High-grade gold ore from Manh Choh will be blended with low- er-grade ore from Fort Knox and processed in the mill at Fort Knox. The mine is expected to operate for four to five years, producing about 1 million ounces of gold. During its operating life, the mine will pay an estimated $600 million in production payroll after $75 million in construction payroll. The average annual wage of jobs at the mine will be about $125,000 per year. About $425 million will be spent for services and goods. Additionally, Manh Choh will re- sult in several million dollars being spent in the local community for training, education, scholarships and sponsorships. Even during the planning and initial construction, the mine was a substantial contributor to the region with $1.7 million injected into the local area in 2021. Seventy four per - cent of this spending was with Alas - ka-based businesses. There was also $208,000 in do- nations to local nonprofits and com - munity organizations, and commu - nity support has also been extended to organizations and people in the nearby Tok area. Training and other workforce de- velopment is being done in partner - ship with the Tanana Chiefs Con - ference, the Fairbanks-based tribal support organization. One significant new project for the community is an elder’s home, which will support 35 beds for elder com - munity members and elders from the surrounding area. The elder’s home will keep fami - lies together, enhance and enrich the lives of children in the community, and support the sharing of tradition - al knowledge and activities. Meanwhile, the trucking of ore from Tetlin to Fairbanks has attract- ed considerable interest, and some concerns. About 3,000 tons of ore will be trucked daily with an average pay - load of 50 tons per truck. There will be about 60 round trips done per day, with a frequency of about 2.5 trips per hour on the Alaska and Richard - son Highways. Trial runs with trucks will be- gin late in 2023 with the frequency ramping up into the second half of 2024. The trucks will meet highway load restrictions and operations will not require special approvals. Information on the trucking is be -
ing provided to the DOTPF (Depart - ment of Transportation and Public Facilities) Transportation Advisory Committee that has been formed for the road corridor. Meanwhile, the addition of Manh Choh ore to that produced at the Fort Knox mine will help sustain Fort Knox, which has now been producing for 27 years and is an important part of the Fairbanks economy. Fort Knox is now the largest gold producer in Alaska and the sec -
ond-largest taxpayer in Fairbanks, with roughly $127 million paid yearly in property taxes. Fort Knox is also a major employ - er, with 715 direct jobs in 2021 and $829 million paid in annual payroll and $2.8 billion paid in purchases of goods and services from local ven- dors over 25 years of operation at the mine.
— Tim Bradner
47
Fall 2023
The Alaska Miner
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