Exploration project near Haines, Alaska, changes hands but opposition remains

American Pacific has sold a contentious exploration project near Haines, Alaska, while the local Tlingit community stands opposed to what it characterizes as land destruction.

American Pacific sold the Palmer project to another Vancouver-based company, Vizsla Copper, for $15 million in equity — money that would be on the table when and if a mine goes into production.

American Pacific has been looking for a mix of copper, silver, gold and zinc on the roughly 25,000-hectare property located in the Chilkat Valley, about 56 kilometres northwest of Haines. The area is an ecologically significant watershed that provides vital habitat to moose, grizzlies and all five species of salmon. 

In a video to investors, Vizsla CEO Craig Parry said the site in the relatively untouched region is likely chock-full of high-grade copper and silver.

Also of value is working with affected communities, including the Village of Klukwan, he said.

“The team around me have had a tremendous track record of advancing projects in a manner that is as sustainable as possible, with as much focus on community and First Nations advancement as possible. So that's crucial,” he said.

Parry also said the Palmer project is still "a long way" from becoming an active mine.

“We’re many, many years away from that. However, the exploration upside suggests this could be a tremendous project,” he said.

Spokespeople with Vizsla and American Pacific didn’t return requests for comment.

Kimberly Strong, the president of Klukwan, which means eternal village in the Tlingit language, doesn’t trust Parry’s words, which she said ring hollow.

The company may engage the community, Strong said, but she doesn't believe it will be meaningful. She believes Vizsla officials have no idea what’s at stake — ancient traditions, worldviews and language entwined with the land. 

Strong believes the company just wants to tick the proverbial box, when it promises consultation. 

“It's pure extraction and destruction of the land,” she said. “It's not concerned about our way of life. It's a business. Their bottom line is the dollar. That's just not how our people think."

Strong said the biodiversity in the valley is too great to risk, for money that would only leave the community.