 Minerals are Alaska’s second-largest export commodity. Alaska’s mining industry includes exploration, mine development, and production. The industry currently produces zinc, lead, copper, gold, silver, coal, as well as construction materials such as sand, gravel, and rock. However, there is also large potential for critical and rare earth minerals with Alaska having quantities of every critical and RRE mineral on the national critical minerals list, including one of the largest graphite deposits in the nation. Alaska’s six large operating mines (Fort Knox, Greens Creek, Red Dog, Usibelli, Pogo, and Kensington) provide more than 3,100 full-time jobs of the nearly 5,400 mining industry jobs in Alaska. Direct and indirect jobs exceed 11,400 and more than $1 billion in payroll. These are mostly year-round jobs in over 90 Alaskan communities, half of which are in rural Alaska. Alaska’s mining industry creates public revenue by paying state and local taxes, providing over $186 million in state and local taxes; and supports Alaska Native corporations, benefiting all Alaska Native corporations with more than $266 million contributed through the 7(i) and 7(j) royalty sharing provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
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