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Web posted
Monday, February 11, 2002
Commission says Alaska supports mining industry
By the Journal Staff
The Alaska Minerals Commission submitted its annual report Jan. 28, lauding Gov. Tony Knowles and state legislators for their efforts to help the state's mining industry.
"Partly as a result of the responsive action of the governor and the Legislature over the past few years, the global mining industry considers Alaska a favorable place to do business and is demonstrating its growth potential," said Irene Anderson of Nome, who is chairwoman of the commission this year.
The commission cited a recent mining industry survey by the Fraser Institute of British Columbia, which found Alaska eighth among 35 countries and states in terms of investment attractiveness.
Most recently the state has helped the mining industry with certain actions, according to the report. These include:
Reconstitution of a core permitting team at the Department of Environmental Conservation, preserving valuable experience and knowledge of DEC staff familiar with mining permits;
Continued support for state-sponsored airborne geophysical surveys. The results of these, made public, have attracted considerable new investing in minerals exploration; and
Online access to files in the state Recorder's Office and the Land Records Information System in the Department of Natural Resources.
The 11-member commission includes representatives from industry, which make annual recommendations to the governor and Legislature on ways to mitigate constraints on mining in Alaska.
Although the industry has been hit hard by declining metals prices and poor market conditions, Alaska has fared better than many parts of the world in continuing to attract investment for exploration, according to Dick Swainbank, a state minerals analyst.
Steve Borel, executive director of the Alaska Miners Association, said a key part of what attracts new mining investment here is political stability in Alaska compared with many developing countries, and what mining industry executives perceive as a favorable political environment in Alaska for mining.
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