Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The Mines and What They Produce
• Why These Minerals Matter to the U.S.
• China’s Hold on Rare Earths and Why That’s a Problem
• Local Impact, National Benefit
• Exploration and What’s Next
• Why the U.S. Needs to Look North for Stability
• Call to Action: Back Resource Independence

Copper moves through every home and vehicle in the country. Zinc coats the steel used in bridges and guardrails. Silver keeps solar panels running, medical tools clean, and electronics reliable. These aren’t abstract assets or far-off commodities. Mining is good for Alaska because it keeps lights on, the planes flying, and the phones buzzing.

Alaska is a resource powerhouse. Gold, lead, cobalt, germanium, graphite, are all pulled from within the state’s boundaries. These metals don’t sit in theory. They move through hospitals, fighter jets, transmission lines, and water systems. They’re welded into real places, real tools, real jobs.

Production isn’t limited to one corner of the state either. From Red Dog in the northwest to Greens Creek in the southeast, Alaska supports a network of working mines. It’s not a concept—it’s a system. In 2023 alone, Alaska produced nearly 10 million ounces of silver, hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold, and shipped over one million metric tons of zinc concentrate.

The Mines and What They Produce

Alaska’s mineral output comes from a network of high-performing operations across the state. These mines ship product, pay wages, and pour money back into Alaska communities.

Red Dog

• Zinc, lead, silver, germanium

Red Dog is one of the world’s largest producers of zinc concentrate. In 2023, the mine shipped over 1 million metric tonnes. Operated by Teck and located on NANA Regional Corporation land, Red Dog supports 628 employees and spent $300 million with Alaska vendors last year.

Fort Knox & Gil

• Gold

Operated by Kinross, this gold mine produced 291,375 ounces in 2023. It employs over 700 people and did business with 327 Alaska-based companies. Total vendor spend came in at $293 million — money that stayed inside state lines.

Greens Creek

• Silver, zinc, gold, lead

Hecla’s Greens Creek mine near Juneau is a major silver producer. Last year, it pulled 9.7 million ounces out of the ground. With nearly 500 employees and strong multi-metal output, this operation plays a major role in keeping Alaska on the global map for resource development.

Kensington

• Gold

Coeur Alaska’s Kensington mine produced 84,789 ounces of gold in 2023. With a consistent record of hiring and contracting in-state, it continues to circulate money through Alaska businesses.

Pogo

• Gold

Run by Northern Star Resources, Pogo delivered 255,201 ounces of gold. The workforce includes over 600 employees, and the mine spent $93 million with 130 local companies.

Manh Choh

• Gold, silver

Developed by Kinross and Contango ORE, Manh Choh is located on land owned by the Native Village of Tetlin. The project currently supports 400 employees and contractors. Production here adds to the growing strength of tribal partnerships in Alaska mining.

Each of these sites contributes real numbers—real jobs, real contracts, real revenue. These mines are cornerstones of Alaska’s economy and key links in the national supply chain.

Why These Minerals Matter to the U.S.

Copper moves electricity through homes, cars, buses, charging stations, and electric motors. Every EV, every building upgrade, every grid expansion uses copper. Alaska has it.

Zinc coats the steel that holds up bridges, freeway barriers, pipelines and transit rails. Without it, corrosion moves fast and replacement costs skyrocket. Alaska pulls zinc in quantities that keep those systems strong for decades.

Germanium isn’t as well known, but it plays a key part in fiber optics, satellite sensors, infrared lenses, and solar cells. It's used in both defense and tech industries, places where precision matters.

Cobalt keeps modern batteries stable and reliable. From handheld drills to fighter jets, cobalt makes battery power safe and strong. Without it, electric systems are slower and more prone to failure.

The U.S. still depends on imports for more than half of its critical minerals. That dependence adds risk, especially when many of those imports come from countries with unstable politics or hostile agendas. One disruption overseas can delay everything from wind farms to weapons systems.

Alaska can cut that risk. The minerals already coming out of the ground — and the new ones being developed — bring control and resilience back within U.S. borders. That’s national security in action.

China’s Hold on Rare Earths and Why That’s a Problem

China currently controls around 80% of the global supply of rare earth elements. That includes the materials used in fighter jet engines, missile guidance systems, radar tech, semiconductors, and advanced communications. These parts are essential to modern defense.

Every time the U.S. needs to build or repair equipment tied to national security, it’s leaning on a supply chain led by a geopolitical rival. That setup adds risk at every level — supply delays, price spikes, trade restrictions, or worse.

Alaska can help fix that. The state holds known deposits of rare earth elements, along with other strategic minerals. These resources sit inside U.S. borders, under U.S. oversight, and support U.S. jobs. Shifting production here cuts foreign dependency and adds stability to systems that can’t afford to break.

Local Impact, National Benefit

In 2023, Alaska mines spent $1.1 billion with more than 450 local businesses. That money kept hardware stores open, supplied fuel depots, paid contractors, and so much more.

The workforce is another clear marker of impact. Mining supported over 11,800 jobs, with an average annual wage topping $122,000. Those paychecks go to real families buying homes, raising kids, and keeping small-town economies alive. More than 90 communities across the state count on mining jobs to keep them steady.

Royalties to Alaska Native corporations have topped $3.2 billion since 1989. That revenue helps fund housing, education programs, and cultural preservation. Statewide, tax payments from mines support libraries, schools, road crews, and mental health services.

Mining turns Alaska’s resources into payroll, public services, and community strength while also supporting national supply needs.

Exploration and What’s Next

Alaska continues to attract major investment in future mining projects. In 2023 alone, $740 million went into exploration and development. That’s money spent on drilling programs, camp logistics, equipment, and studies that set up tomorrow’s mines.

Projects like Donlin Gold, Graphite Creek, Livengood, and Palmer are already moving through the process. Each has the potential to create hundreds of high-paying jobs while expanding the supply of metals the U.S. needs. These aren’t start-ups testing the waters. They’re projects backed by companies with a track record of producing inside Alaska’s regulatory system.

The state’s future production curve points upward. Exploration here is steady, well-funded, and tied directly to projects that can deliver both local prosperity and national security.

Why the U.S. Needs to Look North for Stability

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, more than half of the critical minerals used in America come from imports. That dependence leaves the country exposed to unstable global supply chains and unpredictable trade conflicts.

Alaska offers a different path. The minerals are already here, ready to be developed without crossing oceans or leaning on risky foreign partners. Mines in the state operate under strict permitting rules, with oversight from multiple agencies and constant monitoring. Innovation in extraction and reclamation keeps improving, making operations cleaner and more efficient year after year.

Few regions can match Alaska’s combination of resource potential and regulatory strength. It stands as one of the safest, most closely managed mining environments on the planet, exactly the kind of foundation the U.S. needs for long-term stability.

Call to Action: Back Resource Independence

The minerals that power your car, your phone, and even the lights in your neighborhood sit beneath Alaska’s ground. Developing them keeps supply chains strong and communities working. Supporting U.S. mining means supporting Alaskan families, schools, and businesses.

Get in touch with us at Alaska Metal Mines to learn more about how mining keeps Alaska moving. 

Key Takeaways

• Alaska mines real metals like copper, zinc, gold, silver, cobalt, graphite & germanium that power homes, vehicles, energy grids, medical tools, and defense systems.
  
  
• Major operations such as Red Dog, Fort Knox, Greens Creek, Kensington, Pogo, and Manh Choh deliver millions of ounces of production and billions in local vendor spending.
  
  
• U.S. dependence on foreign mineral imports creates risk. Alaska’s resources reduce reliance on unstable supply chains and adversary-controlled markets.
  
  
• China controls 80% of the world’s rare earth supply, a threat to national security. Alaska has deposits that strengthen U.S. independence.
  
  
• Mining generated $1.1 billion in business spending and supported over 11,800 high-paying jobs across 90+ Alaska communities in 2023.
  
  
• Exploration projects like Donlin Gold and Graphite Creek are set to expand both local opportunity and national supply in the years ahead.
  
  
• Alaska operates under strict permitting and oversight, making it one of the safest and most regulated mining regions worldwide.
  
  
• Supporting Alaska mining means supporting U.S. resource independence, community growth, and national security.

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