Alaska-Richardson-Steese Highways Corridor Action Plan
Project Details
What happened to the former hotel property in Tok?
An Alaskan-based contractor to renovated the facility into a camp and office for the mine. We call it the Tok Campus.
Where is the project at now in terms of the overall timeline?
Right now, we have completed the feasibility study and have moved into the project execution stage. You can read more about in our project timeline and latest newsletter.
What is going on with the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities’ (DOT&PF)’s transportation advisory committee and independent consultant?
The State selected Kinney Engineering of Anchorage as its contractor and Randy Kinney of Kinney Engineering met with the advisory board to discuss an initial scope of work starting with inventorying current conditions, including population, land use, road conditions, traffic patterns and crashes. As the operator of the Manh Choh Project, we see this as one more opportunity for continued community input and we look forward to continuing the discussion with members of the advisory committee.
Has a seasonal operation been discussed? For example, could the mill run from mid-August – mid-April?
Seasonal operations have been discussed but are not being pursued at this time. Steady, year-round operations will be the safest and most efficient and minimize the number of trucks on the road at one time.
Will Manh Choh chip in money to help with additions of passing lanes, pull offs, etc.?
Alaska has a motor fuels tax like all other states (however, it is among the lowest in the nation). A portion of the cost of fuel is distributed into a fund that is used to maintain our public highways. Federal funds will support the 10 new or extended passing lanes and as many as five bridge replacements. These projects will be primarily funded through federal highway funds and the 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.
In an effort to make sure are doing our part to maintain the roads, we will also meet (or do better than) all legal/regulatory requirements, including load and speed limits, driver duty times.
Will the current plan affect the tourism industry or travelers?
There will be informational materials provided to businesses and organizations in the travel/tourism industry to help educate and lessen any potential interference with their plans. This effort will be separate from the DOT’s construction plans along the route.
Ore trucking will typically increase traffic by 5-20% along the route. Increase to traffic volume will vary by region. In Fairbanks, where the roads are already much busier, we expect a 1% increase in traffic.
Will tailings be left at Manh Choh?
Tailings will be processed and stored at Fort Knox, significantly reducing the environmental footprint in the Tetlin area.
Are there going to be more meetings so community members can continue to communicate with Kinross?
Yes, community meetings will continue throughout the life of the project. These details will be posted to the website, emailed and distributed through other channels such as social media. We also established a community advisory group to help inform Kinross of community concerns and create additional avenues for communication with the community.
Will you have to break down trailers in Fox?
We currently plan to separate the trailers in Fox to continue up to the Fort Knox access road and have secured space for a breakdown yard between the weigh station and NOAA driveway.
Why don’t you build a mill in the Tetlin area?
Project economics simply do not support constructing a mill near the mine site, along with a required tailings storage facility. A mill and tailings storage facility are capital intensive and require years to permit. There is not enough available power in the Tok region to support a mill so an additional powerplant would have to be constructed.
A mill and a tailings storage facility would also significantly expand the project’s footprint and would increase environmental risks.
As the Tetlin Tribal Council wrote in a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the public comment period for our 404 permit:
“This plan only works because it uses existing infrastructure, the public highway system, and the mill at Fort Knox.”
Our Trucking Partner
What company did Kinross hire as their trucking partner?
Following an extensive, multi-year process, Kinross Alaska selected Black Gold Express as its ore transport contractor. Black Gold is a family-owned trucking and logistics company headquartered in interior Alaska. It was founded in 1987, primarily to service businesses on the North Slope, but has since expanded its operations to include services for the petrochemical, civil, power, industrial and construction industries. It operates both in Alaska and the Lower 48.
We chose Black Gold because of our shared values of safety, community and commitment to getting the job done right. The company has a sterling safety record, understands how to operate safely in tough weather conditions and has years of experience hauling ore in Interior Alaska.
Will trucks be required to pull over when a certain number of cars have amassed behind them?
Our transportation contractors will comply with all Alaska laws and regulations, including pulling over when safe to do so, when five or more cars are behind the vehicle. Trucks will also move over to the right in passing lanes and multi-lane sections of the route to allow other vehicles to pass.
Will dust come out of the trucks?
Our trucks will have covered loads, and depending on the moisture content of the rock, it may not even be possible for the rock to produce dust. The covers will be secured to the trucks.
Safety
In what ways has the Manh Choh operations team been proactive with safety? Have there been any meetings with the local school districts?
We have met with all local school districts and bus companies to discuss our transportation plan and to learn about bus routes, including stop locations and times along the transport route. Our drivers will follow the law and stop for all buses picking up or dropping off students and we are also investigating the feasibility of a transponder notification system.
How will you manage traffic around school bus stops?
Safety is our highest priority, and this includes areas such as school bus stops, pedestrian walkways and bike paths. We foster a culture of safety throughout the company and have dedicated safety staff who are solely focused on safety. We are working with the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT), our trucking partner and area schools to better understand each school bus stop situation and how to maximize student safety. We are meeting with area schools and bus companies to keep everyone informed of our plans. Drivers will be trained on location of school zones to take extra caution. We will use GPS to monitor and strictly enforce speed limits in our vehicles. We will support DOT in efforts to add school zone signs where needed. We are also investigating the feasibility of a transponder notification system.
How much will the traffic increase on the highway?
We estimate an average of 60 trucks per day; a truck in either direction every 10-15 minutes. The trailer design is optimized to reduce trips by 10%. Trucking will typically increase traffic by 5-20% along the route. In Fairbanks, where the roads are already much busier, we expect a 1% increase in traffic. A higher percent increase will be noticed in quieter areas between Delta and Tok.
What are the DOT highway improvement plans?
Alaska DOT had previously announced several improvements to the planned corridor route from 2022-2025 including bridge replacements, passing lanes, asphalt resurfacing and more. You can find details here: https://dot.alaska.gov/nreg/tetlintofortknox. For questions, contact the Northern Region Public Information Office at (907) 451-5307 or dot.ask@alaska.gov.
How will trucking be adapted for adverse weather conditions?
We are committed to safety and view it as our number one priority. We will slow or stop operations if weather conditions are deemed unsafe. This is a commitment we made after it came up in community meetings.
Are there any identified health risks associated with the fugitive dust?
The elemental metals are in a stable form, bound chemically in the rock as a compound. Crushing, which would occur in a very controlled mining environment at Fort Knox rather than Manh Choh, may expose these metals, but a chemical change would need to occur. The volume of dust leaving the trucks will be minimal, if any, as the uncrushed ore has very few fine particles and the ore moisture content will suppress any fines. Also, the trailers will be covered.
Environment
Will you use ultra-low-sulfur diesel?
Yes, using ULSD and modern pollution control technology installed on today’s diesel engines reduces fine particulates (soot) and pollutants in diesel exhaust by over 90%.
Learn more from the Department of Environmental Conservation here: https://dec.alaska.gov/air/anpms/ultra-low-sulfur-diesel/faq/
What will be done about air emissions from trucks?
Air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are very important to us. We will use new, purpose-built highway tractors that have high-efficiency, low emissions engines that meet the latest EPA 2021 (Tier 4 comparable) emissions standards.
Independent modeling shows trucking will contribute less than 0.25% of PM 2.5 emissions in the Non-Attainment Area 1. We are confident our trucks will not impact the path back to PM 2.5 attainment based on the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s State Implementation Plan. Loads will be covered to greatly minimize dust.
We will not allow emissions controls to be bypassed during operations and will incentivize our trucking partner to strive for fuel efficiency improvements during operations.
Have you considered air quality changes with the addition of highway trucks?
Yes, an independent consultant was hired to study the effects the plan may have on the identified PM 2.5 non-attainment area along the route (about 20 miles of public roadway). The additional trucks on the roadway under the transport plan would account for <1% of mobile-only sources and <0.25% of the mobile and stationary sources in the PM 2.5 non-attainment area. Other substances (such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides) have also been analyzed and are similarly deemed insignificant by the consultant.
The transportation will be intermittent and transient in nature. This activity would not affect the EPA-approved State Implementation Plan and ADEC’s plans to address emissions and bring the PM 2.5 non-attainment area into compliance.
Have you considered noise changes along the route?
Yes. Manh Choh hired an independent contractor to conduct a noise study that measured baseline noise levels at 19 different locations, including residences, schools, churches, and parks along the route. This data was then used for noise modeling at nearly 400 additional locations.
Highway ore transport trucks produce noise levels similar to highway trucks that are already operating along the highway corridor, transporting building materials, food, general supplies, and fuel, among other products.
During daytime hours, the increase in noise from the ore transport trucks will be 3 decibels or less in most areas, which is barely perceptible to most people.
An increase in noise from highway hauling during early morning and evening hours is typically below 4 to 6 decibels, which is considered “just perceptible” to most people.
To help reduce noise, the Manh Choh project will use late-model and well-maintained trucks equipped with noise suppression systems and provide driver training. The highway trucking of ore is not predicted to meet or exceed any federal highway regulations or regulations from the Alaska DOT&PF.
*All projections are for the exterior of structures and do not include the noise reduction provided by the structure, which is typically around 28 decibels or more for a well-insulated structure.
Why not extend the railroad or create another road?
While a railroad would be a useful option, the infrastructure does not currently exist and with a medium ore body resource it is not economically viable.
Utilizing existing infrastructure makes this project possible and also reduces the environmental footprint of the operation.
Employment/Economic Impact
How much of an impact will Manh Choh have on employment in the area?
Once in production, Manh Choh will be the second-largest private employer in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. The mine will support about 500 workers once it’s in operation with an annual payroll of $75 million. The average wage will be about $130,000 – not counting benefits.
What are the benefits of this mine for the Fairbanks community? This project will likely need many drivers and support staff.
The project will also breathe new life into Fort Knox, preserving about 1,000 jobs for Alaskans. Our trucking contractor estimates that 200 new jobs will be created to support the rock transport plan. These include 114 truck drivers, along with mechanics, equipment operators, laborers and experts in health and safety.
In total, the project will inject nearly $1B into the economy through salaries, contracts and purchases to support mining operations and construction. Because we expect the truck drivers and the hub to be based out of Fairbanks, this will be a highly attractive job for drivers as they will be able to go home to their families at night.
How much has the Manh Choh project contributed to the area so far?
In 2021, Kinross Manh Choh invested over $180,000 locally, supporting a dozen community programs in the areas of education, community activities and local development, cultural preservation and environmental sustainability. We spent over $1.5 million on local area goods and services, directly supporting over a dozen businesses in the Tok/Delta Junction area. In early 2022, Manh Choh renewed the community support agreement with the Tetlin Village.
Has Kinross considered offering a shuttle service from town to Fort Knox for employees?
We are discussing the potential of bussing as an option for employees. Carpooling is also encouraged, and our employees are reminded to drive to conditions and to practice safe driving habits when commuting.
Will Alaskans be considered for jobs?
Yes! Kinross Manh Choh prioritizes local hiring and investment in local businesses.
The Manh Choh project is expected to create 400-600 high paying jobs during operations and 200-300 jobs during construction. Trucking operations are expected to support approximately 200 jobs, including truck drivers, mechanics and support personnel. Most of the construction and operations jobs will be based at the project site near Tok and most of the transportation jobs will be based in the Fairbanks area.
Our trucking contractor has also committed to conducting ongoing local hire efforts, including using community outreach, job training and apprenticeships to increase village and local participation
The project will lead to nearly $1B in investment through wages, purchases of supplies and service contracts and construction.
Some 76% of all spending on the project is in support of businesses based in Alaska, and that number has increased each year (from 68% in 2020 to 79% in 2022). We also recognize the importance of using local businesses within the project area. In fact, 13% of total spending takes place within the local areas of Tok and Delta Junction.
Over the life of the mine, Manh Choh will purchase an estimated $425 million in goods and services from local businesses in Tok, Delta Junction, Fairbanks and other locations.
Please visit our careers and vendor information pages for more information.
Will you continue drug testing employees and contractors working on this project?
Yes. We will do random screenings for drugs and alcohol and will require testing upon any suspicious behavior, activity or significant event that occurs as we do with all employees on all Kinross projects.
How would local jobs be impacted if Kinross ended their mining operations at Fort Knox?
There are 2,100 jobs tied to mining operations at Fort Knox. That includes 715 direct jobs (100% local hire), and twice as many indirect jobs. The Manh Choh project will not only be a means of securing those current jobs in the Fairbanks area but will also add over 400-600 additional opportunities for local employment.
Will there be training/certification opportunities for future employees to ensure we can keep these jobs local?
Yes. The project and its business partners are committed to local hire and have sponsored workshops, on-the-job training and job fairs to help area residents prepare for Manh Choh jobs. Project operator Kinross Alaska helps youth develop work skills for a lifetime by endowing scholarships like the new Future Leaders at UAF, computers for Tetlin high school graduates and sponsorship of students to EXCEL, a program dedicated to improving education outcomes in rural Alaska. Additionally, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development provided a $300,000 grant to UAS’ Mining and Training Petroleum Service program to train area residents for the mining jobs.