The Alaska Miner Summer 2023 36 CALL 775.753.6605 FOR A FREE ESTIMATE ON YOUR NEXT PROJECT WWW.RANGEFRONT.COM MINING & GEOLOGICAL SERVICES TALENT SEARCH • Geology Contract Labor • Mining Contract Labor • Industrial Contract Labor • Direct Hire TRUCK RENTALS • Mine Site Ready • Exploration • Field Work TECHNICAL SERVICES • Sr Mining & Exploration Analysis • Data Rooms • Property Evaluation • NI 43-101 Reports • Vulcan, Leapfrog and More! FIELD SERVICES • Claim Staking • Soil Sampling • Annual Filing • Cartography • AML Hazard Fencing 23-03 Rangefront Half Page Alaska Ad 7.5x4.75.indd 1 3/16/23 9:35 PM Profiles in Mining: Alaska Minerals SPECIAL TO THE ALASKA MINER How long have you been in business, who founded the company and who are the leaders now? Alaska Minerals (or AkMin for short) was founded by owner, operator and President Mike Smith back in 1985. Mike is still running and overseeing every aspect of the company. A lot of the dayto-day operations are being handled by his son, Michael. While not technically a Jr., he’s referred to as Jr. — a name he loathes but can’t seem to get away from. For those that have worked with Alaska Minerals for any period of time will know either Tim Dugenia or Brian Houglum. Tim has worked alongside Mike Sr. since the mid-nineties and we can’t imagine this company functioning without him. Brian has been around for close to 15 years or more. He’s been overseeing a lot of the operations happening at our warehouse in Wasilla as well spearheading all of camps that are packed and travel out to site. Kirsten Lane joined our team as the office manager and has done a tremendous job at bookkeeping, keeping flights organized and spinning the multiple plates we have going on here in the office. Mitchell “Elliott” Amato started as a bull cook to now overseeing the warehouse crew that handles the product sales as well as the grocery and supply expediting. Tell us a little about your history and how has the company and your business evolved. Mike Smith, has been involved within the mining industry since 1973, working for major mineral exploration companies such as Anaconda, Boyles Brothers and Layne-Christiansen. He started in Alaska working as a drilling coordinator. Soon after, Mike was tasked with the responsibility of designing, building, and running a 60-man camp. Working with the late Bill Ellis, one of the founders of Alaska Earth Science, he and Mike designed and ran the large camp that’s currently still operating out at Johnson Tract today. CONTINUED on PAGE 38 Serving Alaska's need for remote camps for 40 years
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