Resources tagged with "Economics"
Issues tagged Economics
Benefits of Coal: History Coal has been used as a heat or energy source throughout the world since at least the Bronze Age. Coal was an important fuel for the Romans in the West as well as in China around the same period. ... [read-more]
Coal Impacts: Every form of energy development impacts both people and the environment. However, coal creates greater negative impacts than almost any other energy source, whether fossil or renewable. These impacts take place throughout the lifecycle of coal, from mining to post-combustion ... [read-more]
Exporting Alaska's Coal: Currently over a million tons of coal is exported from Alaska to the Pacific Rim by Usibelli Coal Mine Inc. This accounts for around half of the coal mined by Usibelli, with the rest being consumed in the state. While ... [read-more]
Illinois Creek Gold Mine: SummaryThe Illinois Creek Mine gold and silver mine in west central Alaska operated briefly in 1997, but the mining company went bankrupt in 1998. The state of Alaska took control of the mine in 1999 and soon after initiated a ... [read-more]
Mining Taxes and Revenue in Alaska: SummaryAlaska's mineral industry was worth almost $3 billion in 2009, but paid less than 2% to state and local governments, counting all forms of taxes, fees, and royalties. Taxes on other industries are much higher: the oil and gas industry ... [read-more]
Peak Coal: Closely tied to the issue of coal resources and reserves is the idea of "peak coal" which is the analog to the well-studied and often debated "peak oil" concept. Peak coal is the point at which coal production reaches a ... [read-more]
Powering Large Mines in Alaska: Power in AK Electrical intertie near Healy, AK GET PHOTO BackgroundMines are both large consumers of power, and a driving force for new capacity, generated from fossil fuels, as well as potentially from renewable resources. Metal mines often need an extraordinary ... [read-more]
Rare Earth Elements (REEs): SummaryRare Earth Elements (REEs) are critical components of a wide variety of military and civilian technologies, including many "green" applications. However, their processing and extraction has significant environmental cost. China produces virtually all the world's REEs, and recent export restrictions ... [read-more]
Subsistence: SummaryThe subsistence harvest of wild resources is important to the livelihood and culture of many Alaskans, both Native and non-Native. Subsistence harvests of fish and game represent a significant portion of the diet in rural Alaska, and are managed with ... [read-more]
The True Cost of Coal: To the electricity customer, coal is relatively cheap. But missing from the sticker price are coal's major impacts on ecosystems, human health, and our economy. People are sickened by pollution from coal fired power plants, shortening their lives and burdening ... [read-more]
True Cost: What is "true cost"?"True cost" is the difference between the market price of a commodity and the comprehensive cost of that commodity to society. The term is normally used to draw attention to missing or hidden costs that are not ... [read-more]
True Cost of Electricty Generation: SummaryLow price or low environmental impact, which is the priority? Debates over energy sources often pit these two factors against each other. But the arguments over price and impact are often missing some important information. The nominal (sticker) price of ... [read-more]