Spring 2024 CELEBRATING ALASKA'S MINERS! Volume 52, Number 4 Online: AlaskaMiners.org INSIDE: Meet Our Board of Directors 1939 - 2024 years The official magazine of the Alaska Miners Association and the mining industry in Alaska INSIDE THIS ISSUE n Full recap of AMA's Fairbanks Convention n AMA's 2024 award winners n Faces of Mining: Kristina Woolston n Value of Alaska's mines exceeds $4 billion
Dear Alaska Miners, If it’s April, we must be in Juneau. Or Washington D.C. Or Fairbanks. Or all of them! As many of you have experienced, it’s been an incredible whirlwind of activity and great events for us this spring. We have spent many days in Juneau on your behalf, highlighted by our second Juneau Mining Forum, again cosponsored with our partner Alaska Metal Mines. This fabulous event gives us a chance to bring Alaska mining to the forefront with our elected representatives in the Legislature. And for many of you to meet one-on-one with your own elected officials, as well as the agencies that have so much impact on our work. In Juneau, we also had an epic and memorable History Night, honoring some of the amazing pioneers of Alaska mining in Southeast Alaska. We are representing you this month in Washington, D.C. at a new event, Alaska Resources Day in DC, partnering with nine of our other resource development associations to take our story on the road (some might say it’s going into the belly of the beast!) so those in a position to help clear paths and open doors for future Alaska mining know the truth. Then there was Fairbanks — how could that seem like it happened so long ago? You’ll see evidence throughout this magazine of the epic spring convention we had in the Golden Heart City. You know we haven’t been able to meet in Fairbanks for a spring convention since 2018. What you might have lost track of is how much we added to this year’s agenda: n Mine tours at Kinross Fort Knox and to the Permafrost Tunnel; n a new Young Professionals event; and Shark Tank! n Curling; n History Night celebrating three amazing Alaska mining pioneers; n a full week of programs and speakers; n our largest Fairbanks trade show ever; and n a sold-out award banquet to honor four amazing AMA members. All of these wonderful events are only possible thanks to our tremendous generous and loyal financial sponsors and trade show vendors. They carry the freight to make everything else we do possible. Hand in hand with that financial support comes the priceless and selfless work of our many volunteers on the Fairbanks convention committee, helping us plan, organize and deliver the goods for you at this year’s event. If we’ve made one mistake, it might be that we’ve set the bar so high, we’ll have to work even harder to beat this next time! I also need to take a moment to thank, and tell you how proud I am of, our amazing AMA staff. Jennifer Luiten has been with AMA (can you believe it?) for six years as our membership and fundraising director. She’s an expert cat herder and lion tamer, and the master at organizing the millions of details at the events and programs that keep AMA strong. She is also a joy to work with, as all of you know. Carin Currier joined us just this year as our communications director and has led our charge into social media, giving you more ways to follow and connect with us wherever you like. She’s also brilliant at the innovative programs we’ve created to connect with young professionals, like our after-hours events, and the new "Shark Tank" contest at our Fairbanks Convention. Darlene Strickland has been with AMA for more than a decade and has always been our voice of reason and steady hand on the business of our association. She is relentless in keeping our information current on each single member and she’s almost certainly the first voice you hear on any call to AMA. Jennifer, Carin and I often joke that when Darlene goes on vacation, the walls start to sag, and we don’t know where anything is! They are all so good at taking care of you and our association (and me, which cannot be a pleasant job). I am thankful every day for them. And I’m thankful for each of you, making us the strong association and family we are. Deantha Skibinski AMA Executive Director Executive Director’s Report www.AlaskaMiners.org 1
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www.AlaskaMiners.org 3 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. Ted Hawley Anchorage Ethan Trickey Denali Dave Larimer Fairbanks Jan Hill Haines Jason Hart Juneau Houston Morris Kenai Ken Hughes Nome Robert Fithian Ketchikan/Prince of Wales Deantha Skibinski Executive Director Jennifer Luiten Membership and Fundraising Director Carin Currier Projects & Communications Manager Darlene Strickland Bookkeeping and Membership EXECUTIVE BOARD EDITORIAL CALENDAR ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION STAFF BRANCH CHAIRMEN Lorali Simon President, Usibelli Coal Mine, Healy Blake Bogart First Vice President, Graphite One Inc., Nome Houston Morris Second Vice President, IPA Alaska, Soldotna Kim Aasand Treasurer, Aasand & Glore LLC., Anchorage 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. 2 Executive Director’s Report 8 Women in Mining 2024 16 Faces of Mining: Kristina Woolston 22 Meet Your 2024 Board of Directors 36 Alaska Mining Exceeds $4 Billion 44 Fairbanks Convention 2024 52 AMA’s Best Honored in Fairbanks 60 Newest Mining Business and Service Directory TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER: Kristin Kulikoff is an Exploration Geologist at Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine. THIS PAGE: Winter skies provide a frequent reminder of what an amazing place Alaska miners are able to work. Usibelli Coal Mine night shift production foreman Jeremy Hoffman captured this amazing image of the Northern Lights dancing over the coal seams at Usibelli. Photo Courtesy Jeremy Hoffman. The official magazine of the Alaska Miners Association and the mining industry in Alaska Summer 2024 People in Mining Fall 2024 Annual Anchorage Convention Winter 2025 Legislative and Season Preview Spring 2025 Project Updates
President’s Message From Lorali Simon "Thank you to those of you who joined us for the spring convention in Fairbanks. It’s humbling to be in a leadership role with this association, really this extended family of professionals, who support our Alaska mining industry." It’s spring in Alaska and the mining industry is looking forward to a great field season. Thank you to those of you who joined us for the spring convention in Fairbanks. It’s humbling to be in a leadership role with this association, really this extended family of professionals, who support our Alaska mining industry. I especially want to thank the sponsors and vendors who made such an event financially possible. It was an honor to chat with many of you on the tradeshow floor, as well as the amazing and tireless volunteers, and of course the AMA staff, who worked thousands of hours to make that possible. While I heard some complaints about the Carlson Center food, or not having power to the lounge, or even that the coffee ran out, I heard more praise and appreciation toward the AMA staff and volunteers for making this event happen. As you may have heard, this was our first spring convention in six years. While some of the ways things had been done in the past were lost with the volunteers who ran things then, I believe the new Fairbanks Convention Committee put together an exciting event with pertinent presentations and crowd-drawing speakers. We heard about the stability in minerals demand and prices, as well as the new projects moving forward, and a growing realization among outsiders that mining in Alaska is critical. At our convention closing awards banquet, AMA recognized the tireless efforts and contributions of several volunteers. I would like to congratulate them again: Curt Freeman received the Chuck Hawley Lifetime Achievement Award for his amazing lifetime of work across Alaska, North America and overseas making discoveries that will continue to provide resources for decades to come, while selflessly sharing his knowledge through magazine columns and mentoring. Roger Burggraf, the original iron man who will outlast us all, received our Environmental Stewardship Award, for his lifetime dedication to responsible mining. At an age when most of us will be long retired, he continues working every day reclaiming former mine sites. His tenacity and skill at working collaboratively are an example for us all. Ken Hall received our Golden Heart Service Award for being a selfless superhero at serving not just Alaska miners but all Alaskans. He’s a leader in ours and other resource industry groups. While also being a fabulous emissary for Fairbanks and tackling every challenge with a giant grin and tireless determination. Brian Forrest received our Promising Prospector Award as a shining example of our future! Brian played a key role in our Fairbanks convention as well as our new focus on drawThank you for your amazing support The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 4
EVs and UAVs... Laptops and LEDs... Smartphones, solar cells and satellites... A revolution in materials science is changing our world. Graphite is at the center of that revolution. Graphite One: America’s Complete Advanced Graphite Supply Chain Solution Graphite One Tech Materials for Global Ingenuity www.GraphiteOneInc.com America’s Supply Chain for the Electrification of Everything TSX-V: GPH OTCQX: GPHOF www.AlaskaMiners.org 5 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! ing new young professionals to mining and to AMA. And there’s more to be excited about. As you see on the cover and in the pages of this magazine, we’re recognizing the amazing women who do a thousand jobs in our industry. Today women fill and lead every role in Alaska mining, from driving the trucks to manning the drills to exploring, financing and managing our current and future mines. This is exciting and worth celebrating! I am inspired to see women taking the lead. Amazing women you’ll read about here like Kristina Woolston and Brenna Schaake. I cannot close before highlighting Tom Bundtzen and the Alaska Mining Hall of Fame who honored four tremendous Alaskans and AMA members who made meaningful contributions to Alaska’s mining industry. Read all about them starting on Page 52. Now to the work ahead. As you read this, we will be in Washington D.C. for a historic first Alaska Resource Day on Capitol Hill, working with all our sister Alaska resource associations to educate those in leadership in Washington D.C. about the needs and opportunities and importance of Alaska mining. Because nobody is going to tell our story better than we are, and nobody will tell it if we don’t!
1939 - 2024 years Your Alaska Miners Association Is Celebrating 85 Years in 2024! Advocating Educating Networking Sharing SAVE THE DATE 12th Annual Mining Day Friday, May 10th in Healy, Alaska Watch AlaskaMiners.org for more details! And we’re just getting started!
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The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 8 Kinross Alaska honors women in mining Photos Courtesy Kinross Alaska Kinross Alaska celebrated Alaska’s amazing women in mining with three events, one in Tok with over 50 people, one in Fairbanks at Fort Knox, and a community event with Pogo Mine and Usibelli Coal Mine with over 300 people at a local brewery. This year’s theme was “Inspire Inclusion” so you see the hand sign is hands in a heart shape.
www.AlaskaMiners.org 9 MEET MANH CHOH ALASKA’S NEWEST GOLD MINE Mining is now underway at Manh Choh near Tok, where it will bring hundreds of jobs and millions in business opportunities to the region. Manh Choh is a joint venture with Contango ORE.
The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 10 BY SHANE LASLEY, NORTH OF 60 MINING NEWS Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is urging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to take these strong resolutions in support of the Ambler Access Project into consideration as it finalizes a reassessment of the federal permits needed to build this 211-mile transportation corridor to the Ambler Mining District. "The resolutions from these tribal communities are a clear indication of the importance of this project," he said. "Their inclusion in the final decision process by the BLM is not only appropriate but essential for a project of this magnitude." Leaders of many of the communities closest to the proposed road agree and feel that their voices are not being heard. "The voices opposing the Ambler Access Project have overlooked the growing support for the project among tribal communities," Vincent Simon Sr., a former chief and second chief for Allakaket Village, penned in an editorial published by Alaska Daily News. "Eleven of the villages closest to the project have voiced their support for the permitting process to proceed." Lying on the southern slopes of the Brooks Range in Northwest Alaska, the Ambler Mining District hosts highgrade deposits and prospects enriched with copper, zinc, lead, cobalt, silver, gold, and other metals. Ambler Metals — a joint venture partnership owned equally by South32 Ltd. and Trilogy Metals Inc. — has consolidated a 448,217-acre land package known as Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects, or UKMP, covering the world-class Arctic and Bornite deposits and more than a dozen earlier-staged mineral targets in the Ambler District. Located only about fifteen miles apart, these deposits host roughly 8.9 billion pounds of copper, 3.6 billion pounds of zinc, 626 million pounds of lead, 88 million pounds of cobalt, 770,000 ounces of gold, and 58.3 million ounces of silver. Future mines at these deposits about 200 miles west of Alaska's road system, however, require a means of delivering concentrates to global markets demanding reliable and responsible sources of copper, cobalt, and other metals. The importance of a road to the Ambler District is so great that U.S. Congress included special provisions in the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) that guarantees the approval of a transportation corridor to this metals-rich region of Northwest Alaska. "Congress finds that there is a need for access for surface transportation purposes across the Western (Kobuk River) unit of the Gates of the Arctic National Preserve (from the Ambler Mining District to the Alaska Pipeline Haul Road) and the Secretary shall permit such access in accordance with the provisions of this subsection." –Section 201 (4) of ANILCA. Villages want voices heard on Ambler Road
www.AlaskaMiners.org 11 The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, a quasi-public corporation better known as AIDEA, plans to build that vital transportation link and recoup the construction and maintenance costs from tolls charged to companies that develop mines in the district. In 2020, BLM and the National Park Service (NPS) issued AIDEA the federal permits needed to build a road and meet the Congressional mandate outlined in ANILCA. In 2022, however, BLM suspended the authorizations for further review. The federal land manager cited a lack of adequate consultation with Alaska tribes and evaluation of potential impacts the road might have on subsistence uses as reasons to reevaluate the previously issued authorizations. Over the past two years, BLM has been reanalyzing the proposed road, including further subsistence studies and additional tribal consultation. In October, BLM published a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) incorporating the findings from its extra analysis. "The latest draft includes additional data and analysis informed by robust Tribal consultation and cooperation, on-the-ground perspectives, and public input," BLM Alaska State Director Steve Cohn said at the time. Gov. Dunleavy and AIDEA officials are urging BLM to take into consideration recent resolutions in support of the Ambler Road from several rural Alaska communities that would be impacted by the project. This support includes strong endorsements for the road by the villages of Ruby and Hughes over the past couple of weeks. Recognizing the important role responsible resource development plays for residents living in Northwest Alaska, on March 20, the Ruby Tribal Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Ambler Road. "The Ruby Tribal Council is dedicated to ensuring jobs and opportunities for our children and grandchildren," said Ruby Tribal Council First Chief Patrick McCarty. "The resolution stands as a testament to our village's dedication to responsible resource development." Less than a week later, Hughes Village passed its own resolution for similar reasons. "This resolution embodies our dedication to responsible resource development and securing a prosperous future for our younger and coming generations," said Hughes Village Chief Thelma Nicholia. Due to the importance of responsible economic development for future generations, the village believes there should be a subtle shift in the narrative for Ambler Road. "The right question to ask is not 'what happens to our communities and Tribal members if a road is built and mining occurs?' but 'what happens to our communities and Tribal members if a road is not built and no jobs or opportunity exists for our children and future generations?" the Tribe wrote. This reframing of the Ambler Road question first voiced by Larry Westlake Sr., an elder from the village of Kiana, is why Hughes Village has come out in favor of the Ambler Road. "Supporting the Ambler Road is our way of steering towards a path of economic strength and job creation," said Chief Nicholia. "Our commitment to our community's future is unwavering." BACKUP POWER FOR ANY NEED. You need genuine power to keep you operating during an outage. From expansive data centers to your local gas station, Generac Industrial Power’s standby solutions ensure that you have the power to help meet your business needs, while our factory-certified technicians provide the most advanced service support to keep you productive. Find out what power solution is right for you. SMSEQUIPMENT.COM
The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 12 Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd., and its subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership (“Pebble Partnership” or “PLP”) have filed two separate actions in the federal courts challenging the federal government’s actions to prevent the companies from building a mine at the Pebble Project. One action, in Federal District Court in Alaska, seeks to vacate the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) veto of a development at Pebble. “This is the main focus of our legal actions,” Northern Dynasty said in a press release. “We are confident that the court will vacate the EPA veto and allow permitting of the Pebble project to resume because, as we have previously stated, the veto violated the law and was arbitrary and capricious.” The complaint in this action alleges, among many other points, the veto was issued in violation of various federal statutes regarding Alaska’s statehood rights and a land exchange approved by Congress; it was based on an overly broad legal interpretation of EPA’s jurisdiction which has since been over-ruled by the Supreme Court; its geographic scope exceeds that allowed by the statute; it was based on information previously developed by EPA in an illegal preemptive veto process that was designed to reach a predetermined result; and the factual basis stated to support the veto is directly contradicted by the July 2020 Environmental Impact Statement published by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”), which is an important part of the administrative record. The EPA has not demonstrated that either the development of the Pebble deposit will have unacceptable adverse effects under Section 404(c), or that there are any impacts to Bristol Bay fisheries that would justify the extreme measures in the final determination (veto). “Whatever authority the EPA may have under section 404(c), the general provision in the Clean Water Act cannot authorize the EPA to take action to block the specific economic activity that was Congress’s express purpose for granting these lands to the State of Alaska under the Cook Inlet Land Exchange,” Ron Thiessen, Northern Dynasty President and CEO, stated. “It cannot authorize the EPA to override the State’s regulatory preferences for the lands, or the State’s preference to allow modest use of some streams and wetlands in the vicinity of the Deposit to facilitate the extraction of the valuable critical minerals. This is just another example of gross EPA overreach of the powers granted to it by Congress.” An action is also being filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC, claiming that the actions by the EPA constitute an unconstitutional “taking” of Northern Dynasty’s and the Pebble Partnership’s property. Northern Dynasty plans to ask the court to defer considering this action until the EPA veto case, discussed above, has been finally resolved. The damages for “taking“ the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposit could be very substantial. “Our priority is to advance the District Federal Court Complaint, because overturning the illegal veto removes a major impediment from the path of getting the permit to build the proposed mine,” said Ron Thiessen, Northern Dynasty President and CEO. “The filing of the takings complaint puts the U.S. Government on notice that we will be seeking very substantial compensation if they continue to illegally block the lawful permitting process. It is basically an insurance policy, ensuring that this case is available to us when, or if, we decide to pursue it further,” Thiessen said. The State of Alaska will also be filing similar actions in Federal District Court in Alaska and the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. Northern Dynasty files lawsuits over Pebble veto Alaska sues EPA over Pebble mine prohibitions The State of Alaska has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeking to overturn an agency decision that it said effectively blocked development of one of the world’s largest copper and gold deposits. The complaint filed in an Anchorage federal court challenges the EPA’s 2023 final determination that prohibited the discharge of mining waste from the so-called Pebble deposit into the state’s Bristol Bay. The EPA in reaching its decision said it was concerned that mining waste would degrade the watershed and harm important fishing ecosystems. The state said the agency’s decision would deny it billions in revenues from taxes and royalties and called the move “a blatant affront to the sovereignty” of the state. The State says the EPA’s decision arbitrarily failed to properly consider the costs and benefits of its decision in violation of federal administrative law and exceeded its authority under the federal Clean Water Act. It asked the court to set aside the final determination and declare the EPA violated those laws. The case is Alaska v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, case No. 3:24-cv-00084.
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The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 14 Recent articles have questioned the importance of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and led to several misconceptions. AIDEA's mission is simple — create jobs and economic opportunities for Alaskans. This mission is critical for the state's development and prosperity. AIDEA's work on projects like the Red Dog Mine has been instrumental in creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for Alaskans. AIDEA is a catalyst in developing infrastructure and boosting the economy. AIDEA's involvement in the Red Dog Mine is the best example of the success of our mission. The mine has provided more than 3,000 jobs and $1.3 billion to the State of Alaska and ANCSA corporations — which would not have materialized without AIDEA’s investment in the Red Dog Road and Port infrastructure. It exemplifies our focus on impactful investments that benefit Alaskans. The statutes that govern AIDEA consider the long-term economic health of Alaska. We invest in businesses and projects for the purpose of employment. Our mandate is not solely to generate immediate financial returns, but to foster overall economic growth and jobs. An important misconception to address is how AIDEA is funded. AIDEA is self-funded by its investments and projects. AIDEA sends its profits back to the state in an annual dividend. To date, AIDEA has contributed an impressive $468 million in dividends. Criticism of AIDEA originates from a biased ‘report’ by an environmental group motivated by a political agenda. The funding for this report has a predetermined opposition to infrastructure development. Such funding raises questions about the report's objectivity and casts doubts on its conclusions. AIDEA opponents do not consider the mission of AIDEA. They criticize projects like the Snettisham Hydroelectric dam, where AIDEA took a lower rate of return because there was a greater purpose of lowering electric rates to consumers. In response to concerns about AIDEA investments, it's important to recognize development involves calculated risks and a vision for the future. For instance, our support for the Ambler Road project is driven by its potential to unlock significant mineral resources, fostering economic development in the region and jobs for rural Alaskans. While there are challenges, we believe in the project's long-term benefits for Alaska. Furthermore, AIDEA operates a high degree of transparency and accountability. We are subject to annual independent audits, ensuring our operations align with the highest standards of fiscal responsibility. Our commitment to Alaska's prosperity is unwavering, and we continue to seek opportunities that promise economic growth and job creation. AIDEA is a vital entity in Alaska's development and economic landscape. We remain dedicated to our mission of driving economic growth and jobs. Our focus continues to be on the long-term benefits for Alaskans, ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future for our state. Randy Ruaro is the Executive Director of AIDEA. He is a licensed attorney with 28 years of experience working on access issues, permitting and state land rights for Alaska. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Willamette University. Prior to joining AIDEA, Ruaro served as Gov. Dunleavy’s Chief of Staff and Special Assistant for Statehood Defense. He has over 20 years of experience providing administrative oversight to state agencies, agency leaders, and implementing policies supporting resource development, infrastructure, and job growth. AIDEA focused on Alaska jobs RANDY RUARO
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The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 16 Kristina Woolston has spent a lifetime in community service in Alaska, currently as external affairs manager for Donlin Gold. She’s also an avid and active snow machiner, which fits perfectly with her recent experience as an Ambassador for the 40th Anniversary of the Iron Dog. She took a few minutes with us to reflect on her Iron Dog experience, as well as how it reflects Donlin’s commitment to this region. “We support the Iron Dog and Iditarod events because they carry on the cultures of our remote communities and what it takes to live and work in Rural Alaska. “We want to support the communities that host the Iditarod because of the resources and effort it takes to support these world-class events." Donlin has sponsored teams of riders as well, but as part of the Ambassador program, that role expanded to advocating for safer riding in the rural communities. The Iron Dog Ambassador team is a goodwill team of Iron Dog supporters who visit the communities along the Iron Dog trail to show their appreciation for all the volunteer work that gets done by the people along the route. They spread safety messages, take part in the helmet giveaway program, and generally travel the trail at a leisurely pace. Still, they must travel the same route and experience the same conditions as the pros and expedition class folks encounter. Former champion Scott Davis leads the Ambassadors. “It’s part of our safety culture, and I love working with the communities. And we’ve made an impact with our helmet and goggle program.” By distributing free helmets and goggles, and advocating for their use, the program is aimed at young Alaskans who grow up riding snow machines and four-wheelers. “A few years ago, just a month after the race, a kid on a machine, wearing one of our helmets, had to crash to avoid a moose. Wearing that helmet probably saved his life.” “I grew up in a village. Kids in villages didn’t wear helmets, think about brain trauma, or any of that. But if I’d have known how warm a helmet is, I’d have been wearing one a long time ago!” “Our goal was to stop at communities on the way and give safety briefings, and fit kids for helmets, some as young as 3-4 years. And get them to start wearing helmets and goggles early. “Ashley Wood was my partner and we trained together. She had been one of the only female teams to compete in Iron Dog.” The Ambassadors were more than ceremonial, she added. In each issue of The Alaska Miner, we recognize a member of our Alaska mining community. This issue we are interviewing Kristina Woolston, who recently took part in the Iron Dog. Faces of Mining Kristina Woolston External Affairs Manager, Donlin Gold
“We broke trail, cut trees, built snow crossings, cleared stakes and big rocks. Sometimes there were feet of snow to break, to create trail. “I’m a capable rider, but I’m also a small woman! I can’t pull a machine out of a creek bed. There were multiple snow drifts where we all got stuck. It’s the decisions you make on the trail, to be safe.” The experience was packed with memories, she added. “I learned so much from the pro class riders. And to meet and talk with the people in these communities in a totally different way. “I have been hunting on the Yukon River, but it's massively cool to be riding that frozen river, at midnight, under a full moon, going 100 miles an hour! “My dad grew up with a dog team, while I grew up using snow machines, so the modes of transportation in Alaska have modernized greatly. But I’m not a mechanic, and that’s part of being pro class racer.” An active rider, trail runner and mountain biker, she admitted the rides were demanding. “I’d only been able to do three rides before the race. I’d worked out two or three hours a day, doing a thousand squats, but you can’t account for the wear and tear and impact of the trail. Like through The Burn, going over dirt. Your hands are raw, everything hurts.” Conditions can change radically, too. www.AlaskaMiners.org 17 From exploration to production, we have decades of experience serving the mining industry in all stages of operations. Streamline your camp services with NMS, an Alaska Native-owned company. Let’s Talk Bradley Berberich Strategic Account Manager | 907.982.2533 Bradley.Berberich@nmsusa.com nmsusa.com RUNNING ALASKA’S REMOTE CAMPS SINCE 1974 CONTINUED on PAGE 18
The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 18 Faces of Mining FACES, CONTINUED from PAGE 17 “The week before, it was 50 below. Then it was in the teens and up to the 40s on the days we ran. We were fortunate. “But on the last day, crossing Norton Sound, it was a complete whiteout. We were riding bumper to bumper for six hours on the ice. You could sense open water there, somewhere on your left. Robby, our team lead, was keeping us on the GPS track. But you’re concentrating so hard for so long and it’s so dry, my eyeballs were swollen! “It was such a blast!” And how does a race like this relate to Donlin’s goal of a future mine? The Donlin Gold project is located in the historic Kuskokwim Gold Belt of Southwest Alaska, 10 miles north of the village of Crooked Creek. It spans a geographic area larger than the size of the states of Ohio and Idaho combined. The gold is located on Calista Corporation and The Kuskokwim Corporation land, and when mined will be subject to 7(i) and 7(j) royalty to share amongst every other Alaska Native Corporation. “There are 62 stakeholder communities that we work with in the Calista, CIRI and Doyon region and we work with them all year. “We do cleanups, we provide education, we provide employment that can become a generational change in wealth. There were people from 23 of these communities represented in our workforce last year. “Our community support is a way of saying thank you.” Donlin does community programs year around. “We support our communities and volunteers in everything we do. For example, the elder mentor program, and Girl Scouts, and sports through the Alaska School Activities Association. “This can be a big part of us investing in and supporting these communities. “I was born and raised in Naknek. Dad was from Lake Illiama.” Her father was and is the mentor who started her on a life of service. “Dad was on the BBNC board and raised me this way. I grew up going to meetings and being involved and engaged. I told my parents in third grade I’d decided to be lobbyist!” She left Alaska for college, earning a degree in government and Native studies from Dartmouth. After a brief career outside, she returned to a career in community relations for a number of industries and Native corporations, as well as owning Alaska’s largest Native-owned advertising agency, Northwest Strategies. “I started with Donlin 25 years ago,” she reflected. “Think about, we’ve been working on this 25 years! “We are a transparent and factbased industry and company. We know it’s critically important that this work be done right. We understand that. And we’ve seen time and time again we do it right in Alaska. “Ours is a land of extreme bounty and we are stewards of the land. It’s a generational commitment to protection. “The reason Donlin Gold is here is because the corporations invited us. This is an Alaska Native project, and they guide everything we do. “It is a passion project for me. In my career I’ve been dedicated to companies and projects that provide social and economic opportunity. I grew up on a commercial fishing boat, setting nets, catching fish. This is our life, but you can’t make a living. This is a way to support our kids in school, who want to live in our communities and do meaningful work. To work for us, to afford new gear, to have more time with their families, to live healthier. These are traditionally cash economies and we’re finding a way for people to work and support themselves.”
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The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 20 Alaska Resource Education unveiled a new and creative program this spring, awarding scholarships to two Alaska teachers, to advance their innovative approaches to teach the importance of Alaska’s resources to their students. Those two winning teachers were honored at the Fairbanks convention. Jennifer Cooper is a home school mother and teacher, with children in second to sixth grades. But beyond her own family, she leads homeschool and creates unique learning for 30-50 similar aged children in her expanded home school community. Jennifer plans to focus on exploring the jobs and opportunities in Alaska and would like to show the importance of mining in our community and environment. She plans to use the scholarship for educational materials as well as field trips. The second winning teacher, Heather Bogardus, plans to teach a new unit for the Earth & Space Science, and Natural Resources classes at North Pole High School for approximately 125 students That program has limited funding for providing students with opportunities to interact with industries and professionals outside of the classroom. Being able to immerse students in the environment around them increases student engagement and their ability to retain and transfer knowledge between content areas. Heather plans to spend the scholarship on mineral educational materials and tools, as well as a field trip to the Kinross Fort Knox Mine. Alaska Resource Education awards pair of teachers Teacher Heather Bogardus, above, with Beki Toussaint of ARE, Deantha Skibinski and Lisa Cassino. Home school teacher Jennifer Cooper, below, plans to expand ARE programs to home school students.
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The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 22 The Alaska Miners Association is blessed to be governed and advised by a large and dedicated board of directors, in addition to our full-time staff of four. Directors were elected by each of our eight branches across Alaska in fall 2023. On the pages that follow are individual profiles of your new officers as well as board members.We hope you’ve been able to meet all of our board members at our annual convention in Anchorage in November or our spring convention in Fairbanks. As you can see, they reflect the best of Alaska and of our industry. We want you to know their stories and feel comfortable reaching out to them with questions or ideas. Being a director demands a real commitment in time, travel and money to our association, and to the future of our industry, with frequent meetings, occasions to testify and network with government leaders, and some occasional fun! The strength of our organization is the experience, dedication, diversity and determination of our members, as reflected in our leadership. And in the coming year, whether we meet via Zoom, email or in person, know that your leadership is working hard every day to protect your interests and advance mining in Alaska. Meet your AMA Board for 2024-25!
www.AlaskaMiners.org 23 AMA Board Member Profiles AMA Board Members: Statewide Officers President Lorali Simon Lorali’s family was one of the original colonist families in the Mat-Su Valley, which settled there in the 1930s. Lorali grew up in Palmer and graduated from Palmer High School. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Lorali serves as an executive committee member of the Board of Directors for the Resource Development Council and Alaska Miners Association. In 2010, Lorali was selected as one of Alaska’s Top 40 Under 40. Lorali began her professional career as a legislative aide in the Alaska State Legislature where she held many positions including House Resources Committee Aide, Finance Aide, and Chief of Staff. After spending nearly 10 years with the legislature, Lorali served as the Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager at the University of Alaska before moving on to Matanuska Electric as the Government and Corporate Communications Manager. Lorali joined Usibelli Coal Mine in the spring of 2010 and serves as the Vice President of External Affairs. Vice President Blake Bogart I have been a part of AMA for 13 years now. I studied mining engineering and environmental studies at UAF. I have worked on various hard rock, exploration, and placer projects around Nome. I have played a part of a few roles in the AMA Nome branch; I love working with Alaska Resource Education whenever they come to Nome! I really enjoy the mining industry in Alaska, some of the best people around. I enjoy fly-fishing and playing hockey. I also enjoy supporting my daughters Kourtney (7) and Kyla (4) in anything they want to do, currently Kourtney is into swimming and STEM. Kyla likes to sing and tell jokes. My wife, Kelly, and I enjoy spending time at our camp and fishing and hunting in the midnight sun on the Seward Peninsula. Second Vice President Houston Morris I work for Industrial Pumps Of Alaska. We are Alaskan owned and operated, and I am proud to be part of it. Our focus is sales, repair, manufacturing, and engineering of industrial pumping equipment (Pumps, mech seals, gear boxes, and motors). The AMA does an amazing job educating and advocating for mining in Alaska. Being on the board for AMA is my way to help protect and advocate for mining into the future. The ability to responsibly develop our natural resources is imperative for companies like IPA. When not working I spend most my free time with my family and friends. My kids, Hudson and Lola are my number one focus. Most of our time is spent fishing, hunting, camping … mainly enjoying Alaska and all that it offers. Treasurer Kim Aasand Mr. Aasand has over 30 years of public accounting experience. He is a member in Aasand & Glore, LLC. He has been a member of the Alaska Miners Association for over 20 years. Mr. Aasand is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Alaska Society of CPAs, and past Board member for the Alaska Society of CPAs. He also holds an accreditation from the American Institute of CPA as a Personal Financial Specialist. As a member of Aasand & Glore, LLC, Mr. Aasand oversees client services for a large, diversified group of clients. Along with tax preparation services, other services provided include financial & tax planning and business consulting and IRS representation. Personal time I enjoy spending time with family, pickleball, golf, hiking, travel, fishing, and being outdoors. LORALI SIMON BLAKE BOGART KIM AASAND HOUSTON MORRIS
The Alaska Miner Spring 2024 24 Chairman Ted Hawley I grew up in Alaska spending summers with my family at remote geological exploration and mining camps and winters in Anchorage. I graduated from Dimond HS in 1972 and after starting a family attended Humboldt State University and obtained a BS in Environmental Resources Engineering. From 1982 through the present, I’ve worked in private consulting engineering, primarily leading design and construction of solid waste facilities. Since 2008 I’ve been part of HDR’s environmental science and engineering group in Alaska. I got involved in AMA about 2008 and became Anchorage Branch Chair in 2014. I value this organization highly and am happy to serve. Vice Chair Jeanine Schmidt Jeanine Schmidt is a retired economic geologist born in Detroit. After working on farms in Ontario and evaluating prospects the SW US for Exxon Minerals, she moved to Alaska, working for Anaconda and Bear Creek Mining Co. before spending 30 years at the USGS Branch of Alaskan Geology. She earned a B.S. in Geology from the Univ. of Michigan, and M.S. and PhD in Ore Deposits and Exploration from Stanford University. She is currently active on AMA’s State and Federal Oversight committees, previously served on the ARE Curriculum committee, as Sec./Treasurer of the SC AK chapter of the Society of Mining Engineers, on the board of Chugiak Youth Sports Association, and on various ASD committees and PTA boards. She and her mostly-retired helicopter pilot husband David Beard live in Eagle River, where she attempts to drag him in to her hobbies of hiking, berry picking, travel, and snowshoeing. Ramona Monroe As a partner at Stoel Rives LLP, Ramona represents mining and oil and gas companies in transactions, financing, mineral tenure issues and compliance with state and local government requirements. She loves visiting her clients in the field and learning more about their operations and business. Ramona serves on the State Oversight Committee, has previously served as a director, and was named Advocate of the Year in 2018. Ramona has two grown sons and a labradoodle named Decker. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, travel, cooking, knitting, and trying new activities (ask her about curling, glass blowing and making chocolate). Matthew Hanson Matthew Hanson has been the Geologist for Doyon Limited for two years and is responsible for in-region exploration, generating interest in Doyon properties, and negotiating lease agreements. He has over twenty years of experience in the mineral industry doing exploration, mine geology, and managing an assay prep lab. He has worked across the state of Alaska looking for gold, platinum, silver as well as base metals. He was raised in the Copper River Valley in the small town of Kenny Lake. When he’s not in the office or in the field he enjoys hiking, fishing, and cooking for his family. Clayton Gooden Clayton Gooden is the Technical Director of Natural Resources at NANA Regional Corporation. He has been serving in this position for the past seven years. His role is to ensure compliance with NANA’s responsible resource development partners and to build relationships to ensure the economic stability of the NANA region for generations to come. Prior to his time at NANA, he worked for over 10 years on multiple international projects in the oil and gas industry. In addition to his professional achievements, Clayton is also the Board Chair for the nonprofit Alaska Resource Education. He is actively engaged in indigenous education and development to ensure a bright future for future generations of leaders. He supports this both in his role at NANA and with ARE. In his role at NANA, Clayton focuses on building relationships and ensuring compliance with NANA's various agreements and requirements around responsible resource development. Clayton holds an MBA from Alaska Pacific University. Enric Fernandez Enric Fernandez serves as the Permitting and Environmental Manager, and Interim General Manager at Donlin Gold. Originally from Barcelona, he relocated to Anchorage in 1994 to study Environmental Science at Alaska Pacific University. With over 25 years of experience in Alaska's natural resource development, Enric specializes in permitting, environmental studies, and compliance across mining and oil and gas sectors. Enric serves also as the Chairman of the Alaska Minerals Commission. Beyond his professional endeavors, Enric's passion for environmental stewardship shines through his exploration of remote Alaskan landscapes and global travels with his wife, where he engages in birdwatching and wildlife photography. CLAYTON GOODEN TED HAWLEY JEANINE SCHMIDT RAMONA MONROE MATTHEW HANSON ENRIC FERNANDEZ
Richard Lessard Born April 7, 1952, in Berlin, New Hampshire. In 1971, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for 25 years before retiring in 1996. Attended the University of New Hampshire earning 2 Bachelor of Science degrees, in Geology and Business Administration. Obtained my master’s degree in Geology in 2006 from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Work history includes field and core logging geologist at numerous placer and hard rock mines, mapping geologist for the Alaska Geological Survey, and Chief Geologist at the Nixon Fork Hard Rock Mine. From 2013 to 2022 worked for Alaska DNR, Mining Section, as the Mineral Property Manager until retirement in September 2022. A member of the Alaska Miners Association (AMA) since 2002, and a member of the Federal Oversight Committee. My interests include fishing, hunting, and doing home repair projects. Victor Ross Victor lives with his wife Judy in Wasilla. The family includes two Corgis (Tundra and Toggy) as our house pets. The kids live out back - two Missouri Foxtrotting Horses - Topaz and Tiger Lily. We have been at our ranchette since 1994. In our spare time we repair fences, barns, move hay, groom horses, and manage manure. We enjoy traveling in Alaska with the family to see our great state in our new horse trailer. Victor has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. In his Federal career Victor worked with Bureau of Land Management in Fairbanks, Alaska; and in Tonopah, Nevada. Victor left BLM to join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Division. He was with USACE 20 years. In 2012, after thirty years of Federal service he began consulting. He works for Stantec Consulting out of the Wasilla office. The Stantec wetland team works on Clean Water Act 404 CWA permits and aquatic resource delineations in Alaska and the west. Victor has specialized experience in mining law, NEPA, wetlands, CWA regulations and jurisdiction. Victor was reelected in 2024 to the AMA Directors. Victor was reappointed to the Alaska Mineral Commission by Alaska Governor Dunleavy in 2024. John Shively John Shively came to Alaska in 1965 as a VISTA Volunteer. He has worked for several Native organizations including the Alaska Federation of Natives and NANA where he worked on the development of the Red Dog Mine. He has served two stints in government including being Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources. He is currently on the boards of the Resource Development Council, Alaska Metal Mines, and the Alaska Railroad. John is the CEO and Chairman of the Board for the Pebble project. In 2023 he was honored with the Chuck Hawley Lifetime Achievement Award by AMA. Alycia Thomas Alycia Thomas is the Program Implementation and Marketing Manager for the Camp Services division of NMS. Alycia has lived in Alaska for more than 25 years and recognizes mining as a critical industry for our state. She believes there is significant value in increasing public awareness about the benefits of this valuable resource and is honored to serve as a director for the AMA. Alycia is active in her community, both donating and volunteering her time with various local non-profit organizations, as well as participating in community events. She enjoys camping, fishing, hiking, and gardening. She graduated from UAA with a B.A. in Justice and lives in Chugiak with her husband and their two children. Sarah Erkmann Ward Sarah Erkmann Ward, APR, is the president of Blueprint Alaska, the state’s premier public affairs and strategic communications firm. She and her team work tirelessly for clients whose work takes place in the public square, including mining companies and resource development advocacy organizations, among others. Blueprint Alaska’s areas of expertise include media relations, crisis communications, advocacy and coalition building, ghostwriting, and strategic counsel. Sarah is a lifelong Alaskan, married to Jason Ward, and mom to three children, a Black Lab, and two parakeets. She is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America. www.AlaskaMiners.org 25 AMA Board Members: Anchorage RICHARD LESSARD ALYCIA THOMAS SARAH ERKMANN WARD VICTOR ROSS JOHN SHIVELY
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