The Project
     The Poorman Magnetite (iron) Project is an open-pit strip mine being proposed by Eagle Industrial Minerals near the village of Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island.  The mine site lies less than a mile from town.  The project plans to blast and strip 750,000 to 1,000,000 tons of low-grade ore each year for export overseas.  The project will produce 6.7 million tons of waste rock over its 5 year lifespan.  Once operational, the project will consist of an open-pit mine, ore crushing facility, magnetic separation plant, conveyor belt system, several waste piles, and a large ore loading dock and facility.  The waste rock produced is expected to generate acid rock drainage and heavy metal leaching.


The Land and Fish
     The site of this project contains several salmon streams that would be impacted by the development.  For example, Label Creek is a salmon spawning stream and would have to be moved into a man-made channel for the duration of the operation, then moved back and restored after closure.   Poorman Creek and Footbridge Creek are also within the proposed strip-mine site.  The area is pocketed by kettle ponds and is habitat for deer and bear.  The ore loading facility is located in an area important to fish, especially a newly rebounding herring population. 

The People
     The Organized Village of Kasaan, a federally recognized tribal government, has spoken out against this project.  They have spent years planning and developing a sustainable culture-based tourism economy that would be incompatible with a major strip mine nearby.  Many of the residents use this area for customary and traditional food gathering. 

What You Can Do
       Stay Informed. Contact Guy Archibald at (907) 586-6942, or  guy@seacc.org, for the latest information.

Support the Organized Village of Kasaan’s efforts to restore the Whale House.  

Buy your “Save The Whale House” T-shirt or Hoodies now. Go to- www.kasaan.org.