurora, with blue and gold col - ors. This ushered in a new service ca - tering to summer visitors as well as Alaskans and laid the foundation for the railroad’s important role in supporting the small but growing visitor industry. By 1953, however, there was grow - ing competition from trucks and au - tos on highways that were being built or upgraded. Passenger service to and from Seward was discontinued, not to return until the present-day summer service supporting cruise ships calling at Seward. Whittier, built by the U.S. Army during World War II, was becom - ing important for the railroad, which reached the Prince William Sound community through tunnels built during the war. The first train-barge service from Whittier was established in 1964, en - abling rail cars from anywhere in the
Lower 48 to be brought to Alaska by sea and to reach any point along the Alaska Railroad. Earthquake damage on March 27, 1964, disrupted rail traffic but service was quickly restored. Freight service between Anchorage and Fairbanks re - sumed April 6 and to Whittier on April 20. Passengers were again traveling by April 11. The railroad again demonstrated its value in the 1970s, providing heavy- haul service to support construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Rails had meanwhile been extended east of Fairbanks to Eielson Air Force Base, providing support to that installation, now home to the nation’s most ad - vanced fighter-interceptors. Plans were made for further ex - tensions east to Fort Greely, where the nation’s missile interceptors are based. That link has not yet been built but a bridge across the Tanana River was constructed as the first increment of the rail east. Today the bridge sup - ports U.S. Army operations on training ranges south of the river. Today, the Alaska Railroad is under state ownership and continues to sup - port the growth of Alaska’s economy.
RAILROAD, CONTINUED from PAGE 22
camp in 1915, was to become its largest city. There were prior railroads, of course, regional lines built to support gold mines. The private Alaska Cen - tral Railway, later the Alaska Northern Railway, was built a few miles north from Seward. It later went bankrupt. The rail line was later acquired by the government to be part of the Seward-to-Fairbanks line. A region - al 45-mile rail line from Fairbanks to nearby gold fields was also acquired, although this was mainly to obtain the rail terminal in Fairbanks. The government wanted the rail - road to make money, but the territo - ry’s economy was thin, at least in In - terior and Southcentral Alaska, as gold mining declined. Seward, Anchorage and Fairbanks had combined popula - tions of 5,400, not enough to generate a lot of business. In 1938, however, the railroad turned its first profit, and with the start of World War II its strategic im - portance was amply illustrated as military and civilian freight increased
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The Alaska Miner
Summer 2023
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The Alaska Miner
Council of Alaska Producers launches brand, campaign
The Council of Alaska Producers, the statewide, nonprofit trade asso - ciation representing Alaska’s large metal mines and several advanced projects, launched a new brand at the annual Mining Day celebration at the Alaska State Fair on Aug. 19. The group is now called Alas - ka Metal Mines (AKM) and is also beginning a public awareness cam - paign that highlights Alaska’s role in delivering the metals and miner - als that make innovations possible and provide economic and commu - nity benefits to Alaskans. “Mining Day is our largest an - nual event and we were excited to use the opportunity to showcase our new brand and how Alaska’s met - als advance the human experience,” said Alaska Metal Mines Executive
Director, Karen Matthias. “Alaska’s approach to mining is world-class, smart and responsible. We want to connect with Alaskans and share how our natural resources not only benefit our daily lives but make the impossible possible.” As the world addresses issues of climate change and the advance - ment of renewable energy, Alaska’s metal resources could play a major role in the technologies that under - pin these critical endeavors. With the growing global demand for metals spurred by these and oth - er advancements in transportation, medicine, automation, machinery, and electronics, Alaska is well-po - sitioned to lead future innovations. Created in 1992, the organization works to inspire Alaskans to realize
a shared goal of safe and sustain - able mineral production, provid - ing economic and social benefits to Alaska communities and Alaskans. It has sponsored Mining Day at the Alaska State Fair since creating the event in 2008. Members include Coeur Alas - ka, Hecla, Kinross Alaska, North - ern Star Resources, Teck, Donlin Gold, NANA, NOVAGOLD, Tower Hill Mines, Constantine, the Pebble Partnership and the Alaska Miners Association. Explore AKMetalMines.com to discov- er more about the importance of min- ing in modern society and how Alaska metals make the impossible possible.
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The Alaska Miner
Summer 2023
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Data contained in this document is sourced from the McKinley Research Group 2022 update of their report: “The Economic Benefits of Alaska’s Mining Industry.
Alaska Miners Association, Inc.
Council of Alaska Producers
Council of Alaska Producers
Alaska Miners Association AlaskaMiners
AlaskaProducers
akminers.org
alaskaproducers.org
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