Felix Gold, an Australian mining company, has plans to develop a large industrial-scale mine on the slopes of Ester Dome facing Fairbanks. They propose to remove and process old tailings and then progress to underground and/or surface extraction (open pit) and underground mining. Much of the active exploration lies adjacent to neighborhoods and in popular recreation areas. Felix has an “aggressive fast-track strategy and is aiming to be in production by the end of 2025”.  

State and borough land sales have encouraged the development of many neighborhoods around and on Ester Dome. There are no meaningful protections for these homes, landowners or businesses. 

The mine and ore transport to Fort Knox would dominant the area and dramatically impact the residents of Fairbanks and outlying communities. It will destroy the natural beauty of our landscapes, plant and animal habitat and prime recreational opportunities accessible 20 minutes from downtown Fairbanks. It will deeply change people’s lives and their desire and ability to remain here. It will redefine our relationship to the land, our homes and to the community. Felix Gold’s desire to fast-track the process is a betrayal of the people of Fairbanks.

The Grant mine may  be just the beginning of a new gold rush. Five additional mines are planned for development in the hills surrounding Fairbanks. The Kalgoorlie Super Pit in Australia (2.2 miles long, 1 mile wide, 2000 feet deep), is Felix Gold’s vision for Fairbanks. Joseph Webb, executive director, described Fairbanks as the “Kalgoorlie of Alaska” due to its status as a mining town and its proximity to infrastructure.