Alaska ranks No. 14 in Fraser survey 12/16/2007
According to a Fraser Institute survey report released Dec. 10, Alaska ranks 14th for oil and gas investment out of 54 jurisdictions around the world. "This means that Alaska was perceived by responde...

MINING NEWS: Most exciting industry developments in a decade highlight '07 Alaska Miners Convention 11/25/2007
For those of you who could not attend the Alaska Miners Association convention in Anchorage in early November, you missed what I understand was a record attendance and presentations on some of the mos...

MINING NEWS: Shall we count our blessings or our fingers? 11/25/2007
The price of gold surged through $800 per ounce recently, headed north; and all gold miners (as well as the producers of many other commodities in the United States) are bound to have a happy Thanksgi...

MINING NEWS: Mining industry seeks reasonable reform 11/25/2007
Laura Skaer, executive director of the Northwest Miners Association, outlined the top 10 problems she sees with H.R. 2262 at the Alaska Miners Association convention in early November. The bill: • Wo...

MINING NEWS: Is U.S. Senate end of road for H.R. 2262? 11/25/2007
Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 passes U.S. House; other body looks at throwing it out and starting with clean slate
Representatives Nick Rahall, D-W.V., and Jim Costa, D-Calif., introduced H.R. 2262, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, in the U.S. House of Representatives as a replacement for the 1872...

MINING NEWS: Production halted at Nixon Fork gold mine 10/28/2007
New St. Andrew CEO seeks better definition of resource, additional exploration to expand known reserves
St. Andrew Goldfield Ltd. announced Oct. 10 that it is temporarily suspending production at the Nixon Fork Gold Mine northeast of McGrath. The news came on the heels of Jacques Perron, 46, joining th...

MINING NEWS: Anglo CEO: Initiative will halt mining 10/28/2007
Top exec promises environmental protections for Bristol Bay; Pebble owners expand huge eastern copper-gold-molybdenum deposit
It would put a halt to activity around mining in Alaska." That's what Cynthia Carroll, president and CEO of global mining giant Anglo American plc, had to say about the Clean Water Initiative when as...

MINING NEWS: A conversation with Steve Borell 10/28/2007
Longtime Alaska Miners exec says busy mining industry brings good jobs, significant public revenue and excitement to state
Steve Borell, longtime executive director of the Alaska Miners Association, sat down to discuss the state of the industry recently. Borell expressed optimism and excitement about the industry's future...

MINING NEWS: The State of the State: Mining is Making It 10/28/2007
The early indications are that this year's Alaska Miners Association convention will be the best attended in recent memory. The present economic climate of consistent high demand for commodities and t...

MINING NEWS: Millrock banking on giants in Alaska 08/26/2007
New company exploring its first property on the Seward Peninsula is headed by local geologists with big company background
Greg Beischer is a familiar face in Alaska's mining industry, but he's wearing a new hat now. For the past few years he's played a peripheral role, working for Bristol Environmental and Engineering Se...

Ruling lifts cloud over state authority 07/01/2007
U.S. Supreme Court upholds federal approach to transferring permit-granting power to DEC over wastewater discharge permits
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling June 25 lifted a cloud of uncertainty from a federal plan to convey to the State of Alaska powers under the Clean Water Act governing oversight of wastewater discharge perm...

MINING NEWS: Mining at stake in Tongass timber battle 05/27/2007
State of Alaska, miners respond to Forest Service call for public comments on latest land management plan for national forest
Though environmentalists appear to be fighting to curtail logging in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, the stakes are much bigger, according to concerned Alaskans. The battle currently...

MINING NEWS: Technology enhances Red Dog processing 04/29/2007
Operating for 17 years, Arctic lead-zinc mine shows no sign of slowing down, and finding space for new equipment is a challenge
As production steadily increases, investment in mill upgrades is making a big difference in the quality of lead and zinc concentrates at Teck Cominco's Red Dog mine in northwest Alaska. Bringing in ne...

Senate deletes effort to take over NPDES 04/15/2007
The Senate version of the state operating budget eliminates funding that would allow Alaska to take over federal control of wastewater discharge permitting in the state. The money is intended to pay f...

MINING NEWS: Water use bill goes back to drawing board 03/25/2007
Some residents of Bristol Bay area say they desperately need economic development, including Pebble mine; others afraid for fisheries
A bill in the Alaska Legislature that would place severe restrictions on water use in the Bristol Bay area is undergoing revision by its sponsor, Rep. Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham. House Bill 134, wa...

MINING NEWS: Court ruling blasts Kensington project 03/25/2007
Lawsuit against tailings facility that was dismissed last year will be upheld by appeals court, which decided lake must be protected
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit is preparing to rule against construction of the tailings facility at Kensington gold mine near Juneau. The court made the announcement March 16 in a s...

MINING NEWS: Mining under the microscope in Juneau 03/25/2007
For a change, Alaska's large mines received praise from an environmentalist during public testimony in the legislature about House Bill 156, the mining tax bill, March 21. Kate Troll, executive direct...

MINING NEWS: Industry opposes Alaska mining tax reform 03/25/2007
Pebble controversy is raising public awareness of mining taxes; Rep. Seaton says legislative action could stave off ballot initiative
Should the mining industry's tax rate in Alaska be compared with that of the much larger oil and gas industry, because they both deal with non-renewable resources, or is it fairer to align mining w...