In Northwest Alaska, an economic engine runs low on ore

By NATHANIEL HERZ – Alaska Beacon

Red Dog mine has sustained hundreds of jobs and generated billions of dollars for Alaska Natives. It’s set to close in 2031 unless its operator gets environmental permits and decides to expand.

Alaska’s most powerful elected officials reacted with outrage last month when the Biden administration announced it was rejecting a state agency’s plan to build a new road across remote Northwest Alaska, to access an array of mining deposits.