Sand, gravel, and rock (SGR) are key to developing and enhancing community infrastructure.

Doyon, Limited owns the SGR on its conveyed Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands. This ownership includes all Doyon subsurface lands beneath surface lands owned by village corporations and beneath surface interests transferred by village corporations to others such city governments.

SGR interests are managed by the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department. Doyon makes commercial sales primarily for capital improvement projects in Doyon villages. Doyon also makes SGR donations for some local uses.

Good maintenance practices in sand, gravel, and rock sites with land & resource owners, local stakeholders and regular users of material sites help minimize costs and promote continued uses of materials for the long-term. This also helps make projects happen faster that are sought after by Doyon villages whether it is a state funded capital project, federally funded project, or a competitive grant project.

Doyon manages 147 material sites across the Region, on and off the highway system.

Frequently asked questions

Doyon may be able to assist you with questions, but it is the responsibility of the buyer, contractor, or user to complete the initial application or forms and comply with all elements of the sales agreement including compliance with the Doyon approved mining plans and all applicable laws. Required reporting obligations must also be met to help ensure good land stewardship practices.

Can sand, rock and gravel be taken from any part of Doyon lands?

No. Sand, rock and gravel can only be taken from designated sand, rock and gravel pits and quarries.

What is Doyon’s policy on personal use of sand, rock and gravel?

Doyon will donate for most shareholder personal uses a fixed volume of sand, rock and gravel on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of material at an active, permitted, and currently operating site. Doyon can only waive its sales price; local operator fees, transportation fees and other charges may still apply. The shareholder is responsible for all of these costs.

What forms and documentation are needed for sales and donations?

For a sale, you must complete a Doyon Materials Request Form. Review the Material Site Permit and Plan Checklist. Once you have submitted the sand, rock and gravel request form to the Department, you will be notified of any further information required. For donation requests, similar forms must be completed and submitted. Forms are available upon request by contacting the Lands Department.

Doyon will not authorize a sand, rock and gravel sale or donation unless all forms are completed in full, and all required information submitted. It is the responsibility of the buyer to submit a request several months in advance before sand, rock and gravel is needed, as it may take 1-2 months to process a request.

How do I mine and transport sand, rock and gravel?

Doyon is not responsible for sand, rock and gravel mining, transportation, any required reclamation, or for developing or maintaining access routes to sand, rock and gravel.

Can sand, rock and gravel be obtained from banks and rivers in the region?

You will need to contact the Alaska Department of Natural Resources for further information, as these areas are outside of Doyon’s jurisdiction. For more information (including useful links) about obtaining state-owned SGR, visit the DNR’s website.

Who is responsible for obtaining permits?

The buyer, project contractors, and other users shall secure all permits and other authorizations as may be required by governmental authorities and provide Doyon with copies.  Doyon may be able to assist the users in determining what permitting may be necessary for their operations and in attaining required permits upon request.

Do I need permission from the village corporation if they own the surface of Doyon SGR sites?

Most existing SGR sites in the Doyon region are located close to rural communities which means that the surface is often owned by the local ANCSA village corporation. Doyon shares gross revenue with village corporations and coordinates on matters such as mining plans and general pit management. We recommend that you contact Doyon first with sales and donations inquiries so that we can provide advice and work cooperatively with you and the surface owner at the front end of your project.

Process for using Doyon Material Site

STEP 1: CONTACT

Contact the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department and let them know you will need gravel for a project. They will send you a set of documents by email, mail, or fax, whichever you prefer. 

STEP 2: Submit documents

Fill out the application and complete a mining and reclamation plan for your proposed actions in the pit. Submit both documents to the Doyon Lands and Natural Resources Department. Doyon will provide a general checklist and site-specific guidelines to assist in the development of these plans.

STEP 3: Review

Doyon will review these documents and request changes if needed as well as gather input from the surface owner. At this point Doyon will assist The Buyer in identifying permits from governmental agencies that may be necessary for their operations.

STEP 4: AGREEMENT

Doyon will put together a Material Sales or Donations Agreement. This Agreement must be signed by both Doyon and the Buyer before any activity may occur within the pit. 

STEP 5: Monthly reports

The Buyer will report monthly to Doyon on the status of the pit, how much material has been taken that month, and anything else of note. 

STEP 6: CLOSE DEAL

Doyon and the Buyer will close out the agreement including finalizing payment and ensuring site reclamation occurred in accordance with the reclamation plan.

Useful facts about measuring SGR

  • A full-size pickup bed can hold approximately one cubic yard.
  • A standard dump truck has a capacity of 10-12 cubic yards.
  • For example, a request for 1,000 cubic yards would require 100 dump truck loads.
  • Doyon is not responsible for SGR mining, transportation, any required reclamation, or for developing or maintaining access routes to SGR.


For more information contact the lands department at rocksales@doyon.com, (907) 459-2030, or 1-888-478-4755 ext. 2030.