Halcyon Research calculated that oil and gas producers paid about 19% of the total market value of the resource, compared to only 1.6% of market value paid by the mining industry. A staffer in the Alaska state legislature arrived at 20.9% and 1.6%, respectively, and calculated a comparable value of 5.2% for the fisheries industry.  In addition to a much lower tax burden, mining corporations are allowed to deduct their state corporate income tax from their mining license tax, and new mines are exempt from the mineral license tax for the first 3.5 years of operation

Value to Alaska?  Getting paid 1.6 % of value one time and one time only as opposed to getting over 5% year in and year out.