US GoldMining Inc. released an update last week regarding its exploration activities in the northern part of its Whistler Gold-Copper Project, 105 miles west of Anchorage in the West Susitna Mineral District.
Spanning 53,700 acres of state mining claims, the Whistler Project hosts the Whistler-Raintree mineral system, also known as the “Whistler Orbit,” a 5×5 km porphyry cluster containing multiple mapped and interpreted intrusions, including the established Whistler and Raintree West mineral resource deposits.
The mining project has indicated resources of 6.5 million gold equivalent ounces and inferred resources of 4.2 million gold equivalent ounces.
Porphyry deposits, a primary global source of copper, often contain significant gold, silver, and other metals like molybdenum. The Whistler Project is a gold-rich variant, with over 25 individual exploration targets identified within the Whistler Orbit.
These targets, a mix of mapped diorite porphyry rocks, surface geochemical anomalies, and interpreted intrusions from 3D magnetic modeling, highlight the area’s potential for new discoveries, the company said. Recent drilling results, announced Feb. 10, underscore this potential.
Tim Smith, CEO of US GoldMining, emphasized the project’s strategic importance: “The Whistler Gold-Copper Project is located within the West Susitna Mineral District, which contains established gold, copper, and silver mineral resources, plus potential for other critical metals such as antimony and tungsten. The Whistler-Raintree Mineral System already contains two of the three deposits delineated to date and over 25 additional potential exploration targets identified over an area of approximately 5 x 5 km.”
The Whistler Orbit is underlain by a large causative batholith, fostering a cluster of high-level intrusive bodies prospective for porphyry-style gold-copper-silver mineralization. Exploration leverages advanced techniques, including 3D inversion modeling of airborne magnetic survey data, which maps magnetic minerals in the upper crust. This method has identified dozens of pipe-like porphyry intrusions, some comparable in scale to the Whistler Deposit’s host diorite-porphyry, while others represent smaller “pencil” porphyries or dyke swarms.
Key targets include Mammoth, a magnetically similar intrusion to the Whistler Deposit with elevated gold, copper, and silver values in 2024 surface till sampling, suggesting a nearby source. Big White and Sunbowl are interpreted as extensions of the Whistler Deposit’s magnetic and chargeability anomalies, potentially offset by faulting or post-mineral intrusions.
Historic drilling at Raintree North and East has intersected encouraging results, such as 120.66 meters at 0.73 g/t gold equivalent in 2011, indicating potential for additional porphyry mineralization. The Hotfoot target, 0.75 km south of Raintree West, features a large pipe-shaped magnetic anomaly and alteration suggestive of nearby porphyry mineralization.
The company’s exploration strategy builds on two successful field seasons in 2023 and 2024, integrating drilling, historical core relogging, surface mapping, sampling, and geophysical data, the company said. Despite challenges from till and gravel cover obscuring direct surface mapping, remote sensing and drilling are enabling targeted exploration. U.S. GoldMining is currently prioritizing targets for future programs, potentially commencing this summer, to expand resources while advancing an initial economic assessment announced April 15, 2025.
The Whistler Project, with existing deposits occupying less than 1% of the total land package, represents an unusual opportunity for resource growth and potential large-scale mining development in the future for Alaska. Start dates are yet to be confirmed as geological analysis and planning continue, the company noted.
I still say no to a road until the state can improve the roads it already has that are in poor conditions.
Incredible. Okay, how about this?: How about just standing out of the way and allowing the mining firms to build the road………and preventing public use thereon?
That’s silly!
By that maxim, between frost heaves, rock slides, avalanches, flooding and just regular wear and tear, we will NEVER build another new road mile.
In my opinion the state should get busy and build as many roads as they can. Open up new areas in the state for revenue sources and recreation.
I think a lot of dependence on state aid for the bush could be eliminated if villages had better access from groceries to gas to better medical care, to say nothing about job opportunities. And before you all get up in arms about traditions and living off the land…..would it not be cheaper delivering all those snow machines and 4wheelers by truck instead of cargo plane?
Dan, that’s like saying we should suspend all future space exploration until we have no more homeless and poverty in America. Get real, dude.
Glad to see Mike Dunleavy supporting resource development.
I completely agree.
Our ak roads suck.
Im an absolute no.
Destruction of fish habitat.
Destruction of Brown bear and moose habitat.
Pressure on Sheep and Caribou habitat .
Destruction of recreational cabin dwellers habitat.
American whiner:
What’s it like to be a nannie’s boy, always depending on the government to impede other peoples progress. Your attitude sucks.
I am confident that this project will be opposed by the usual suspects at any and all costs and to the death. Activity that results in something tangible being produced is immoral in the eyes and hearts of the Left.
I was coming to make the very same remark you have. The majority of these sloths one can suspect, are those comfortably free loading or employed in a secure non-private occupation, be my bet.
Cheers, A Johnson-Ketchikan
Yup.
Either gov’t workers or on the “dole”.
They really don’t want anyone to prosper – it just reinforces what a loser they truly are.
TALLY-HO & AWAY WE GO! Lawsuits, dire warnings of the earth cracking in two, scads of bumper-stickers, sanctimonious local & national politicians joining the “No to Whistler” movement, sport & commercial fishing interests joining The Horde, warnings about foreign mining companies. The late, great Irene Ryan said it best: “Unless you want a future where Alaska becomes a Green Exhibit for tourists to stare at, you must fight for our resource development.” See the short video produced by Gov. Walter Hickel in 1993, “Broken Promises”. But we have a rigged election system, a fake and fool-hardy Republican Party, a governor who genuflects to unconstitutional court orders, and a legislature that openly violates the constitution.
Begin with this, in Article 8: § 1. Statement of Policy
“It is the policy of the State to encourage the settlement of its land and the development of its resources by making them available for maximum use consistent with the public interest.”
If Alaska wants to reduce its budget deficit it is imperative to encourage and engage in this and many more projects. Let’s get our people to work. Let’s use the resources we are blessed with to bring prosperity to our state.
We (Alaska) only have 78B $$ in the bank (permanent fund). You’d think we could get there trails (roads) repaired !!!
Fools at the helm !!
>.75g/t,for a remote prospect?..pass
oops should be <.75g/t
Sbxtr, I dunno, if my math is correct, that is about 75 bucks per ton. Based upon $3300 AU per Troy oz.
Not bad , even for a remote project?
What is your estimate for excavation and processing a ton of ore?
Oosik,
Most small placer miners were making pretty good profits when gold was $1800 to $2000. Really depends on how much dirt lies on top of the aluvial gravels. Equipments costs, repairs, and diesel fuel adds up quickly. The large scale operators probably make a hefty profit on any costs around $1400 to $1500 per ton. At $3300, everyone with some skills make out.
“…….Not bad , even for a remote project?……….”
I’m not a gold miner pr processor, but I was a heavy equipment operator for a few decades. A ton of gravel is less than 3/4 of a cubic yard, or about an average backhoe front bucket load. At $3300 per oz, that looks like pretty good money. It might even be enough to pay lawyers for 40 or 50 years fighting the Anti’s before actually moving dirt.
What’s it going to take for this country to get producing again ?? That road needs built.
Maybe the state legislators will stop the pfd theft and fix the roads after this project brings in revenue? lol
Developing the west Susitna access for the mineral development sounds great when you say it fast. AT a 3% royalty rate on mining as compared to a 12% royalty rate on oil, makes one wonder about the investment verses the return.
As proposed the SOA using Federal Highway funds would extend from Point Mackenzie road to Alexander Creek with a dead end public road.
Alexander Creek to the Mining district would be financed using bonds via ADIEA for a private road.
The cost of the Public road would be in excess of $200 million plus. These funds would compete with all of the other road needs in South Central Alaska.
The Private road payback of the AIDEA bonds issued would be from the hauling of materials, supplies, and oar from the mines. Basically a toll road.
What has not been forthright from the proponents of the mining district is the risk involved by the SOA. A toll road traffic volume would have to be high in order to pay off the road bonds. If the potential mine is so lucrative let the mine investors build the road. Why should the SOA shoulder the risk?
As it is today Whiskey Bravo gold mine in the West Susitna mining district only operates seasonally. That would make the payoff for any development unreasonable.
“…….If the potential mine is so lucrative let the mine investors build the road. Why should the SOA shoulder the risk?…….”
My guess would be (1) yet more free federal dollars, and (2) getting the big bridge across the Susitna River for free or less.
You’re 100% correct on the little payback the mining industry pays to the state. AFAIC, everybody needs to just stand back and let them build it on their own. Any help should be limited to an alliance with them against the absolutely rabid and insane environmental industry. That’s 3/4 of the battle, anyway, and driving a stake through that monster’s cold heart goes a long way toward infrastructural sanity for everybody.
Ya’ know it’s really not about how much the State gets – commie much?
It’s about the private sector jobs and investment.
F/// the State – they squander the proceeds – AIDEA is a perfect example – they have squandered billions and billions on b.s.
Let the private invigorate our economy with investment, infrastructure, capital and food paying jobs.
It’s called capitalism.
“……Ya’ know it’s really not about how much the State gets – commie much?…….”
Well, the mining firms need STATE LAND to put the access road on. I guess they get it free? The state has to fight the echo-freaks in court with the miners for free? Is all that necessary to avoid the “commie” pejoratives? We need to sacrifice oil money for the miners in order to smell like capitalists? That includes those of us who don’t give a rip about the god of “economic development” because we aren’t going to get any of the economic benefits?
See you at the next John Birch Society meeting, Comrade………..
Have the #TribesThatBribe secured legal services of EarthJustice to file lawsuits seeking injunction and demanding tribes be empowered to steal their claims and gold yet?
did this for yrs – most never fly, especially on the first look. It’s a prospect that’s a LONG WAY from paying any royalties. You need a lot of proven tons to go into production. You need to be able to get the gold out of the rock.
The estimated harvest at Whistler is greater than the Fort Knox deposit (Fairbanks) has mined and refined since its inception.
The State just has to ensure that Alaska and the Native Association gets a fair share of the profits from ALL minerals taken. Not like the Red Dog Mine set up, where everything is taken out of Alaska, processed in Canada, including gravels and supposedly the locals are only receiving money for Zinc??? One mountain gone, and what has Alaska received from it???????? Hope we don’t have another sell out of the Alaskan people.