Active Mineral Exploration
There are several active stage mineral exploration projects on Doyon, Limited surface and subsurface lands. These lands were selected by early ANCSA leadership for their mineral potential to create and promote in-region economic opportunity including jobs, training, education, and contracting opportunities short- and long-term.
Doyon, Limited’s goal is to promote projects that provide important economic opportunities for shareholders and communities. Agreements include local hiring benefits and scholarship contributions. Doyon pursues the utmost communication and environmental standards in its natural resource exploration.
Tribes and ANCSA corporations receive regular updates and annual updates from Doyon and the organizations that we sign agreements with. Regular updates include direct box holder mail outs, newsletter updates, phone calls, emails, virtual webinar meetings, and in-person community updates when in compliance with local COVID-19 measures.
WISEMAN
Wiseman is an early stage base metals and gold exploration agreement with Wiseman Metals. The agreement was signed in March 2022 and the first year of exploration activities will take place in summer 2022 including drilling, geophysical surveys and data analysis. Wiseman Metals anticipates concluding 2022 activities in September. Updates with communities will be provided in late 2022.
This project includes over 290,000 acres of Doyon surface and subsurface lands.
flat
Flat is an early stage gold exploration project with Tectonic Metals, Inc. The agreement was signed in 2021 and the first year of exploration is anticipated for summer 2022 including refractory analysis and ground surface sampling and potential drilling. This activity will be concluded in September.
This project includes 92,000 acres of Doyon surface and subsurface lands.
mt. harper and carrie creek
Mt. Harper and Carrie Creek is an early stage gold exploration project with Tectonic Metals, Inc. The agreement was signed in 2020. Prior work includes surface sampling and RAB and RC drilling. 2022 activities are focused on data modeling and desktop analysis.
This project includes 65,000 acres of Doyon surface and subsurface lands.
seventymile
The Seventymile project is an early stage gold exploration project with Tectonic Metals, Inc. The agreement was signed in 2018. Prior work includes geophysics, surface sampling, and RAB drilling. In July 2022, Tectonic Metals, Inc. completed RC drilling on the western side of the property.
This project includes 150,000 acres of Doyon surface and subsurface lands.
A history of Stewardship
Doyon regularly participates in mineral exploration programs and has done so since 1974. Doyon closely monitors all exploration programs and engages surface owners in surface use agreements when village corporation lands are included in project areas.
Doyon is the largest private landowner in Alaska managing 12.5 million acres of surface and subsurface ownership across Interior Alaska. Our region has the longest border with Canada, borders six other Alaska Native Corporation regions, has the longest rivers, and the largest number of roads. Due to the size of the region, there are ongoing projects regularly occurring in the region from research, to local use, to analysis, to mineral exploration.
When ANCSA was passed, there were three primary types of land selections. The first category is village corporation selections made within a 25 township withdrawal area around each village. Village corporations received first dibs on selections. The second type was the mandatory land Doyon was required to take adjacent to the village corporation lands also in 25 township withdrawals. The third type of land is outside of the withdrawal area, sometimes called deficiency selections. These lands were remote from the closest communities. Doyon’s leadership in the early days utilized a variety of resources to identify lands that had values for timber, minerals, and oil and gas. The idea was if Doyon made good selections it would help promote local opportunities for training and employment for shareholders and business opportunities for village corporations.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The Lands and Natural Resources Department and project partners provide regular updates to nearby communities. Promoting local hire, training, community contributions, and potential economic development to sustain our communities remains a top priority for Doyon.
Doyon monitors projects under the utmost environmental standards and best management practices.
scholarship contributions
Since 2019, $210,000 in scholarship contributions have been made to the Alaska Natives in Science in Engineering Program, GeoForce Alaska, Alaska Resource Education, and Doyon Foundation.
These contributions have benefitted over 100 Doyon youth from elementary to high school.
COMMUNITY
MEDIA COVERAGE
For more information contact the Lands and Natural Resources Department at
907-459-2030, or 1-888-478-4755 ext. 2030., or
lands@doyon.com.