Graphite One seeks permit to create a winter access trail through Mosquito Pass

By Megan Gannon Graphite One has applied for a permit to create a "temporary winter access trail" across 20 miles of remote terrain outside of Nome to get ready for its upcoming season of exploration. On this route, the company plans to transport heavy equipment to the remote camp it has established to explore a large graphite deposit in the northern slopes of the Kigluaik Mountains. The trail would cross several streams and has an elevation gain of 1,500 feet. Graphite One hopes to establish the route in 10 days starting next month. During the winter, the Kougarok Road is not maintained beyond Banner Creek, roughly at mile 13. But Graphite One would need access up to mile 28 to create this new route. The company says in its application that it will work with Alaska's Department of Public Transportation & Public Facilities "to determine if plowing…will be needed to support this work." However, the DOT told the Nugget it won't be plowing the Kougarok Road for Graphite One. "Mile post 13 is the end of DOT maintenance, and while we’re aware of the Graphite One plan to walk their equipment out to camp, we are not planning on plowing any farther than the state limit," said John Perreault, a public information officer with DOT&PF's northern region office. The permit application, which was received by DNR on Feb. 7, details Graphite One's plan to establish the route with a 36,000-pound D6 dozer and a 72,000-pound Komatsu 290 excavator. The company proposes to use the dozer and heavy snow machines to move camp equipment and freight sleds over the trail. The proposed winter trail would veer off the Kougarok Road, between mile 28 and mile 30, and onto the tundra to Graphite One's exploration camp site on the northern slopes of the Kigluaiks. The anticipated route will follow along the Hudson Creek drainage to the Sinuk River, then up the Windy Creek drainage. Once it goes over Mosquito Pass, the trail would continue north as it descends along the Cobblestone River before turning west to reach the camp. The route would cross the Nome, Sinuk and Cobblestone rivers and Buffalo, Hudson, Windy and Osborne creeks. The application claims that because "all transport is expected on ice and snow surfaces, no permanent impact to subsurface grounds is expected with this winter trail." The application says Graphite One does not anticipate needing temporary ice bridges at stream crossings "due to expected low water depths." "Small water pumps may be used along the trail and at stream crossings to fortify the trail with ice where needed, though none are expected to be needed based on current winter conditions," the application says. "If used, daily water consumption would be under 5,000 gallons total per crossing." In other parts of Alaska, for example routes over tundra to connect the road system to the North Slope oil fields, an elaborate effort is made to build ice roads for transport of heavy equipment and trucks. DNR is seeking comments from partners at the Alaska Department of Fish & Game and the Department of Environmental Conservation. Graphite One may need fish habitat permits from ADF&G to proceed with this work, Dave Charron, a geologist and program manager with the DNR's Division of Mining, Land & Water. told the Nugget in an email. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were also asked to provide comments or other information. "While the legislature has exempted revocable land use permits from the requirements for public notice, DNR has determined that it was appropriate to provide a posting to the State's Online Public Notice site and consider comments from interested parties that include members of the public and other organizations," Charron said. Mike Schaffner, Graphite One's senior vice president of mining, told the Nugget that the trail would be used on "a very limited basis," with one trip for two pieces of equipment, and an additional one or two trips "if supplies are available." The application says that a total of four core drills, averaging about 25,000 pounds when assembled, may be moved, if conditions allow. Graphite One said it hoped to use the trail through the end of April. "Graphite One hired an engineering consultant who has developed and managed many winter trails in Northern Alaska to ensure DNR standards are met, and the environment is not harmed," Schaffner told the Nugget in an email. Graphite One, which is based in Vancouver, is still in its exploration phase, and company officials have said they could be years away from applying for permits to begin mining operations. The company's plan includes eventually building an industrial access road to the site. The winter trail will "generally follow the route of the proposed access road but not exactly," Schaffner said. He added that the company may need the Kougarok Road plowed to mile 28 "in the event we need to move additional materials to the staging area" but he added that this may not be likely this year. "If we do need the road plowed, we will work with Nome DOT to ensure it is approved and well-coordinated, and Graphite One would cover the cost associated with that work," Schaffner said. Perreault, the DOT spokesman, informed the Nugget that "there's no plan for us to do any extra work on their behalf." DNR's Dave Charron said that winter cross country travel permits "contain stipulations to limit damage to the vegetative tundra mat and substrate, keep trail routes to the minimum width needed, utilize existing routes if available, and minimize brush and vegetation clearing." "Of particular note is the standard requirement that the winter operation of ground contact vehicles for off-road travel must be limited to areas where ground frost and snow cover are adequate to prevent damage," Charron added. "All exposed vegetation and/or soil would be required to be immediately covered with clean snow to avoid unseasonal melting and erosion. Blading by equipment would solely be for the purpose of grooming the trail route or filling holes with snow." Schaffner said Graphite One is planning to hold community meetings in April. Written comments on the winter trail application must be received by the Division of Mining, Land and Water at the Fairbanks Mine Permitting Office, 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 on or before 5 p.m. March 1. Written comments, questions concerning this activity or requests to view the full application packet should be directed to Jadon Farleigh, Telephone (907) 458-6885; Fax: (907) 451-2703 or e-mail: [email protected]