Alaska Juneau Mill

From 1917 to 1944, the Alaska Juneau mill sorted, crushed, and treated ore to extract gold. Electric-powered engines hauled trains of 40 ore cars along the main haulage route from the mine two miles away in Silver Bow Basin to the AJ mill, said to be the steepest in the world. Ore fell between levels. Water came by flume from Gold Creek, and in winter the steam power plant pumped sea water from Gastineau Channel. Mill tailings, or waste rock, built the airport, Egan Drive, and one-third of downtown Juneau. Noted for its innovations, the AJ mill crushed almost 100 million tons of ore that produced 3½ million ounces of gold, worth billions today, helping make Juneau the lode, or hard rock, mining capital of the world.

Juneau, Alaska · United States