Donlin Gold

Donlin Begins AnnuAl Village Visits in Akiachak

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:53:19 +0000

In an area where residents operate on a seasonal schedule for subsistence activities, winter has always proven to be a good time for Donlin employees to meet with residents in the Yukon Kuskokwim region and provide them with an update on the project. Staff began this year’s set of annual village visits at Calista Corporation’s shareholder relations committee meeting in Akiachak. About 50 people attended the first project update meeting.

Donlin Gold employees Bill Bieber, Mary Sattler, Vernon Chimegalrea, Wayne Morgan and Colleen Laraux were on hand to answer questions about the project. At the request of attendees, Vernon Chimegalrea gave the entire presentation on the project in Yup’ik. Residents said having the presentation available in Yup’ik was very helpful, especially for explaining more technical aspects of the project such as the milling process, and Vernon was praised for his translating abilities.
Calista Board Members George Guy, Michael Akerelrea, Robert Hoffman and Willie Kasayulie were also in attendance at the meeting. After project information was shared, residents and board members were able to ask questions and provide their feedback on any issues or concerns regarding the project.

Donlin provided lunch and door prizes to residents at the meeting, which included items like fuel and snowmachine helmets. The helmets were given away as part of Donlin’s regional outreach safety campaign, since snowmachine related accidents are a major cause of injuries and in some cases fatalities in the region.

The Donlin team has been to Akiachak before, as is often the case with other villages, and has brought community leaders to the Donlin Camp for a firsthand view of the project. Donlin appreciates residents taking the time to attend the village meetings, which provide a more traditional and personalized way ofcommunicating about the project. Listening to concerns has and will continue to be an important part of the project, and Donlin encourages residents to share their thoughts with staff, whether it’s during a village visit or through other methods of communication –phone, mail, email, comment card, visiting a regional office or on the website.

More village meetings are scheduled in the next few weeks. Flyers with the date, time, and location of each meeting will be posted throughout communities and some residents will be sent invites through the mail. Residents can also get an updated list of the project meetings by visiting www.DonlinGold.com/community or by calling (888) 225-7590.

Donlin Emphasizes the Importance of Wearing a Personal Flotation Device

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:47:02 +0000

it’s the time of year when hundreds of families in the Yukon Kuskokwim region are heading to their fish camps, preparing the smokehouses and drying racks, and teaching the youth how to live a subsistence lifestyle. As the salmon have returned to the Kuskokwim river, so have the native people to harvest this vital food source integral to their health and wellness.

To help families have a fun and safe fishing season, Donlin Gold community relations staff visited fish camps in the Bethel and middle Kuskokwim area to provide boating safety related items and informational cards about how to travel safely on the water. At each visited fish camp, staff passed out bags filled with safety and fish camp supplies including personal flotation devices (PFDs), rain gear, fish cutting aprons, rubber gloves and mosquito repellent coils.

One of the biggest issues Donlin staff stressed during their fish camp visits is the importance of always wearing a PFD when traveling by boat, no matter what. in Alaska, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death, and in a majority of drowning cases the victim was not wearing a PFD. By wearing a PFD when boating, we can show our children how to be safe, just as we show them how to safely set nets and use knives to cut fish. To learn more tips about boating safety, please read through the safety section of this newsletter.

Safety plays an essential part in all that Donlin Gold does and helping families live healthier, safer lives is just one way Donlin Gold can create a project that enriches the lives of those in the Yukon Kuskokwim region.

Face to Face with Stan Foo

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:45:01 +0000

You may have noticed a new name and logo on the front of this newsletter. That’s because last month the Donlin Board voted to change the name of our company to Donlin Gold. As the project heads toward the permitting process, our company and project will be referenced more, and we felt it was a good time to modify the name of our company to one that better reflects who we are and what we hope to do.

The new name, Donlin Gold, embodies our identity better as we look to distinguish ourselves from other projects in Alaska and clarify the type of project we hope to develop if we receive the necessary state and federal permits to do so.

Despite the change in our name, our values and commitment to the Yukon Kuskokwim region remain the same. it is our priority to create a project that will enrich the lives of those who live in the region for many years to come by offering jobs, scholarships, opportunities and safe, responsible development that does not compromise the environment.

We look forward to continuing our work and building relationships with residents and their families throughout the YK region. We will continue to update you with information about the project, and appreciate your ongoing input on how we can move this project forward in a productive and responsible manner.

Stan Foo
General Manager
Donlin Gold

Donlin Gold Presents Project Updates at Calista Shareholder Meetings

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:31:46 +0000

Throughout February, Donlin Gold has been attending Calista Shareholder meetings in the Yukon Kuskokwim region as part of our continuing effort to give the people of the region an update on the project and to answer all questions and concerns. Meetings will continue through March.

Donlin Gold is providing food and door prizes for those who attend and a Yup’ik translator will be present at most meetings. Donlin Gold encourages all families to attend an upcoming meeting. Community input will help us build a safe and responsible project.

February Meetings

Napaskiak: February 3, 12:00-4:00 pm
Napakiak: February 4, 12:00-4:00 pm
Kwethluk: February 10, 12:00-4:00 pm
Akiak: February 11, 12:00- 4:00 pm
Aniak: February 14, 12:00 4:00 pm
Chuathbaluk: February 15, 12:00-4:00 pm
Kalsags: February 16, 12:00-4:00 pm (cancelled due to weather)
Bethel: February 18th 4:00-8:00 pm

March Meetings

Atmautluak: March 8, 12:00-4:00 pm
Nunapitchuk: March 9, 12:00-4:00 pm
Chefornak: March 10, 12:00-4:00 pm
Tuntutuliak: March 15, 12:00-4:00 pm
Eek: March 16, 12:00-4:00 pm
Quinhagok: March 17, 12:00-4:00 pm
St. Mary’s: March 29, 12:00-4:00 pm
Mountain Village: March 30, 12:00-4:00 pm
Russian Mission: March 31, 12:00-4:00 pm

April Meetings

Crooked Creek: April 1, 12:00-4:00 pm

Modern Day Uses of Gold

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:24:37 +0000

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors cherished gold for its mystical qualities, believing it warded off evil spirits and healed the sick. Since this time, it has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts.

Now in the 21st Century, non-toxic and biologically benign gold is used in modern medicine to help us live longer, healthier lives. With a reserve estimate at more than 33 million ounces of gold, the Donlin Gold mine could greatly support all of the different mediums in which gold is used.

Medicinal Uses

With gold-plated interiors, lasers give off a more focused beam, helping save the lives of heart patients suffering from once-inoperable heart conditions and tumors.
Gold-plated thermometers give accurate body temperatures of newborns and unconscious patients.
Biochemists use gold to bond with complex and compound materials such as proteins to create needed drugs.
Researchers place gold on DNA strands to study the hybrid genetic material of cells.

An Everyday Lifesaver

Outside the world of medicine, gold is at work, usually unseen, helping make people’s lives safer.

In cars, airbags depend on gold- coated contacts and electronic sensors for reliability, saving hundreds of thousands of lives in the past 15 years.
In the air, commercial airplanes rely on gold-bonded compressor vanes to cool their turbines from exhaust that can reach up to 1150°F.
At work, gold-coated infrared equipment is used to detect a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide and other air pollutants.
Below ground, miners rely on gold-activated sensors to warn of low levels of oxygen and trigger an automatic replenishment in seconds.

Uses in Global Communications

Since the first basic computer, gold has been at the frontline of digital technologies. Today’s information Age is dependent on gold, making possible the free exchange of ideas from every corner of the world.

Computers, the heart of the digital revolution, depend on gold circuitry.
Electronics and telecommunications equipment count on gold for reliable performance, as it does not corrode in normal atmospheric conditions.
Trading in securities and other financial instruments depends on gold for static-free transmissions worth billions of dollars.
National security is aided through the major role gold plays guaranteeing the reliability of sophisticated electronic monitoring and communications.

Looking at gold consumption on a global level, China is now the leading producer of gold, while india is the world’s largest consumer of gold.

What People in the Community Are Saying

admin — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:22:44 +0000

Donlin Gold values input from the community. Helping to shape the direction of the project, we have been listening to the people of the region since exploration began over 16 years ago and have been putting their thoughts and concerns into action. For example, after hearing our initial project proposal, many people in the region encouraged us to seek alternative methods for powering the project. This resulted in Donlin studying the feasibility of a natural gas pipeline as the primary source of power for the project. As the project heads toward permitting, we look forward to hearing from the people of the Yukon Kuskokwim region, to better develop a mine that serves as a model for responsible mine development.

Donlin Gold Newsletter Archive

admin — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:10:28 +0000

Over the past few years, Donlin Gold has been sending newsletters to stakeholders with the latest information on the project. Each newsletter gives updates on the project’s progress, what employees are up to, safety guidelines, as well as highlighting employees and their contributions to surrounding communities.

To view archived newsletters, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

We Want to Hear From You

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:12:27 +0000

Please contact us with comments or questions. One of Donlin Gold’s goals is to provide the people of the region with regular updates on the project, answer all questions and address all concerns.

Scholarship Application Request

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:16:07 +0000

Grievances / Complaints

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:39:15 +0000

To submit any concerns or grievances about the Donlin Gold project please use the form below. To voice a grievance or complaint, please call 1-855-279-0382.