2006 a record year for Alaska mining
ANCHORAGE - Alaska’s mining industry posted a record-breaking year in 2006, largely because of the high prices for zinc and other metals, state officials said Wednesday.
Last year, Alaska’s minerals industry was worth $3.5 billion, according to the state Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. Minerals produced in Alaska were worth $2.9 billion last year, more than double the previous year, when they were valued at $1.4 billion.
The volume of metals produced in 2006 was up for all commodities but zinc. The industry posted its first $2 billion-plus year of production.
Not only were the minerals worth more, but investment in mining and development, as well as the number of people employed in mining, also increased in 2006, according to the state.
“Mining has become a significant contributor to our economy,” Tom Irwin, commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, said in a statement.