Alaska's mineral industry 1989

Abstract

. Histogram showing claim assessment work filed in Alaska, 1970Alaska, -1989 fig. I), is attributed mainly to production of rnetal concentrales from the Greens Creek mine near Juneau. Mineral development expenditures decreasccl substantially in 1989 to $134.3 million from an all-time higE of $2'74.9 million in 1988. The dccrease reflects the shift from development to production status within the large Greens Creek and Red Dog projects. Total value of Alaska's mineral industry in 1989, as measured by the sum of exploration, devcloprnent expenditures, and mineral production, amounted to $459 million compared to $552.6 million 1988, a decrease of aboul17 percent because of the decline in de~clopment activities. . , / /---. $318,380,746 $552,586,200 $459,018,687 Box D, Jilneau, i\K 99811. 1919 1980 1981 1989 Y e a r 2 Alaska 's Mirteral Indnstry, 1989 -Special Report 44 TOri\I> h'fINERAL INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENTThe mineral industry employed 4,179 in 1989 compared to 4,353 in 1988, a decrease of 4 percent. Mechanized placer mining production accounted for 1,316 (31 percent) of the total followed by mineral development, 785 (19 percent); base metal production, 407 (10 percent); sand-andgravel production, 625 (15 percent); recreational mining, 325 (8 percent); exploration, 252 (6 percent); Lode gold and silver production, 161 (4 percent); and undistributed coal, tin, jade, soapstone, and stone production, 308 (7 percent). The small decline in total employn~ent from 1988 to 1989 is due to a large (39 percent) decrease in mineral development projects.In contrast, overall production activities, especially base metal production, increased 13 percent from 1988 to 1989. PRODUCTIONGold was the most valuable mineral commodity in 1989, accounting for 39 percent of Alaska's total mineral production revenues. Zinc and silver each made up about 10 percent ol the total; lead, 2.7 percent; and tin, another 0.3 percent. Platinum, tungsten, and mercury have all been produced in Alaska in past pears, but recently, production figures for these metals have been withheld. Overall metallic mineral production accounted for 63 percent of total mineral values, reversing a 25-year period dominated by the nonmetallic materials: coal, sand and gravel, stone, peat, and jade, which account for the remaining 37 percent of the values.The amount of gold produced in 2989--an estimated 284,617 oz (8,852 kg) worth $108.7 million--was the highest since 1950 and represents an increase of 7 percent by volume from 1988 levels. Despite the increase in production, total gold values were 4 percent lower than in 1988 due to lower bullion prices. Gold production was reported from 222 operations, a net gain of 11 In response to the successful operation of the Bima dredge in State of Alaska waters, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a proposal to offer to lease about 147,000 acres (59,491 hm2) of federal offshore lands on the continental shelf. The DEIS identified the potential for mercu...