A remote but mineral-rich corner of Alaska across Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula is at the center of a five-year development plan by Contango Ore Inc., a Fairbanks-based mining company aiming to tap into one of the state’s highest-grade undeveloped gold deposits.
Located roughly 125 miles southwest of Anchorage—just west of the Kenai Peninsula and directly across Cook Inlet from communities like Ninilchik and Anchor Point—the Johnson Tract Project is tucked into a mountainous area near the coast. The site is only accessible by air or boat, but its proximity to tidewater makes it uniquely suited to Contango’s low-impact mining model.
After acquiring HighGold Mining in 2024, Contango took full control of the Johnson Tract, a 21,000-acre stretch of land leased from Cook Inlet Region Inc. (CIRI), an Alaska Native Corporation. While the property sits within the boundaries of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, CIRI has owned the mineral rights to the land since the 1970s and maintains long-standing easements for development.
A Gold Deposit That’s “Off the Charts”
At the heart of the project is the JT Deposit, a body of rock rich in gold, zinc, copper, silver, and lead. According to the company, the deposit holds over 1 million ounces of gold-equivalent minerals, with some drill holes showing gold levels more than ten times higher than many other sites in North America…