Pogo Mine Expands Resource Opportunity with New Portals
Northern Star Resources’ Pogo Operation has opened a new door, literally and strategically, to a new orebody zone with its first portal blast in a decade. The portal blasts completed in July of 2025 will help Northern Star access the Central Vein and Goodpaster ore body zones at Pogo.
Pogo is the only large metal mine in Alaska to open new portals so far this century. The first was the East Deeps Portal in 2015 and the two new portals opened in 2025. By expanding significant areas of the underground deposit previously unreachable, this major investment reflects Northern Star’s commitment to growth, continued operations and local employment at Pogo.
Located 90 miles south-east of Fairbanks and employing 720 people, Pogo is one of three production centers owned and operated by Northern Star, a global Top 10 gold producer. In the 12 months to June 30, 2025, Pogo exceeded its full-year production target and recorded 283,000 ounces of gold sold. Pogo has an Ore Reserve of 2.1 million ounces at a grade of 7.2 grams per ton of gold.
The new portals, roughly 17 feet wide by 19 feet high, will allow Northern Star to streamline underground access, reduce travel time and improve haulage logistics, which will directly boost production and contribute to overall mining efficiencies. The portals also work in tandem to meet new ventilation requirements; one for intake and one for exhaust. In particular, the Central Vein and Goodpaster ore bodies. From a safety standpoint, the new portals improve emergency access and ventilation flow, supporting Pogo’s commitment to keeping every team member safe every shift.
“This is a milestone event that is a big part of our growth plan throughout the next several years,” says Mick Eckert, General Manager at Pogo Operations.
“The new portals are a game-changer and demonstrate our confidence in the Pogo Operation. They give us direct access to new, high-grade ore zones, including the Central Link Project, that will extend the life of the mine and create more opportunities for our Team.”
“I am proud of the efforts of our Pogo Team to drive value-generating growth at what is a globally significant, first-class gold mining operation.”
– Mick Eckert, General Manager, Pogo Operations
Detailed Expertise
Preparations for the blast began the summer of 2024 and were completed in March 2025. Meticulous step-by-step planning included scaling the mountainside to ensure long-term stability; rolling wire mesh down the face secured with cement blocks bolted into the mountain; installing ground support around the portals to ensure the rock around the excavations is secure; and spraying concrete over the top to ensure no loose materials.
To accurately and safely survey the area and monitor blast performance, Pogo utilized a range of technology systems such as handheld and drone mounted LiDAR (a type of remote three-dimensional scanning) and various GoPros, including drones with infrared photogrammetry. A state-of-the-art blasting system using remote activated electronic detonators was deployed.
It was important for the Team to understand the geology of the mountain because safety is always front-of-mind. Geotechnical drilling completed the summer of 2024 allowed our mining engineers and in-house blasting specialists to carefully plan each blast from the first portal blast on the side of the mountain to standard production blasting underground. The effort included bespoke blast design, wider exclusion zones for personnel and equipment, sirens for wildlife and extensive communications across the site before, during and after the blast. From a technical standpoint, success is measured by ensuring all safety standards are achieved alongside target fragmentation or size of rocks, minimizing the volume of flying rocks and ensuring the resulting arch shape, or ‘profile’, aligns with the design to ensure long-term stability.
All design and mining work was completed in-house by Northern Star’s Pogo Team.