What, When, Where, How, and Why
Where is the Donlin Gold Mine expected to be built?
Roughly ten miles north of Crooked Creek, Alaska.
Local communities are concerned that which parties will benefit most from the mine?
External shareholders, such as Donlin Gold (made up of Barrick Gold U.S. Inc and NovaGold Resources Alaska, Inc.)
The creation of the Donlin gold mine would affect how many acres of wetland?
The mine would affect 9,000 acres of wetland.
Which two main companies are developing the Donlin Gold Mine in Alaska?
Barrick Gold and NovaGold Resources.
If the proposed Donlin project were approved, long-term operations at the site are expected to last approximately how many years?
Around 27-30 years, including the recovery period.
How long will it take for the Donlin Gold Mine to be constructed before it is ready to be used?
Three to four years.
About what percentage of the population of Crooked Creek lives below the poverty line?
Between 25-30%.
What major indigenous food sources could be impacted by the gold mine/barges?
Rainbow smelt and salmon.
What Indigenous Alaskan tribe has expressed environmental and cultural concerns about the impact of the Donlin Gold Mine on local resources?
The Yup'ik tribe (especially the Kuskokwim River communities).
Environmentalist and climate scientists are concerned that climate change could increase the risk of what type of failure associated with the Donlin mine?
Tailings dam failure. Higher rainfall could increase the risk of failure at the tailings dam, leading to downstream pollution.
Why are some Alaskan communities in favor of the Donlin Gold Mine project?
The project will provide many new jobs and economic benefits to local communities.
By how much is Donlin's barging plan expected to increase Kuskokwim River barge traffic during spring and summer?
Kuskokwim river barge traffic is expected to double.
How many miles of territory would the Donlin natural gas pipeline cut through?
The pipeline would cut through 315 miles of wild territory.
Which U.S. government agency is responsible for issuing permits related to environmental impact for projects like the Donlin Gold Mine?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Which industries would benefit most from the short-term increase in revenue generated by the Donlin Gold Mine?
The Alaskan timber, communications, infrastructure, and construction industries would benefit.
When did the six tribes in Southwest Alaska sue the Donlin Gold Mine project?
In April 2023.
What percentage of a tailings pond spill did the USACE model before approving the Donlin Mine permits?
The USACE only modeled a tailings spill of 0.5% of the dam's capacity.
In the recently settled lawsuit against the USACE, what was the likelihood of a catastrophic tailings dam failure?
The odds were about 1 in 1,000 a year, or 2 in 100 in 20 years.
What major environmental concerns do local stakeholders, especially fishing communities, have regarding the potential impact of the Donlin Gold Mine on the Kuskokwim River?
Contamination of the river with mercury and cyanide, which could impact salmon populations and the local ecosystem.
What regional infrastructure is anticipated to increase as a result of the site if it were to be constructed?
Roads and transport systems are expected to increase in the area surrounding the mine.
What are the three main points used in the lawsuit against the USACE?
1) The USACE modeled a small spill which undermined the potential damage of larger tailings spills on local waterways.
2) USACE didn't fully consider the mine's negative health impacts.
3) Increased barge traffic by the mine would have negative impacts on the Kuskokwim River ecosystem.
The Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) is one of the region's tribal consortiums which opposes the mine's development- how many tribes does the AVCP represent?
The AVCP represents 56 tribes across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
How many tons of waste rock would the mine generate over its 27 year lifespan?
The mine is predicted to generate over 2.5 billion tons of waste rock.
Which local Alaska Native corporation, with land claims in the region, has signed a land use agreement with Donlin Gold LLC?
The Calista Corporation.
Based on the required processing of millions of tons of material per year, what energy intensive method will be used to extract gold from the ore?
The gold will be extracted using Cyanide Heap Leaching.