Conference revisits Alaska’s critical minerals

By Marleanna Hall

The second annual Strategic Minerals Summit in Fairbanks kicked off in late November with an update on Alaska’s critical and strategic minerals by Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan. The State of Alaska and the University of Alaska Fairbanks hosted the event.

“We take being environmental stewards very seriously,” said Sullivan in his opening remarks. Projects in Alaska must meet some of the most stringent permitting regulations in the world.

Sullivan noted Alaska, if it were its own country, would rank in the top ten for coal, copper, lead, gold, zinc, and silver. Alaska’s minerals, much like the seafood it exports, are highly valuable, and could be marketable around the world.

Senator Lisa Murkowski said it is important to educate Americans on the importance of minerals, and that the nation’s security depends on critical minerals.

Alaska has 2,800 occurrences of strategic and/or critical minerals, and $7,000,000 was spent on critical mineral exploration in Alaska in 2011, noted Curtis Freeman, with Avalon Development Corporation.

There are many issues facing exploration and development, including access, energy, the natural environment.

The high cost of energy and the lack of energy sources available is an important challenge facing projects in Alaska. Alaska Senator John Coghill discussed finding new ways to make energy more accessible for more Alaskans, including these projects.

Critical minerals are important for renewable energy as well, providing many of the required elements for wind turbines, solar panels, and high mileage per gallon cars.

Michael Silver, with American Elements, further expressed the need for development of Alaska’s minerals as a way to prevent the U.S. consumption of conflict materials imported from other countries.

Silver went on to discuss what the energy future will entail, such as turbines, solar panels, and other green energy sources. He explained the raw materials for wind turbines, and more, are in the ground. “If we’re going to build the future, we need mining,” he stated.

Mining sector jobs continue to be an engine of the state economy, with an average wage of $100,000 per year.

“More than half of the direct jobs in mining are in rural Alaska,” said Commissioner Susan Bell of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED). “We anticipate a 20 percent growth in mining the next decade.” She continued by noting that mineral resource development and building up Alaska’s infrastructure are DCCED priorities.

The Summit concluded with Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell highlighting the uniqueness of Alaska. Treadwell described Alaska as a big peninsula, with oceans to the north and south, and of great distance to investment capital for projects. Additionally, Alaskans need access to projects, and should expect exciting things to happen with Roads to Resources.

Treadwell described the last time the U.S. looked into critical minerals, in the 1980s, noting, “It’s very important we look again.”

For more information on the Summit, and to view a list of all speakers and presentations, visit the State’s website at: http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/priorities/2012_minerals_summit_slides.html

Return to newsletter headlines