ALASKA TRENDS.

Mining , like most other industries, bounced back in 2021 compared to the year before. According to the annual Economic Benefits of Alaska's Mining Industry report compiled for the Alaska Miners Association (AMA) by McKinley Research Group, employment averaged 5,400 workers throughout the year, up by 700 compared to 2020, That's the equivalent of adding an entire Pogo or Red Dog mine-except, of course, the number of major mines remained steady.

Projects in the permitting or development stage, years in the works, are nearly a reality. When, for instance, Donlin Gold begins operations, the open pit mine would employ an estimated 1,000 workers. That would be like plopping a brand-new Alaska Railroad or Alyeska Resort into the state's economic landscape. Smaller prospects, like Graphite Creek or Livengood, are each on the scale of adding a Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport or every Subway restaurant in...