Nome City Council Talks Mining Laws, Property Abatements

Heated words on mining and property abatements were exchanged during what Mayor Richard Beneville called a “productive” Nome City Council meeting Monday night. The Council also addressed a possible resolution on public intoxication and vagrancy on Front Street.

Environmental Concerns Are Cited in Opposition to Mining Projects Like ‘Rivers of Gold’

Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), Kawerak Inc., and Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC) released a joint statement opposing large placer mining in Safety Sound, the Bonanza Channel, and Golovnin Lagoon. ADEC is waiting on more information and data from the mining company, and until that is received, Rivers of Gold is not allowed to operate or discharge in U.S. waters.

Alaska Native Leaders Imagine Divergent ‘Arctic Futures’

A conference in Nome last week brought together leaders from Alaska Native communities to discuss the challenges — and opportunities — facing an evolving Arctic.

Graphite Mine Bill Provokes Mixed Reactions in Western Alaska

While some people are optimistic about possible economic benefits of a proposed graphite mine on the Seward Peninsula, others express concern about the mine’s potential impact on subsistence.

As Summer Dredging Returns to Nome, Some Expect Less Gold — and More Competition

“The easy gold is disappearing,” says retired mining engineer Randy Smith. In Nome, gold dredging is becoming an activity “for the more serious people now, not the get-rich-quick ones.”

Graphite One Says Their Western Alaska Mine Could Yield $1 Billion

Graphite One says the proposed mine, near Teller, could yield a value of more than $1 billion and provide more than 4 million tons of material each year.