Exploratory drilling will continue this summer on the Palmer Project, a volcanogenic massive sulfide mining project located near Haines, Alaska. First discovered in 1969, the Palmer Deposit has been the subject of years of mineral exploration by Constantine Mining and its owner, Vizsla Copper. Vast quantities of copper and zinc have been identified, along with smaller quantities of silver and gold. However, the project site is located in the middle of prime heliskiing terrain, used by several Haines-based heliskiing companies, and is also next-door neighbors with the venue for the Haines stop of the Freeride World Tour. The development of future mining operations on the Palmer Deposit could threaten the availability of the world-class terrain to heliskiers and the Freeride World Tour, along with a host of environmental risks typically associated with hard rock acid mining.
The Palmer Deposit is located to the north of Flower Mountain, Alaska, on a peak just east of the Little Jarvis Glacier. On the western edge of the Little Jarvis Glacier is a steep, imposing face known simply as The Venue. The Freeride World Tour hosted memorable competitions at The Venue in 2015, 2016, and 2017, then after a long hiatus, returned this season. The mid-March competition featured some of the most incredible riding of the whole season, and reminded skiers around the world that skiing in Alaska is a whole different beast. The location of the Palmer Deposit is classic Alaskan heliskiing terrain and is every bit as steep, spiny, and spicy as The Venue. Three heliski companies operate out of Haines, Alaska: Alaska Heliskiing, Southeast Backcountry Adventures (SEABA), and Stellar Adventure Travel. According to records obtained from Haines Borough, Alaska Heliskiing has operated in the area of the Palmer Deposit 31 days this season, and Southeast Backcountry Adventures has visited another five times, with several weeks left in the Alaskan heliskiing season. If full-scale mining operations are developed on the Palmer Deposit, heliskiing access to the area could be threatened. Vizsla Copper, the owner of the project, was a local sponsor of the Haines Freeride World Tour event this year. The Freeride World Tour shared with SnowBrains a statement from Haines Tourism Director Rebecca Hylton via email. “At this time, I’m not aware of any impacts that would affect the venue’s ability to host Freeride.”
Water from the Saksaia Glacier and from the snowpack of the surrounding mountains, including those above the Palmer Deposit, feed Glacier Creek which flows into the Klehini and Chilkat Rivers, which are home to thousands of salmon. Sulfide mines can leak highly acidic water contaminated with heavy metals into nearby watersheds, causing environmental catastrophe for fish populations and other aspects of the ecosystem. A 2020 report from Earthworks, an environmental advocacy group, found that four out of five of the currently operating metal mines in Alaska were identified by the EPA as being out of compliance with federal laws and had failed to capture or control contaminated water from mines. Chilkat Forever, an advocacy group led by the Chilkat Indian Village Tribal Council, is opposing any continuation of the Palmer Project.
The Palmer Project is still in an advanced exploratory phase, but with extensive mineral resource estimates already complete, the project could move towards permitting a full mining operation in the coming years. Approvals would require full environmental review and could take years to secure. But, a recent change in how the supreme court views the National Environmental Protection Act, along with a favorable political environment from the Trump Administration, who recently approved construction of the Ambler Road, could hamper efforts to delay or cancel the Palmer Project on legal grounds. Potential impacts to recreation, including heliskiing, may not be known until a draft environmental impact statement is released. From Alta, Utah, to Copper Mountain, Colorado, skiing has always had a connection to the mining industry. The Palmer Project represents a divergence, where instead of ski areas opening near old mining areas, new mining operations could impact current ski areas. For now, both the helicopter rotors, and the exploratory diamond drilling rigs, will keep spinning.
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