The U.S. Forest Service, lead regulatory agency overseeing the environmental assessment for the Kensington gold project near Juneau, Alaska, has extended the public comment period by 30 days. The move to close public comment submissions sought by... — Updated 3/14/2004

Estimates of $1.05 billion for Alaska's mineral industry value in 2003 were released by state officials on March 9, making it the eighth straight year the industry's value exceeded $1 billion. Rising prices for almost all metals, including gold,... — Updated 3/14/2004

Canada's junior mining companies are cash rich for the first time in seven years, having led the way in raising C$3 billion in 2003 to signal the revival of exploration plays along with development and acquisitions both overseas and on the... — Updated 3/14/2004 Full story

Tom Irwin, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, will be one of the luncheon speakers at the 19th Biennial Conference on Alaska Mining in Fairbanks, beginning March 14 and concluding with a number of mine tours on March 20.... — Updated 3/14/2004

Contractors hired by developers of the Pogo gold deposit northeast of Delta Junction completed construction of a 50-mile temporary ice road in early February and transportation of fuel and equipment into the remote site should be complete by the... — Updated 3/14/2004

John Robertson, president of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Teryl Resources, is focused on raising funds for his company's Fairbanks-area exploration properties. The company offered a private placement of 2 million units at 55 cents per unit in... — Updated 3/14/2004 Full story

Geologists working for NovaGold Resources are going to be busy across the border in northwestern Canada this summer. The company's Canadian subsidiary, SpectrumGold, plans to spend $5 million for its Galore Creek advanced stage exploration project... — Updated 3/14/2004

Simmering frustration among British Columbia's miners over the government's failure to settle aboriginal land claims and reduce red tap boiled over March 3 as the industry unloaded on British Columbia Minister of State for Mining Pat Bell. A series... — Updated 3/14/2004 Full story

Anchorage-based Alaska Earth Sciences has transformed the firm's first-ever land acquisition into a lease deal with an exploration upstart, Full Metal Minerals. Alaska Earth, a geological consulting firm with years of experience throughout southwes... — Updated 3/14/2004 Full story

In a 16-page report released in January, the Alaska Minerals Commission made 12 recommendations to the state Legislature and Governor on ways to mitigate constraints on mineral development in Alaska. In addition, the commission identified seven fed... — Updated 3/14/2004 Full story

State regulatory reform 1. The governor carefully consider the state's report, The State of Alaska Assumption of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. If the program presented is beneficial to the state, pursue and fund state... — Updated 3/14/2004

Diamond core drill rigs started turning in early March on the Golden Summit gold exploration property some 25 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Partners in the project, Freegold Ventures Ltd. and Meridian Gold Inc. plan to complete six holes,... — Updated 3/14/2004

Anglo Swiss Resources, a Vancouver-based junior miner, is moving ahead with plans to reactive the Kenville mine in southeastern British Columbia as it starts gold and gemstone exploration of the property. The company plans a detailed geological... — Updated 3/14/2004

Tahera Corp. is within sight of operating the first diamond mine in Canada's Nunavut Territory. The Nunavut Impact Review Board has recommended approval by Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Andy Mitchell of the Jericho project, about 210 miles s... — Updated 3/14/2004

Developers of the Rock Creek gold deposit near Nome plan to spend $5 million in 2004 to develop the hard rock deposit, with the ultimate goal of gold production starting in 2006. Vancouver, British Columbia-based NovaGold Resources anticipates... — Updated 3/14/2004