In August, Kinross welcomed 13 Alaska state legislators to Fort Knox for a mine tour as part of the Interior Alaska Mine Tours initiative sponsored by the Alaska Miners Association and the Council of Alaska Producers.
The purpose of the tour was to showcase the exceptional work being done by mining companies in Interior Alaska and to educate legislators on the safe, responsible mining operations and community relations efforts ongoing in the state.
The tour kicked off at the mine with a presentation on the history of Fort Knox, Fish Creek, Manh Choh and the exciting future of Kinross Alaska. Attendees then geared up in PPE and headed off to the Mobile Equipment Maintenance (MEM) shop to meet with Diego Carvalho, MEM Superintendent, Fort Knox, and Francisco Gonsalves, Maintenance and Engineering Manager, Fort Knox, who explained the role of the shop and how maintenance is performed on large equipment in a safe and efficient manner.
The next stop on the tour was the mill where attendees met with Sarah Ingram, Ore Processing Tech Manager, Fort Knox, who explained the mill process and how the mill harvests gold from rock. Attendees then had the opportunity to see the finished product in the mining process by holding a gold bar.
The tour concluded with a lunch for attendees and Kinross representatives at the local Silver Gulch Brewing and Bottling Co. During the lunch attendees received thank you gifts for taking their time to visit the mine that included local jams, candies, seed packets and reusable hydroflasks.
“We were pleased to welcome Alaska state legislators to Fort Knox for the opportunity to share the past, present and future of Kinross Alaska, while promoting the mining industry in partnership with the Alaska Miners Association and Council of Alaska Producers,” said Terence Watungwa, Vice-President & General Manager, Kinross Alaska. “We believe this tour was an excellent way to connect with our governing officials by answering questions about our operations and inviting insightful feedback for Kinross Alaska. The tour was a great success and we look forward to welcoming more of our neighbours to our mine tours to learn more about Kinross Alaska!”
