North of 60 Mining News - The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North

An Alaska mine located in one of the nation's most unique ecosystems has received the prestigious ISO 14001 certificate for its environmental management practices. Greens Creek silver, gold, zinc and lead underground mine is on Admiralty Island... — Updated 2/27/2005

The report of the 2005 Alaska Minerals Commission, published in January, stresses the urgent need to overcome the twin obstacles of permitting and lawsuits at a time when the mining industry is experiencing a dramatic upsurge in activity. Since... — Updated 2/27/2005

The Northwest Territories government has been forced to resume its search for a buyer to take over its troubled diamond cutting and polishing plant. Hopes that the Lev Leviev Group of Cos. would take over the operation collapsed earlier in... — Updated 2/27/2005

An easing of China's overheated economy and a rapid rise in costs could sap some of the vigor from the mining industry, says Canaccord Capital's global metals and mining analyst Gary Lampard. In an early-February research report he said that... — Updated 2/27/2005

Diamonds and energy are generating some spinoff benefits in the Northwest Territories, fueling house prices and creating some fertile ground for union organizers. The Canadian Real Estate Association has credited the industry with stimulating a 21... — Updated 2/27/2005

Alaska's attorney general, Gregg Renkes, resigned in February following an investigation into his role in promoting the sale of coal to Taiwan. The Bundy report concluded that Renkes had not violated the state ethics code, but added that it was a "... — Updated 2/27/2005

Alaska's Usibelli Coal Mine began talks in January with Matanuska Electric Association about the possible construction of a coal-fired power plant. Usibelli is looking for a customer in the Railbelt and MEA serves nearly 50,000 people in the Matanu... — Updated 2/27/2005

A new North American gold powerhouse is in the making following the merger of Goldcorp and Wheaten River Minerals, two mid-size Canadian producers, whose combined entity now ranks No. 5 on the continent. With the champagne still flowing and the... — Updated 2/27/2005

While KFx struggles to prove that its K-Fuel process can dry Alaska's sub-bituminous coal in an economical manner, another company wants to convert the coal into liquid fuel. Like KFx, Vancouver-based Silverado Gold Mines has a checkered history an... — Updated 2/27/2005

Nearly half a decade after embarking on development of the huge Pogo gold resource in Interior Alaska, operator Teck-Pogo Inc. is eyeing light at the end of the tunnel - first production in early 2006. The company is also gearing up for additional... — Updated 2/27/2005

Canadian junior Rimfire Minerals is expanding its horizons yet again, this time by clinching a deal with one of the world's largest gold mining companies. In December Mining News reported on Vancouver-based Rimfire's promising results at the Tide p... — Updated 2/27/2005

Northern Dynasty Minerals will defer its permit applications for the planned Pebble gold mine in southwestern Alaska until 2006, the company's chief operating officer, Bruce Jenkins, said at an Alaska Miners' Association meeting Feb. 9. Previously... — Updated 2/27/2005

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski said conserving natural gas could help save Agrium's Kenai Peninsula fertilizer plant and suggested reopening the Healy clean coal plant, a $300 million experimental power generation facility that was shuttered in 2000 a... — Updated 2/27/2005

Mining giant Placer Dome Inc. announced a 24 percent growth in earnings in 2004 to $284 million, partly due to "a number of tax items resulting in a net tax recovery of $130 million," the company said in a press release in mid-February. Sales... — Updated 2/27/2005

The Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys released new airborne geophysical data and maps for the Goodpaster River area in Interior Alaska on Jan. 24. The survey covers approximately 210 square miles in the western Goodpaster... — Updated 2/27/2005