This resolution is important because it will put the Alaska Legislature on record as backing this effort. In addition to gold, nickel, lead and zinc deposits, there are areas rich in Platinum. According to Yukon mining facilitator Jesse Duke, similar geologic formations exist on the Yukon side of the border, along designated transportation corridors. At present, lack of a transportation infrastructure prevents these reserves from being developed. The advantage of rail is that you can move bulk goods further, cheaper.
Railroads are also are a more environmentally friendly transportation.
They present a much smaller footprint than roads while allowing for more restricted access to unpopulated areas. Approximately 1,000 miles separate the northeasternmost extension of the Alaska Railroad at Eielson from the northwesternmost reaches of the British Columbia Railroad at Fort Nelson, on the Alaska Highway, or Chipmunk, which is a little north of Fort St. James. The conference was told it would take approximately three years to complete environmental studies on any proposed route. Geologist Paul Metz told the conference the route from Eielson to the Canadian Border was well-suited for railroad construction, with few avalanche chutes or unstable land surfaces.