Alaska's Mineral Men

Gold is king in Alaska. Specifically, placer gold, which comprises the vast majority of mining sites in this mineral-rich state. Regardless of what the mine produces, all mining and mining reclamation sites on land managed by the BLM must be regularly inspected by folks like geologist Fred Transburg and environmental protection specialist Tony Gallagher from the BLM Anchorage Field Office (AFO). But there’s far more to their jobs than inspecting a site; Transburg and Gallagher are part of a team that maintains the productivity of Alaska’s mining industry while preventing unnecessary or undue degradation (UUD) of the land.

Part of the reason for the job’s complexity has to do with shared authority. BLM Alaska doesn’t actually issue permits for miners: the State of Alaska does. However, BLM authorizes use of the federal land before permits are issued and regularly monitors the site after the issuance. Both the state and the BLM can shut down operations. Mine inspections ensure mine sites are in compliance with standards set by the current administration and by state and federal agencies.

BLM mine inspectors act as a sort of liaison between the state of Alaska and its miners, ensuring that every miner understands the steps they must follow and the prerequisites they must meet. Inspections are only done after pre-planning coordination is done and a mine and/or mine reclamation plan is approved. From there, inspectors go over everything in the plan to ensure proper techniques are being followed. “It’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of steps that can be hard to understand, which is why we try to help our miners navigate through them,” says Transburg.

The state also has its own separate inspections carried out by Alaska DNR mining compliance staff. What’s inspected is based on the site’s unique mining or mining reclamation plan, so inspections vary widely by site.  Environmental protection specialists like Gallagher may also conduct soil and water testing at the mine sites.

In accordance with the BLM’s multiple-use mission, the primary reason for BLM inspections is to prevent unnecessary or undue (UUD) degradation of the land.

Alaska’s mining compliance team is unique. Transburg explains it’s probably one of the highest-preforming groups in the country due to the remoteness of Alaska’s mines, especially when you take the state’s size and lack of infrastructure into account. Transburg’s favorite parts of the job are collaborating with miners and mining professionals across the state and traveling to help other field offices. Whereas Gallagher’s favorite part is the sense of fulfillment that comes from doing work important to Alaska and its residents. “They [the miners] are good people,” says Gallagher, and fostering relationships with them is beneficial for the state and its mining industry.

Inspections are an integral part of BLM mining practices and our multiple-use mission. By acting as a proponent for miners across the state, the BLM is helping to unleash Alaska’s critical minerals.