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3 Miners, politicians talk Pebble Alaska delegation voices concerns over EPA’s handling of copper project 10 Yukon First Nations, miners engage New pacts add to roster of existing agreements on resource development 13 A new Ethos emerging in Yukon With C$9M in the bank, junior has plethora of options going into 2013 Prophecy Platinum Corp.’s Wellgreen PGE-nickel-copper project in southwestern Yukon could represent 15-20 percent of total platinum production in North America when it goes into production, according to Prophecy’s management. Platinum, a precious metal 10 times more rare than gold and 100 times more rare than silver, is used primarily in catalytic converters, a growing and vital A special supplement to Petroleum News market in an increasingly environment-conscious world. Page 18. WEEK OF PROPHECY PLATINUM CORP. November 18, 2012 2 NORTH OF 60 MINING PETROLEUM NEWS • WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18, 2012 PETROLEUM NEWS • WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18, 2012 NORTH OF 60 MINING 3 ● ALASKA Pebble, politics pervade AMA gathering Alaska’s entire D.C. delegation made appearances at annual mining convention; share views on provocative copper project SHANE LASLEY sions based on a not co-exist with Bristol Bay’s fish,” Tim Mining News kind of check-the- Bristol, program director, Trout box exercise from Unlimited, said. “We call on President ebble and politics are two matters an agency that may Obama to implement necessary protec- Pthat loomed large in the minds of the have already made tions for this sportsman’s paradise.” mining community that gathered in up its mind.” Though the peer review panel did not Anchorage for the 2012 Alaska Miners make any judgments on the risks a mine Association Convention in early Assessment in the Bristol Bay watershed may pose on November. The weight of these provoca- scrutinized the fish there, it did find EPA’s assess- tive and inexorably related matters was REP. DON YOUNG SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI SEN. MARK BEGICH Whether by ment lacking on several fronts. reflected in conversations and presenta- “The peer review panel’s recommen- lain by a permanently frozen layer that chance or design, tions at the annual gathering. dations make it clear that the EPA has a prohibits water drainage. three days following the 2012 U.S. elec- With the trade show and technical ses- lot of work left to do if the goal is to issue Although the Corps has been relegated tions and on the final day of the AMA sion portion of the AMA convention typ- a scientifically-sound document,” the authority over the discharge permits convention, EPA released the final peer ically starting on the day after the U.S. Murkowski commented on the report. on these wetlands, the EPA was granted review report for its draft Bristol Bay elections, the juxtaposition of politics and Based on the input provided by the the power to prohibit, restrict, or deny Watershed Assessment; checking off mining is customary at the annual gather- panel, EPA said it is CWA Section 404 permits that poses an another box as it ing. taking the following unacceptable adverse impact to fisheries advance the study A visit by U.S. Rep. Don Young, R- “We made it very clear to the steps to bolster its or other water uses. toward finalization. Alaska, who won his 21st term Nov. 6 as administrator of the EPA, assessment: A group opposed to the development A 12-person panel Alaska’s sole representative in the U.S. Lisa Jackson, that there is no Clarifying the over- of Pebble petitioned the EPA to use this was charged with scru- House, also has become tradition. room, no option, no all purpose and objec- veto power to pre-emptively deny the tinizing the EPA draft “The day after the election you have tive of the assessment; Pebble Partnership discharge permits that watershed assessment, opportunity for any pre- your convention and you have me speak. Clarifying the devel- would be needed to build a mine at the a report that confirms emptive strike.” – U.S. Sen. I am just waiting for the day I lose,” opment and use of a world-class copper-gold-molybdenum Bristol Bay is a world- Mark Begich, D-Alaska quipped the longstanding congressman. realistic mining sce- deposit. Responding to the request, the class salmon region Once the laughter faded, Young vault- nario; environmental agency initiated the and describes potential ed into more sobering topics, including Expanding the use of the conceptual Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment to see risks that large-scale mining may pose to big government, over-reach by federal models to better illustrate how mining if this unprecedented stretch of its author- the fishery. agencies and the controversial Pebble activities could potentially affect Bristol ity is justified. While the peer review report did not copper-gold-molybdenum project in Bay’s fishery resources; and, “The EPA was asked to shut us down produce any new information, Pebble Southwest Alaska. Enhancing the review of modern min- before we go into permitting, something opposition was quick to seize the oppor- “Whether you are for or against the ing practices to consider additional strate- that has not been tunity to advance its position. Pebble Mine, I gies for mitigation of potential adverse done to a project in “The peer review report underscores don’t really care. “If they impose a restriction on the the history of our what we’ve known all along: mining on What I am con- country,” Pebble the scope and scale of Pebble simply can- see PEBBLE page 4 cerned about is that ability to develop that mine, on the Partnership CEO Pebble is on state state of Alaska and the company John Shively told land. Our pioneers itself, we have lost the state of his counterparts Contact North of 60 Mining News: picked that land for Alaska.” – U.S. Rep. Don Young, during the miners the state – part of Publisher: Shane Lasley • e-mail: [email protected] R-Alaska convention. the 103 million Though EPA Phone: 907.229.6289 • Fax: 907.522.9583 acres of land – and vigorously denies it has predetermined we put it up for discovery, and it was whether to exercise its veto authority, the found,” Young proclaimed. draft assessment published by the agency North of 60 Mining News is a monthly supplement of the weekly Using fiery rhetoric, the congressman in surmises that development of Pebble newspaper, Petroleum News. It will be published in the fourth or said that if the federal government bans fifth week of every month. may pose a threat to a world-class salmon the Pebble Partnership from pursuing per- fishery found there. mits to develop the enormous copper- ADDRESS “They developed a mine that could not Shane Lasley PUBLISHER & NEWS EDITOR gold-molybdenum deposit, Alaska P.O. Box 231647 be permitted and then went on to show would, in effect, be demoted to territorial Rose Ragsdale EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (contractor) Anchorage, AK 99523-1647 people that since it could not be permitted status. it would kill fish,” Shively summarized. Mary Mack CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER NEWS “If they impose a restriction on the Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and 907.229.6289 ability to develop that mine, on the state Susan Crane ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Mark Begich, D-Alaska told the mining [email protected] of Alaska and the company itself, we community gathered at the AMA conven- Heather Yates BOOKKEEPER have lost the state of Alaska,” he told the CIRCULATION tion that they would stand up against any Bonnie Yonker AK / INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING miners Nov. 7. 907.522.9469 effort by the EPA to deny the Pebble Clint Lasley GM & CIRCULATION DIRECTOR [email protected] No option for pre-emptive strike Partnership its right to have its copper- gold-molybdenum project vetted by the Marti Reeve SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR ADVERTISING Young’s anxiety, which mirror’s the permitting process. Susan Crane • 907.770.5592 Steven Merritt PRODUCTION DIRECTOR concern of Alaska’s resource develop- “A pre-emptive veto makes no more [email protected] ment community, is centered on the sense than a pre-emptive approval,” is a Curt Freeman COLUMNIST Bonnie Yonker • 425.483.9705 potential outcome of a study the U.S. message Murkowski reiterated during her J.P. Tangen COLUMNIST [email protected] Environmental Agency carried out on the speech at the Nov. 8 luncheon at the Bristol Bay Watershed, a 15-million-acre AMA convention. Allen Baker CONTRIBUTING WRITER FAX FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS region of Southwest Alaska where the This sentiment was echoed by her Judy Patrick Photography CONTRACT PHOTOGRAPHER 907.522.9583 massive Pebble copper-gold-molybde- Democratic counterpart in the Senate. num deposit is located. Forrest Crane CONTRACT PHOTOGRAPHER “We made it very clear to the adminis- Several of the individuals This Bristol Bay Watershed trator of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, that there Tom Kearney ADVERTISING DESIGN MANAGER listed above are Assessment, which could result in a ban is no room, no option, no opportunity for independent contractors of the development of Pebble project any pre-emptive strike,” Sen. Begich told Julie Bembry CIRCULATION SALES EXECUTIVE before developers have an opportunity to the mining community Nov. 9. Mapmakers Alaska CARTOGRAPHY apply for permits, is currently being final- Murkowski went on to say the Pebble ized by EPA. Partnership has a right to due process. Under Section 404 of the Clean Water “The fact is: A mine that causes NORTH OF 60 MINING NEWS is a monthly supplement of Petroleum News, Act, the Army Corps of Engineers is irreparable harm to fisheries is not going a weekly newspaper. To subscribe to Petroleum News and receive the monthly charged with issuing permits for dis- to receive permits, it’s not going to hap- mining supplement, call (907) 522-9469 or sign-up online at charge into wetlands.