Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What Are Critical Minerals and Why the U.S. Needs Them
• Alaska’s Geology Offers What Other States Can’t
• Key Mines Active in Alaska Right Now
• Supply Chain Resilience Starts at Home
• Economic Impact in Alaska and Beyond
• Mining Methods Continue to Improve
• Support Alaska

Alaska holds some of the richest untapped mineral deposits in the United States. Beneath its surface sits a mix of metals that most Americans rely on every single day, whether they realize it or not. From zinc and silver to gold and rare earth elements, these resources are essential to everything from fighter jets to smartphones.

The state's active mineral mines already supply materials that feed directly into defense systems, electrical grids, medical equipment, and renewable energy infrastructure. These aren’t speculative projects, they’re producing today.

Alaska offers something different. Its size, geology, and access to known mineral belts make it a key piece of the domestic supply puzzle, one that’s only growing more important as global sources become harder to rely on.

What Are Critical Minerals and Why the U.S. Needs Them

Critical minerals include rare earths, zinc, graphite, cobalt, and antimony, among others. These feed into military tech, electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, semiconductors, and medical gear.

Rare earths power high-strength magnets in fighter jets, guidance systems, and cell phone speakers. Zinc reinforces corrosion resistance in aircraft and infrastructure. Graphite is essential for battery anodes, with over 90% of the global supply coming from China. Cobalt stabilizes battery chemistry. Antimony plays a role in flame retardants, munitions, and lead‑acid batteries.

The U.S. imports more than 75% of its critical mineral needs. For 12 of the 50 minerals on the USGS list, imports cover 100% of U.S. consumption. Another 28 of those minerals exceed 50% reliance. 

That level of dependence creates supply risks. China dominates rare earths processing, about 90% globally, and applies export restrictions that directly hit U.S. industries. Recent bans on antimony, gallium & germanium show how quickly global politics can stifle supply.

Alaska’s Geology Offers What Other States Can’t

Alaska sits on mineral-rich ground. The state's Interior, Southeast, and Northwest regions are lined with belts that carry gold, silver, zinc, lead, graphite, and rare earth elements. These aren’t scattered, low-grade traces either; they’re commercially viable zones that have attracted some of the most productive mines in North America.

The wide spacing between communities means less overlap with housing, agriculture, or industrial development. Fewer surface conflicts give mine operators room to build out plans that actually stick, without needing to dodge rapid urban expansion or competing land claims every few years.

Harsh weather, long winters, and permafrost might look like barriers from the outside. In reality, those same conditions limit surface use and preserve access to mineral deposits. It creates an environment where long-term planning is possible. That kind of geological and logistical setup is rare, especially inside U.S. borders.

Key Active Mines in Alaska Right Now

Red Dog Mine
Located in northwest Alaska, Red Dog is the largest zinc mine in the U.S. and one of the top zinc producers globally. It also yields lead and silver in large volumes. Its remote location hasn’t slowed output, this mine has been a major contributor to U.S. metal supply for decades.

Greens Creek Mine
This underground operation near Juneau produces silver, gold, zinc, lead, and copper. Known for its high-grade ore, Greens Creek ranks as one of the largest and lowest-cost primary silver mines in the world. It's been active since 1989 and will be active for years to come.

Fort Knox
Situated near Fairbanks, Fort Knox is an open-pit gold mine that uses heap leaching to extract ore. It’s been operating since the mid-90s and remains a steady, reliable producer with strong infrastructure already in place.

Pogo Mine
A high-grade underground gold mine in Interior Alaska, Pogo operates with modern methods and has expanded its processing capacity over time. It has delivered over 5 million ounces of gold since opening in 2006.

Kensington Mine
45 miles north-northwest of Juneau, Kensington is another underground gold mine with extensive workings. Located remotely in the Tongass National Forest, Kensington has a long history of solid gold production and a strong safety and operations record.

Supply Chain Resilience Starts at Home

Relying on imports from countries like China, Russia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo brings serious risk. Trade restrictions, unstable governments, and unpredictable export controls can interrupt the flow of minerals needed for everything from missile systems to electric vehicles.

Mining at home cuts that risk. It gives U.S. manufacturers more stable access to materials and shrinks the distance between extraction and production. No long-haul shipping. No international bottlenecks.

Mines in Alaska shave days or weeks off delivery times to U.S. processors. Some materials can go straight from pit to port to plant without ever leaving the country. That kind of direct access matters, especially when demand keeps climbing and foreign supply chains keep breaking.

Economic Impact in Alaska and Beyond

Mining in Alaska generates billions in economic output every year. In 2023 alone, mining companies spent $1.1 billion with over 450 Alaska businesses. They contributed $50 million in local taxes to fund schools, libraries, and public safety. Another $136 million went to state government services like airports and highways.

Mines are also the largest property taxpayers in Fairbanks, Juneau & the Northwest Arctic Borough. Add to that $235 million in royalty payments to Alaska Native Corporations in 2023 — part of a $3.2 billion paid out since 1989.

The industry supports 11,800 total jobs statewide, with $1.1 billion in wages. At large producing mines, 72% of employees are Alaska residents, with people working in over 90 communities across the state. These aren't out of state fly-in, fly-out contracts. These are steady jobs, often with paychecks that double the national average.

Mining companies donated $5.7 million to nonprofits in 2023, including $1.5 million for the University of Alaska and trade schools. That’s a real investment in the next generation. They’ve also supported 250 local nonprofits, helping everything from community health to cultural preservation.

Mining Methods Continue to Improve

Reclamation starts long before the mine shuts down. Companies are now restoring land in stages, backfilling pits, and replanting vegetation as they go. This approach keeps the footprint smaller and speeds up recovery.

Water treatment systems are built into every major project. Air quality is tracked constantly. Wildlife corridors, migration studies, and habitat planning all happen before the first shovel hits the ground.

Mining today is more precise than it was even a decade ago. New tech allows for targeted extraction with less waste and less surface disruption. Fewer trucks, smaller pits, and smarter processing mean less strain on the land, and more value pulled from the ore.

Support Alaska

The U.S. needs more of its own supply of critical minerals. Waiting on imports from unstable or adversarial regions is a gamble that keeps getting riskier.

Active mineral mines in Alaska are already helping to close that gap. They supply essential materials for tech, defense, energy, and everyday life, right from U.S. soil.

Backing these operations means shorter supply chains, stronger national security, and more jobs at home. Expanding them means even greater stability for the years ahead.

AK Metal Mines provides real information about Alaska’s mining industry, how it works, where it helps, and why it matters now more than ever.

 Get in touch with us at Alaska Metal Mines to learn more. 

Key Takeaways

• Alaska’s mineral wealth is unmatched in the U.S. The state holds major deposits of zinc, gold, silver, graphite, rare earths & other critical minerals.
  
  
• Active mines in Alaska are already producing. Red Dog, Greens Creek, Fort Knox, Pogo, and Kensington supply essential metals to industries across the country.
  
  
• The U.S. depends heavily on foreign mineral imports. Over 75% of critical minerals are imported, some from unstable or adversarial countries.
  
  
• Alaska offers a secure, domestic source. Its geology, low population density, and established infrastructure make it ideal for long-term mine development.
  
  
• Mining supports the economy statewide. Over 11,000 jobs, $1.1 billion in annual wages, and hundreds of millions in tax and royalty payments directly support Alaska communities.
  
  
• Modern mining practices are safer and cleaner. Reclamation, water treatment, wildlife planning & air quality monitoring are part of today’s standard operating procedures.
  
  
• Supporting Alaska mining means supporting the U.S. These operations reduce supply chain risk, support national security, and keep economic value inside American borders.
  
  
• AK Metal Mines shares real facts about the industry. Get in touch to learn more about why mining in Alaska matters.

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