Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage
Anglo American CEO of copper John MacKenzie flew in from Santiago, Chile to address Alaska business leaders in Anchorage this week. Anglo American is a world leader in platinum and diamonds, and a major producer of coal, iron ore and nickel
MacKenzie focused his remarks on the heightening interest in copper worldwide, due to a burgeoning technological industry and the rise of the middle class in China and India. He said copper is critical to green energy technology as well, and is a necessary component for everything from wind turbines to hybrid autos. MacKenzie told the group that Pebble is a world class resource which presents the opportunity to apply modern techniques to mining.
Anglo American operates in 30 countries around the globe and has a $60 billion annual budget. Pebble development has drawn opposition from environmentalists, fishing interests and some Alaska Native tribes because of threats to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery.
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