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Industry Profiles :: Mining Industry Mining Industry The 2002 cumulative value of Alaska's mining industry is $1.073 billion, an increase of $50 million from the $1.022 billion reported in 2001. There was a 10 percent increase in exploration investment from 2001 ($26.5 million in 2002 versus $23.8 million in 2001). The 58 percent decrease in mineral development investment to $34.1 million in 2002 compared with the $81.2 million reported in 2001 was more than offset by the $100 million increased value of mineral products. Alaska's mineral production value was $1.01 billion, rebounding from the 2001 value of $917 million. Metals, with a value of $823 million, accounted for 81 percent of total production; and zinc continued to be the most valuable metal in terms of total revenue generated. Total minerals industry employment in 2002 was 2,824 full-time-equivalent jobs, a drop of 11 jobs from the 2,835 jobs reported in 2001. Declines were mostly in the development sector, counteracted by an increase in the lode gold mining and industrial minerals sectors. One thousand five hundred thirty-one new state mining claims, 57 new state prospecting sites, and 261 new federal claims were staked in 2002. State claim staking increased from 2001 levels, while the number of new federal mining claims was the lowest in the past 10 years. Land under claim in Alaska continued to drop from 1999 levels, with approximately 2.6 million acres of land covered by claims and prospecting sites in 2002, a 29 percent drop from the 3.7 million acres under claim in 1999. Drilling was conducted during all phases of mining (exploration, development, and production) and drilling totals for 2002 are 385,290 feet of core drilling and 103,612 feet of reverse-circulation drilling. The southwestern region had the most drilling of all Alaska regions, followed by the eastern interior and the southeastern regions. Exploration during 2002 occurred across most regions of the state, with almost half of the exploration funds spent in southwestern Alaska. The eastern interior region saw a sharp reduction in activity, while the Seward Peninsula experienced a rebirth in activity. Several large projects accounted for most of the exploration expenditures and drill footage: Donlin Creek gold project; Pebble copper–gold project; Greens Creek mine exploration; and Fairbanks mining district gold projects. Gold remained the major exploration commodity, with more than $17 million spent on exploration in 2002, although polymetallic exploration increased from recent levels. More than 72 percent of the exploration funds were derived from Canadian sources. The decline in development investment mainly reflects completion of ongoing projects at Red Dog Mine in northern Alaska, but small projects were reported at the Fort Knox/True North complex, Usibelli Coal Mine, and Pogo Project in the interior, and at Kensington and Greens Creek mines in southeastern Alaska. Production at Greens Creek Mine reached record levels, and was robust at Fort Knox and Red Dog mines. The placer gold production level of 22,000 ounces was comparable to that of the previous year. DGGS conducted a detailed, 300-person-day geologic mapping project in the Salcha River–Pogo geophysical tract in the Big Delta Quadrangle. DGGS also contracted an airborne geophysical survey in the Council area east of Nome and released results of surveys flown in 2001 in the southeastern Pogo, Broad Pass, and Liberty Bell areas. Airborne geophysical surveys funded by BLM and managed by DGGS were flown in the southern Delta River area west of Paxson, and in the Red Devil–Sleetmute area of southwestern Alaska. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) continued metallogenic studies at the Red Dog deposit, collected geochemical samples in southwestern Alaska including water samples in Donlin Creek and the surrounding area, and conducted gravity and magnetic geophysical studies on the Talkeetna Mountains Transect Project. BLM conducted a 7-week field program in the southern part of the Delta River mining district of eastern and southcentral Alaska. The above is an excerpt from the report, “Alaska's Mineral Industry 2002”, a cooperative venture between the Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys and the Division of Mining, Land, & Water in the Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Community & Business Development in the Department of Community & Economic Development. Key Contacts Alaska Miners Association Steve Borell, Executive Director 3305 Arctic, #202 Anchorage, AK 99503 Tel: (907) 563-9229 Fax: (907) 563-9225 www.alaskaminers.org Alaska Department of Natural Resources 550 W. 7th Ave., Ste. 1400 Anchorage, AK 99501 Tel: (907) 269-8431 Fax:(907) 269-8918 www.state.ak.us Alaska Department of Community & Economic Development Margy Johnson, Director 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1770 Anchorage, Alaska (AK) 99501 Tel: (907) 269-8110 Fax: (907) 276-3887 www.state.ak.us Top of Page Juneau Headquarters: 217 Second Street, Suite 201, Juneau, AK 99801 Phone: 907.586.2323, Fax: 907.463.5515, Email: info@alaskachamber.com Anchorage Office: 601 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 700, Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907.278.2722, Fax: 907.278.6643 Copyright © 2003 - Present. The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, all rights reserved. Designed by WebWeavers Technology Group LLC™ |
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