Interior Alaska mine poised to remain a key gold producer and economic driver for years to come.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Two decades after its first gold pour, Pogo mine has evolved from a modest, 10-year operation into a cornerstone Interior Alaska gold mine built on a foundation of people, partnerships, and community.
During a keynote address at the Alaska Miners Association’s spring convention in Fairbanks, Pogo General Manager Mick Eckert said the mine’s success and milestones are not simply measured in gold output.
“They represent the energy, the innovation, and the continuous improvement that people put into the operation,” he said.
That mindset has carried Pogo well beyond its original mine plan. Since pouring its first gold bar in 2006, the Interior Alaska underground mine has produced nearly 5.5 million ounces, and ongoing exploration and operational gains suggest the operation can sustain strong production well into the future – underscoring how investment, exploration, and operational discipline can redefine a mine’s lifespan.
For Northern Star Resources Ltd., which has invested heavily in Pogo since acquiring the operation in 2018, success is rooted as much in relationships as in geology.
“Our vendors are critical to our success. They keep our operation running every day, and in many cases, we’ve grown together, creating opportunities on both sides,” Eckert said.
That collaboration extends beyond contractors and suppliers to the broader Interior Alaska community.
“For us, community isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something that we’re a part of. We live here. We work here,” he added.
Those relationships have helped sustain Pogo through changing ownership, evolving mine plans, and the operational shifts that have driven its growth over the past two decades.
Two decades and still growing
The more than 5.4 million oz of gold poured at Pogo over the past two decades is nearly double the expectation when the Interior Alaska mine poured its first bar.
Recent exploration and operational success suggest that strong production will continue well into the future.
Pogo produced roughly 270,000 oz of gold in 2025, in line with the mine’s average annual output over the past two decades.
That continued performance at an operation already a decade beyond its original mine life reflects the changes implemented following Northern Star’s acquisition, with a focus on efficiency, resource expansion, and long-term planning.
Mill throughput has been a key driver. Capacity has increased from roughly 800,000–900,000 tons annually in earlier years to 1.5 million tons annually by 2024. Today, the operation is pushing the annual mill throughput up to around 1.6 million tons.
Beyond the innovation and workforce performance highlighted by Eckert, the improved performance is the product of strong intent and disciplined reinvestment by Northern Star.
Knowing that expanded mill capacity is of little use without ore to feed it, the Australia-based company is also investing heavily in exploration at Pogo.
According to a calculation completed about a year ago, the mine hosts enough high-grade reserves to feed the mill for more than five years at current rates, and enough resources to extend operations beyond a decade.
Given the pace and success of its current exploration, the operation’s reserves and resources are expected to grow significantly.
Eckert said that roughly 1 million feet (305,000 meters) of drill core passed through its Pogo core shack in 2025.
Results from this expansive exploration program are being incorporated into an updated resource estimate expected to further extend the horizon of this Interior Alaska gold mine.
A billion-dollar impact built together
While operational and exploration successes are significant, Eckert said the mine’s most important asset is its people.
From the geologists who discovered the high-grade deposit and early leaders who advanced permitting and construction, to the roughly 720 employees who continue to safely produce gold each day, Northern Star honored the people behind Pogo during the mine’s 20th anniversary celebration.
“As we celebrate 20 years and more than five million ounces produced, we’re reminded that mining is both a modern scientific industry and a community,” Eckert said. “This anniversary commemorates the pioneers who believed in this deposit and the employees who continue to make it thrive.”
This includes special recognition of employees who have been working at the operation since the first bar of gold was poured.
Over 20 years, Pogo has:
• Poured more than 5.4 million oz of gold in 8,757 bars.
• Processed over 20.7 million tons of ore.
• Spent more than $1 billion with Alaska-based vendors over the past nine years.
• Generated nearly $1 billion in payroll over the past 17 years.
• Invested more than $1 billion into the mine.
• Donated more than $10 million to the local community.
These figures reflect not only the scale of the operation, but the shared benefits across Alaska’s economy – from local contractors and suppliers to communities across the Interior.
With ongoing drilling, continued improvements in mining and processing, and a workforce and vendor base that has grown alongside the operation, Pogo is positioned to remain a significant Alaska gold producer and economic driver for years to come.
If the past two decades are any indication, the next phase of Pogo’s life will be shaped by the same factors that defined it thus far – the people at the mine, the partners who support it, and the community that surrounds it.
As Eckert underscored, those elements are not separate from the ounces of gold produced – they are the foundation that makes them possible.