Both the Pebble Mine and the Kensington Mine in Alaska promise to redefine the way we think about mining and the way mines in the United States are permitted and operated.   The questions is, however, do these two mines represent instances of objective democratic debate or are they gladiatorial contests between rich and opinionated men?   Will the ultimate outcome at these two mines represent the rule of law dispensed by a blind-folded lady holding scales, or will the outcome be dictated by a public-caesar’s thumb up or down.  And will the thumb go the way the battle goes? 

I am prompted to these irreverent thoughts by reading of Kensington’s legal battles, (see next blog article below) and by comments on a piece I wrote about the Pebble Mine.  Here, for example, is a comment about the Pebble Mine and a link to a site that boils the battle down to one rich man’s hunting lodge. 

I appreciate the opportunity to comment. A number of us here in Alaska feel that it is very important to change the terms of the Pebble debate. Our goal is to make the legislators who take Bob Gillam’s money and do his bidding know that there is a political risk. This is a tougher line than most groups are willing to take, but we believe it is needed—and we really need to spread the word on our case. Ultimately, I think we will win the Pebble fight, but it won’t be easy. The recent litigation failure at Coeur’s Kensington project along with other setbacks here in Alaska threaten our good standing in the industry. With luck we will overcome these.

I would not be so optimistic about the prospects for Pebble. It is facing unprecedented opposition with unprecedented funding. Alaska’s richest man owns a vacation lodge near the mine site and has poured millions into blocking it. He has contributed huge sums to legislators in Juneau and they are doing his bidding. Bob Gillam didn’t get his man into the Governor’s mansion, but he got plenty of his people into the state house and senate. They are working on land restrictions and raising taxes—all aimed at the heart of Pebble. Greens Creek never faced a tiny fraction of this. This website has more. 

And there is more on this grand debate at these links: