Pictured is the open pit of the Fort Knox gold mine just 20 miles northeast of Fairbanks Alaska. This mine which operates 24/365 processes 45,000 tons of material per day in its mill. As of the fall of 2019, it had produced 8 million ounces of gold in the 20 years of its service life! It is an interesting paradox that less than 100 miles away on the mighty Yukon River there are villages that still eat “hand to mouth” hard won food resources obtained by the ancient methods of locally…