The long days of the Alaska summer are lighting up a remote, decades-old gold property that Vancouver junior Fire River Gold Corporation hopes will launch it into the lucrative league of gold producers riding the metal's sustained bull run.

Typical of many mining projects in Nevada, drills, hammers, and even explosives don't upset the neighbours because there aren't too many of them around. In fact, aside from snakes, coyotes, and the odd mountain lion, many mine sites in the...