Murkowski: Alaska’s Minerals are Fundamental America’s Security and Prosperity
Fort Knox, Alaska – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement on Alaska Mining Day.
“Alaska Mining Day is an opportunity to recognize the mining industry’s importance to both our state and our nation.
“We’re fortunate to have several major mines in Alaska, from Red Dog to Usibelli to Greens Creek. Those projects support thousands of high-paying jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues each year, and local community needs through philanthropy, scholarships, and more.
“Our state also has many promising projects on the horizon, which will provide more jobs and revenues, shore up our national security, and reduce our imports by providing domestic sources of antimony, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, germanium, gold, graphite, lead, lithium, nickel, palladium, platinum group elements, silver, tin, and zinc, among others.
“Alaska’s mineral potential is off the charts. But what we need is for President Biden and his administration to realize that mining is not only a proud part of our past and present, but also an essential part of our future. Instead of pushing policies and agreements that will force us to import, the administration needs to approve U.S. projects. It is unacceptable for them to reject the Ambler Access Project, to close off millions of acres of Alaska, and to lock in our long-term dependence on China and Africa when we could be producing more minerals here at home.
“On Alaska Mining Day, we should all take a moment to realize how fundamental minerals are to modern life. We should thank our miners for their hard work on our behalf. And we should redouble our efforts to support good projects—especially in Alaska, where we lead the world on responsible development.”
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