Mining and manufacturing work beautifully in concert, but in Alaska the two industries currently play at different venues.

Several Alaska mines in the first chair position have been leading the industry for decades, meeting and eclipsing production goals, finding new opportunities for exploration and mining activities, and meeting and exceeding remediation and environmental protection goals. But of course they aren’t alone in their stellar performance; the state’s largest hardrock mines are in good company with a multitude of smaller mines and mining operations. According to the Alaska Miners Association, in 2023 the industry spent $1.1 billion on goods and services with more than 450 businesses, and mines are the largest property tax payers in several boroughs. The mining industry paid out $1.1 billion in wages in 2023 to employees who live in approximately ninety Alaska communities. Some of that spending comes from mines that aren’t currently performing, instead finalizing their prep behind the curtain, hoping to join their counterparts in coming years in developing Alaska’s dizzying list of valuable minerals, which grows year after year as the United States prioritizes home-grown (and home-dug) materials. Alaska classics such as gold, silver, zinc, lead, coal, rock, and gravel may soon be joined by antimony, graphite, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, rounding out Alaska’s robust mining medley, a serenade sung since before statehood.

Alaska’s manufacturing industry, instead of playing from a worn but solid stage in a stately hall, is taking big steps to move up and out from the gigs it’s been steadily working. Starting small and dreaming big is how every industry starts, and Alaska manufacturers have persevered through what some used to believe are insurmountable challenges to find success. Many local food products, notably Alaska brews, can be found on shelves around the country and are winning international competitions. Furthermore, Alaska-built devices, equipment, and materials designed to meet our needs as we tackle complicated logistics and harsh weather are proving their worth around the world. The manufacturing industry has its sights on being a #1 hit, and its time grinding in the studio is garnering attention.

While both industries are playing in the same key, they have yet to truly harmonize. The majority of Alaska mined materials, with the notable exceptions of coal, rock, and gravel, are shipped outside of Alaska for refinement and value-added processes. Many Alaska manufacturers take advantage of the state’s resources as much as possible, but generally food or timber products lend themselves to local manipulation.

But I see the day when our manufacturing rock stars and mining maestros create a space in which to play together, and I’m definitely buying tickets.