The first gold bar produced from Manh Choh ore made its debut Monday in front of more than 50 officials at Kinross Fort Knox. The eagle-stamped gold brick weighed 37.5 pounds (600 ounces) and came with a $1.4 million value.
For Kinross Alaska and Contango Ore, Manh Choh’s joint venture owners under Peak Gold, the bar represents the first tangible reminder of 16 years of planning, discovery and permitting to get the mine to operational mode.
“To be here today is very special,” said Paul Rollinson, Kinross Gold’s chief executive officer. “Manh Choh is now an integral part of the Kinross Alaska operations and our approach is to work closely with our stakeholders to reflect their priorities and ensure we have long-lasting beneficial partnerships.”
Rollinson remarked that it’s very rare to move from groundbreaking to pouring the first gold bar in just 11 months.
The Native Village of Tetlin views the first gold bar as what the mine can do for its people. The first bar was stamped with an eagle, a symbol of the tribe.
“We are treating this as a legacy project where it brings jobs for our people so they don’t need to leave home,” Tetlin Chief Michael Sam told the crowd.
Manh Choh is located on 675,000 acres of land leased from the Village of Tetlin.
The Manh Choh mine is expected to operate for up to five years based on the current estimated amount of gold. Manh Choh is projected to produce about a million ounces of gold over the next four to five years.
Since the Village of Tetlin owns the surface and subsurface mineral rights on its land in a fee simple title, the tribe will receive royalties from the extracted gold.
Sam added that the mine would offer jobs for members of a community that remains at or below the poverty line. Tetlin will also benefit from mining roads and infrastructure after mining stops and site reclamation begins.
“We made a deal to make a senior living center for our elders in Tetlin, Mentesta, Dot Lake, Tanacross, Northway,” Sam said. “Our closest one is in Fairbanks, and it’s hard for our people to travel that far to visit their elders.”
Kinross Gold projects the mine will create about 500 direct jobs over the next five years and 450 indirect jobs with $120 million total in salaries and wages.
Exploration and discovery efforts on Manh Choh’s site started in 2008 and wound its way through the permitting process over the next decade. Kinross Alaska, the majority owner, and Contango Ore, broke ground in August 2023 and started stockpiling gold ore in November at the Fort Knox facility.
Rollinson, Kinross Gold’s chief executive officer, said the Fort Knox mill was extensively retooled to process the higher-grade ore extracted from the Manh Choh mine.
Rollinson said Kinross Alaska’s goal will be to continue to minimize its environmental impact “while making improvements to the land, the community and the infrastructure.”
“I can honestly say that Alaska is a world-class mining jurisdiction,” Rollinson said.
Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, Contango Ore’s president and CEO, called Manh Choh “a good, high-quality project.”
“This is an investment in the future,” Van Nieuwenhuyse said. “Fairbanks is a mining and transportation center for the Interior and I think this is just a natural outgrowth of that history while bringing wealth to the community.”
Contango Ore was involved with discovery, exploration and eventual permitting at Manh Choh before Peak Gold formed and Kinross took on the role as the project’s majority owner.
“The people at Kinross have done the project right from the beginning,” Van Nieuwenhuyse said. “They have been a great partner to bring this project to the next level with mining and transport and processing.”
Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom said that Manh Choh and the first gold bar reflect Alaska’s commitment to sustainable resource development.
“We in Alaska know how to do things so that we keep our lands beautiful and when we’re done, it’s better than when it started,” Dahlstrom said. “We are able to bring those products such as minerals to the world market … it’s essential for jobs and our national security.”
Rep. Mike Cronk (R-Tok), whose district includes Tetlin, called the Manh Choh gold bar another example of a “life changing event for the people it affects the most.”
“We have lots of tourism in Tok and that area, but not much resource development,” Cronk said. “This project has brought a lot of business that wasn’t there before and I hope it continues. It’s a big project for the Eastern Interior and could lead to bigger things.”
Insight on Community Impact
It’s evident from the article that the Manh Choh mine’s development not only holds economic significance but also has a profound impact on the local community. By providing employment opportunities for the residents of the Native Village of Tetlin, the project aims to uplift the community and improve their quality of life. Additionally, initiatives like building a senior living center showcase a commitment to the well-being of the tribe’s elders.
Environmental Responsibility
The emphasis on minimizing environmental impact and working towards sustainable resource development, highlighted by Kinross Alaska and Contango Ore, underscores the importance of responsible mining practices. By retooling the Fort Knox mill and focusing on infrastructure improvements, the companies are demonstrating a dedication to preserving the land and ecosystem for future generations.
Long-Term Benefits
As the Manh Choh mine is projected to operate for up to five years, the lasting benefits for the community are substantial. From job creation and economic growth to infrastructure development and potential future projects, the impact of this venture extends well beyond the initial gold production. It sets a foundation for continued progress and prosperity in the region.
The first gold bar produced from Manh Choh ore made its debut Monday in front of more than 50 officials at Kinross Fort Knox. The eagle-stamped gold brick weighed 37.5 pounds (600 ounces) and came with a $1.4 million value.
For Kinross Alaska and Contango Ore, Manh Choh’s joint venture owners under Peak Gold, the bar represents the first tangible reminder of 16 years of planning, discovery and permitting to get the mine to operational mode.
“To be here today is very special,” said Paul Rollinson, Kinross Gold’s chief executive officer. “Manh Choh is now an integral part of the Kinross Alaska operations and our approach is to work closely with our stakeholders to reflect their priorities and ensure we have long-lasting beneficial partnerships.”
Rollinson remarked that it’s very rare to move from groundbreaking to pouring the first gold bar in just 11 months.
The Native Village of Tetlin views the first gold bar as what the mine can do for its people. The first bar was stamped with an eagle, a symbol of the tribe.
“We are treating this as a legacy project where it brings jobs for our people so they don’t need to leave home,” Tetlin Chief Michael Sam told the crowd.
Manh Choh is located on 675,000 acres of land leased from the Village of Tetlin.
The Manh Choh mine is expected to operate for up to five years based on the current estimated amount of gold. Manh Choh is projected to produce about a million ounces of gold over the next four to five years.
Since the Village of Tetlin owns the surface and subsurface mineral rights on its land in a fee simple title, the tribe will receive royalties from the extracted gold.
Sam added that the mine would offer jobs for members of a community that remains at or below the poverty line. Tetlin will also benefit from mining roads and infrastructure after mining stops and site reclamation begins.
“We made a deal to make a senior living center for our elders in Tetlin, Mentesta, Dot Lake, Tanacross, Northway,” Sam said. “Our closest one is in Fairbanks, and it’s hard for our people to travel that far to visit their elders.”
Kinross Gold projects the mine will create about 500 direct jobs over the next five years and 450 indirect jobs with $120 million total in salaries and wages.
Exploration and discovery efforts on Manh Choh’s site started in 2008 and wound its way through the permitting process over the next decade. Kinross Alaska, the majority owner, and Contango Ore, broke ground in August 2023 and started stockpiling gold ore in November at the Fort Knox facility.
Rollinson, Kinross Gold’s chief executive officer, said the Fort Knox mill was extensively retooled to process the higher-grade ore extracted from the Manh Choh mine.
Rollinson said Kinross Alaska’s goal will be to continue to minimize its environmental impact “while making improvements to the land, the community and the infrastructure.”
“I can honestly say that Alaska is a world-class mining jurisdiction,” Rollinson said.
Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, Contango Ore’s president and CEO, called Manh Choh “a good, high-quality project.”
“This is an investment in the future,” Van Nieuwenhuyse said. “Fairbanks is a mining and transportation center for the Interior and I think this is just a natural outgrowth of that history while bringing wealth to the community.”
Contango Ore was involved with discovery, exploration and eventual permitting at Manh Choh before Peak Gold formed and Kinross took on the role as the project’s majority owner.
“The people at Kinross have done the project right from the beginning,” Van Nieuwenhuyse said. “They have been a great partner to bring this project to the next level with mining and transport and processing.”
Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom said that Manh Choh and the first gold bar reflect Alaska’s commitment to sustainable resource development.
“We in Alaska know how to do things so that we keep our lands beautiful and when we’re done, it’s better than when it started,” Dahlstrom said. “We are able to bring those products such as minerals to the world market … it’s essential for jobs and our national security.”
Rep. Mike Cronk (R-Tok), whose district includes Tetlin, called the Manh Choh gold bar another example of a “life changing event for the people it affects the most.”
“We have lots of tourism in Tok and that area, but not much resource development,” Cronk said. “This project has brought a lot of business that wasn’t there before and I hope it continues. It’s a big project for the Eastern Interior and could lead to bigger things.”
Insight on Community Impact
It’s evident from the article that the Manh Choh mine’s development not only holds economic significance but also has a profound impact on the local community. By providing employment opportunities for the residents of the Native Village of Tetlin, the project aims to uplift the community and improve their quality of life. Additionally, initiatives like building a senior living center showcase a commitment to the well-being of the tribe’s elders.
Environmental Responsibility
The emphasis on minimizing environmental impact and working towards sustainable resource development, highlighted by Kinross Alaska and Contango Ore, underscores the importance of responsible mining practices. By retooling the Fort Knox mill and focusing on infrastructure improvements, the companies are demonstrating a dedication to preserving the land and ecosystem for future generations.
Long-Term Benefits
As the Manh Choh mine is projected to operate for up to five years, the lasting benefits for the community are substantial. From job creation and economic growth to infrastructure development and potential future projects, the impact of this venture extends well beyond the initial gold production. It sets a foundation for continued progress and prosperity in the region.
