Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Safety Questions
Will the ore haul trucks go through Fairbanks and North Pole?
Yes. They will take the Richardson Highway through North Pole.
Until November 2023, the trucks then left the Richardson Highway and followed the Mitchell Expressway to Peger Road, then north on Peger across Airport Road onto the Johansen Expressway, then east on the Johansen where it rejoins the Steese Expressway at the signaled intersection (scheduled for major reconfiguration in 2024).
After November 2023, in response to the lawsuit against DOT, court records indicate the route was changed to allow the trucks take the Richardson Highway to its intersection with the Steese Expressway. This route takes the trucks over the Chena River bridge on the Steese. (Previously, DOT had claimed that this bridge could not handle the weight of these ore trucks and that was why they were routed over to Peger and the Johansen Expressway.)
The route then heads north on the Steese through Fox and up to Fort Knox. Trucks pull into a “break-down” yard about a mile past the Fox Weigh Station to decouple the double ore trailers and pull them up singly to Ft. Knox. This effectively doubles truck traffic between the break-down yard and Fort Knox. There are no signs warning drivers of large trucks entering and leaving the highway. Already one accident has occurred as an ore truck was pulling into the yard.
How heavy are these trucks?
Each 95′ long double tractor-trailer will weigh 80 tons when loaded.
(Source: 3/21/2023 Kinney Engineering presentation, Slide 4)
How often will the trucks travel the route?
From Tetlin northeast up the ALCAN to the Richardson Highway to the Mitchell Expressway overpass in Fairbanks and then on to Ft. Knox, there will be up to 120 double tractor-trailer transits per day.
Kinross says there will be less than a 1% increase in traffic in Fairbanks. Is this true?
ASAH cannot duplicate this claim based on DOT&PF published traffic numbers. For example, the current average number of heavy trucks on Peger Road is 863/day.
Source: manhchoh.com
Increase In Truck Traffic along the route
Source: The Alaska Department of Transportation’s Traffic Analysis and Data Application website*indicates only TOTAL vehicle count is available, truck traffic is not separately counted
On mobile devices, click "+" sign to view additional table data
Location | Increase | Avg Daily Truck Traffic | Add'l Ore Truck Traffic | Data Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
AK Hwy @ Johnson River Bridge | 60% | 200* | 120 | 2021 |
AK Hwy east of Delta Junction (MP 1421) | 73% | 164 | 120 | 2021 |
Richardson Hwy @ Moose Creek (MP 346) | 1.3% | 8980* | 120 | 2021 |
Richardson Hwy @ Big Bend (MP 359) | 12% | 1020 | 120 | 2021 |
Peger Road @ Chena River Bridge | 14% | 863 | 120 | 2020 |
Steese Highway, South of Fox (MP 10) | 29% | 413 | 120 | 2022 |
Steese Highway, North of Fox | 61% | 197 | 120 | 2022 |
Will Kinross be able to find enough good, experienced drivers to operate these trucks?
There is currently a national shortage of 80,000 truck drivers. Even if the shortage is addressed in the coming years, do we want inexperienced drivers on our roads, which are notoriously dangerous and in poor condition especially during the long, dark winter months? It requires years of experience to drive the long haul double tractor-trailers required by this plan in Alaskan conditions.
Will trucks be on the road during bad weather and conditions are hazardous?
Yes, the plan is for the trucking operation to be 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Kinross has stated that they will follow the law and drive according to conditions. DOT&PF regulation (17 AAC 25.014e) requires long-haul double trucks to stop during inclement weather. However, DOT&PF leaves enforcement up to the discretion of the trucking company and driver. So who will decide when it is bad enough to stop? Conditions differ along the 248-mile route. Where will trucks pull over safely? Will pull-offs be regularly cleared along the route? The trucking plan has a strict schedule with quick turnaround that will be affected by hazardous road conditions. A driving stoppage would create a dangerous situation with trucks stacked up along the route.
What will it be like to drive on the road during bad weather with all these trucks on the road?
During snowy conditions, all vehicles create a “snow tornado” especially trucks. Most Alaskans have experienced being temporarily blinded by whirling snow and not being able to see either the road or nearby vehicles. Compounding this existing situation by adding so many large trucks on our roads will increase the dangers to the traveling public.
Will traffic keep moving at normal speeds with the addition of these trucks on our public roads?
The posted speed limit on much of the road is 65 MPH. Trucks that weigh 80 tons will take time to get up to cruising speed and will naturally slow down on hills and winding corners. The drivers will adjust their speed to maintain safe conditions. Cars and other vehicles following behind these trucks will find very few opportunities to pass a 95-foot long truck. If a long truck encounters a slow moving vehicle in front of them, they won’t be able to pass them and will be forced to match the speed of the slow vehicle. Basically the speed for traffic on these roads will match the speed of the slowest vehicle on the highway and little can be done to change that.
Will the additional passing lanes proposed by DOT&PF help reduce the congestion and help travelers passing these trucks?
In the summer, passing lanes do help somewhat to relieve the backup of vehicles behind a slower moving vehicle, but often drivers speed up along this stretch and only a few are benefited. In the winter, passing lanes might actually contribute to the dangers of the road. If the DOT&PF maintenance crews don’t immediately clear the full width of the road, the passing lanes effectively create a wider two-lane road. Since the lane markers are obscured, the traffic tends to crowd the center with a berm of snow in the middle so there’s no room to pass. In the winter, most drivers find passing lanes of little benefit.
Will it be more dangerous to travel from Tok to Fairbanks if this transportation plan is implemented?
YES. Trucks, and particularly long doubles, are involved in more accidents and deaths as documented by the Federal Highway Safety Administration, FWSA. Often the truck driver doesn’t necessarily cause an accident, but rather it’s caused by dangerous road conditions, bad weather, or frustrated drivers who make mistakes. Unfortunately, more trucks cause more traffic congestion resulting in more accidents.
Do they haul these distances on public highways anywhere else in the U.S.?
ASAH has not been able to find any examples. Typically, ore hauls on public roads are for very limited distances. This plan to haul the quantities of ore being considered over 240-miles of public highways is unprecedented in the United States.
Will the school bus stops still be safe for kids?
There are 280 daily school bus stops along the route (as of the 2022-2023 school year). The school buses stop on the highways as there are no shoulders or pull offs for them. By state law, all traffic in both directions along this route will be required to stop for the buses. Kinross says they will talk to parents about the trucks and have suggested to DOT&PF that they post school bus stop warning signs. ASAH does not believe this is an adequate response by Kinross considering the dark, icy winter road conditions during much of the school year.
What about emergency services along the route?
Emergency services along most of the route are limited and provided by volunteer organizations. A hospital is located in Fairbanks, at one end of the 240-mile route.
How many driveway intersections are there IN THE 3.6 miles from Stringer Road to the Boon Dox?
Driveway / Richardson access intersections: 53
How many driveway / access roads between Delta Jct. and EAFB?
What is the speed limit for these trucks along these stretches of road? Is summer different than winter?
Will Kinross/Contango indemnify the sovereign State of Alaska against damages that are a result of Kinross/Contango and/or their contractors utilizing an unsafe ore haul method?
What keeps the 2018 Sterling Highway rogue rock accident, resulting in an intruding rock from an ore haul dump truck fatally wounding an 8 yr. old boy (N.S.), from happening knowing there will be 70,080 such transits every year?
On the Richardson Highway in Salcha, if an 80-ton 95’ double ore hauling unit is travelling north at 60 mph (speed limit is 55), passes over the Munson Slough bridge, begins to round the upcoming curve to the right, then approaches the “SCHOOL AHEAD” flashing yellow light, is there a measurement of how far ahead on the right is the driveway entering and exiting the Salcha Elementary School?
Will DOT be able to enforce its own Wheeled Vehicles regulations (Chapter 25) which authorize DOT to stop operations during inclement weather? Per DOT regulations “inclement weather” is defined as: a) fog, rain, or snow that restricts visibility to less than 1,000 feet; b) wind conditions that render a vehicle unable to maintain directional control within one driving lane; or c) an accumulation of ice, snow, or freezing rain upon a roadway that render a vehicle unable to maintain traction.
There has not been an analysis of the ability of our public safety component to effectively follow the law. The enormity of truck frequency cannot be modeled as it has never occurred anywhere else in the United States if not the world.
Infrastructure Questions
How much wear and tear will these trucks cause on our roads?
One loaded ore truck causes over twice the pavement damage as a 6-axle truck-trailer combination every time it drives over a section of pavement. An unloaded ore truck causes similar pavement damage as a small to medium fully loaded truck. (Source: Kinney Engineering Study)
According to the Kinney Corridor Study analysis, based on the weight and frequency of these ore trucks, the summer maintenance and operations costs will increase by $4.2 million per year. The winter maintenance and operations costs will increase by $3.5 million per year over historical averages. In addition, DOT will need to purchase $3.2 million on one-time equipment and facilities to support the ore haul directly. (Source: Kinney Engineering Study)
So in total, DOT will need to find $7.7 million in labor and materials every year plus $3.2 million in one-time expenditures in order to keep up with the additional wear and tear on our roads. Based on DOT’s own estimate that they have a 30% vacancy rate for equipment operators and heavy-duty mechanics (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, February 4, 2024, p. C1), they may need to contract this extra work out. Contracting out generally adds a 20% increase in costs, in addition to pulling contractors off of their regularly scheduled work.
Who will maintain these roads and highways?
How often will snow be plowed along the proposed route?
(Source: Kinross public meetings)
Does Kinross have to contribute to maintaining the roads and highways?
(Source: Kinross public meetings)
Will Borough governments help pay for road repairs?
How much will the new passing lanes cost?
$40 million dollars for 8-10 additional lane miles of highway
Source: DOT&PF estimate in public meetings
Bridges built during World War II need to be replaced. How much will that cost?
The Johnson and Gerstle River bridges, built in 1944, have been on DOT&PF’s list for replacement at some point in the future. Because of this ore haul project, DOT&PF has moved these projects up on the list and plans to replace them beginning in 2025. ASAH estimates the cost of replacement in the $250 million range. The state portion will mostly be funded from the DOT&PF Northern Region Statewide Transportation Implementation Plan STIP capital allocation.
What will HAPPEN AS OTHER MINES ON THE ROAD SYSTEM OPEN UP AND ADD MORE TRUCKS TO OUR ROADWAYS?
Is the Chena Hot Springs Road overpass bridge adequate to accommodate THIS MANY HEAVY TRUCKS?
Not according to DOT. Fully loaded ore trucks will need to take the exit ramp and use the roundabout and entrance ramp back onto the Steese to avoid going over the bridge. Unloaded ore trucks can use the overpass bridge.
How much will new passing lanes cost and what is the result of the expenditures between EAFB / Delta and Delta / Tok?
There are only conceptual plans or costs as yet for the Delta – Tok segment.
How much wear and tear will the additional ore haul traffic add to the deterioration of our interior highways?
The ore haul effect on the deterioration of the haul route will be more than all other traffic combined for the life of the haul.
Long bridges, which were built during World War II have reached the end of their design life. How much will these replacements cost and where is the fund source for the construction? Are they STIP funds?
The Johnson River, Gerstle, and Tanana bridges are estimated to require $300 – $500M. The State funding match for these will come from the Northern Region STIP allocation which will lessen funds available for other needs.
I’m told there’s a way to calculate road wear & tear due to traffic and the expectancy of a road to perform to its life as designed. Can the road engineers calculate that?
There is and it’s done by calculating ESAL’s (Equivalent Single Axle Load) built into every road project. An ESAL is the nationally accepted standard of measuring damage done to highway surface transportation modes by loaded truck traffic.
When a new road is designed or is reconstructed, think of the engineers creating an “ESAL Bank”. They design the project to certain design specs and a certain number of ESAL is deposited in this “bank”. Every truck configuration has its own ESAL rating and each time this loaded truck passes over this road a certain number of ESAL are withdrawn When all the ESAL’s are gone the road is beyond its design life and requires replacement or rebuild.
Can we use ESAL’s to calculate the effect the new ore haul traffic will have on the three highways to be used?
Estimates are: (1) between Tetlin and Delta, the ore haul trains will account for 57% of the road wear and tear and (2) between Delta and EAFB, they will account for 30%.
It should be noted that when the ESAL Bank is empty, and these roads require replacement or repair, the funds come from our state’s Unrestricted General Fund (the STIP) and/or Federal Highway funds. Very little (FY 2021 Spring Revenue forecast – 0.6% total UGF contribution) comes from the mining industry contribution.
Is Kinross planning on establishing an endowment or willing to provide funds to assist the State of Alaska in paying for major road improvements and maintenance on these class 2 roads or to upgrade large sections to class 1 roads?
Kinross has been approached by ADOT (mid 2020) about special use fees because of the extraordinary increase in wear. They declined but instead suggested, at two different public meetings* that the statewide $0.08 /per gallon gas tax be increased to every citizen to supply additional funding road maintenance. (* August 14, 2021 & January 18, 2021 )
Does the 240-mile (one-way) ore haul route constitute an “Industrial Highway designation under State of Alaska statutes or regulations?
In the fourth quarter of 2021, the GARS (Gaffney/Airport Road/Richardson/Steese) intersection was modeled then marketed to the public using a digital computer simulation of traffic loads and conflicts. Would not this same analytical method be helpful with the ore haul proposal?
Other Questions
How much has the State received in mining license tax revenue from Kinross/Contango ORE?
Over twenty-five years, Kinross has paid the State of Alaska $50 million, or $2 million per year on average. Operating earnings (essentially net income which includes $110M of non cash depreciation, depletion etc.) for Ft. Knox was $91.9M in 2021 and $67M in 2020.
If treated as a new mine, Manh Choh will not owe mining license taxes for the first 3.5 years after production begins
(Alaska Statute 43.65.010(a)).
Taxes are computed with allowances for depletion, deductions and credits.
There may be apportionment issues when mining operations are conducted in two or more places by one person. (AS 43.65.010)
Source: Kinross 2021 Audited Financial Statements
Who are the partners in this Joint Venture in the Manh Cho Project?
Kinross Gold Corporation and Contango ORE are the operators. The Native Village of Tetlin owns the land and is not required to participate in the 7i distribution requirement.
Source: manhchoh.com
How much gold is in the ore at Manh Choh?
-fiveThe gold bearing material averages approximately eight grams per ton. The Fort Knox deposit was 0.3 grams per ton. Manh Choh mine contains approximately twenty times as much gold per ton as Fort Knox. What was described as an “average deposit” at community meetings is described as a “World Class, Highest Grade open pit mine” to Kinross/Contango ORE investors.
(Source: Mr. Bob Kozak, stock analyst, Cantor Fitzgerald Buy recommendation February 7, 2022)
In addition to gold, Manh Choh mine contains silver at about 16 grams per ton of ore.
(Source: Contango ORE, Inc. News Release, April 29, 2021)
Why doesn't Kinross build a processing mill at the mine site?
Will there be added dangers to the wildlife that is present along the route?
Is the ore being hauled dangerous to the public environmentally?
Who owns the Manh Choh Mine?
This website refers to the Manh Choh Mine owners as “Kinross,” for simplicity. But there are a number of corporate entities involved.
Kinross Gold Corporation is the Canadian parent corporation that owns KG Mining (Alaska) Inc., which owns a 70% interest in Peak Gold, LLC. Kinross Gold Corporation also owns Fairbanks Gold Mining, Inc., which operates the Fort Knox mine. Kinross Gold Corporation has been the managing representative for Peak Gold, LLC to date. It has mining operations in Russia, Ghana and elsewhere in the world.
Tetlin Native Corporation owns the land and mining rights to the Manh Choh mine. It leases 675,000 acres to Peak Gold, LLC.
Peak Gold, LLC is managed by Kinross Gold Corporation or its subsidiary, KG Mining (Alaska) Inc., which owns a 70% interest.
Contango ORE, Inc. owns a 30% interest in Peak Gold, LLC. The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation owns 7.83% of Contango ORE, Inc. Contango ORE, Inc. leases and hopes to develop other gold mining claims in the areas of Tok and Willow.
In 2021, the “Peak Project” was renamed “Manh Choh,” meaning “Big Lake,” referring to nearby Tetlin Lake.
The corporation to own the ore hauling trucks has yet to be determined.
The corporation to operate the ore hauling trucks has yet to be determined, but Kinross has rejected Alaskan companies and asked outside and Canadian firms to make proposals to haul ore from Tetlin to Fort Knox.
WHAT IS THE NEW KINROSS "ALASKA STRATEGY?"
The FNSB has received $2.5M for use in converting our diesel-powered mass transit busses into clean burning compressed natural gas (CNG) busses and vans. This effort will follow the guidelines of a 2019 resolution passed by the FNSB assembly directing the borough to improve the Metropolitan Area Commuter System (MACS) transit system and “contribute to improved air quality in the community.” What is the net offset, positive or negative, of converting our transit system to clean and green CNG while at the same time opening the gates of our Serious non-attainment area to a daily quantity 192 95’ diesel powered 80-ton ore hauling units (one every 7 ½ minutes)? What is the effect on our already troublesome air quality?
What is the status of the trucking contractor RFP and when will the trucking plan be released for public scrutiny?
The search for a trucking contractor has gone through three iterations. First was state of Alaska wide which was termed “non-responsive” and the search was expanded to the U.S. & Canada. That search failed and went worldwide. That failed and on September 12, 2022, Kinross announced that a contract had been awarded to Black Gold Transport, a subsidiary of Black Gold Express.
Where is Mayor Ward and his administration on this issue and why have they been so quiet?
Will Kinross measure baseline and monitor heavy metals and Ph levels along the entirety of the ore transport route from Manh Choh to Ft. Knox during the life span of the ore transport plan?
The February 11, 2022 letter from the EPA to the Corp of Engineers regarding the Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) compliance will shed light on this issue as answers are pending.
will Kinross consider and treat ore as hazardous waste?
The February 11, 2022 letter from the EPA to the Corp of Engineers regarding the Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) compliance will shed light on this issue as answers are pending.
Will Kinross station clean-crews and equipment along the ore haul route for rapid core clean up before toxic metals are leached into the environment?
Unknown, Kinross and agencies will have to establish robust mitigation procedures along the haul route.
WAS The recent million-dollar contribution BY KINROSS to UAF an outright gift?
The million dollars was going to leave the Kinross checkbook and go somewhere, they chose the university.
What was the process USED TO SELECT THE TRUCK route? Did I miss a public input meeting? Was the FNSB involved in agreeing to this route and if so, when?
AKDOT did not announce the route until the 4th quarter of 2021
At the 9/12/22 City Council meeting Kinross revealed the formation of Black Gold Transport “that after an extensive search” and “solely formed for the purpose of the ore haul function.” What was this “extensive search” and without names, how many firms were solicited and responded from Alaska, United States (northern or southern regions), Canada, and/or worldwide, and over what length of time did this search span?
Kinross recently released their ore haul sound study (performed August 30 and September 1, 2021). Knowing there is yet to be a configuration for the haul units, how can a valid sound study be undertaken until you know specifically what sound is being measured? Doesn’t Kinross need to explain this 2021 data is “base line data” to be utilized when actual loaded 80-ton haul units can be included as part of the sound study?
To what extent does the mining industry contribute to the Alaska State Budget?
In the State of Alaska Spring 2020 Revenue Forecast (the formal document used to build the upcoming state budget -$8.7B in FY2020) the largest contributor to the state budget was the federal government (48.2%) and the smallest was the mining industry (.6%); less than the commercial fishing and the tourism industry.
The lowest General Fund contributor but one of the highest users. Remember, none of the property tax collected in the FNSB goes toward highway maintenance. The FNSB does not have road powers so all M&O funding is derived from UGF (Unrestricted General Fund) contribution which is where the mining industry contributes the least of any industry.