Lake Clark National Park, a one-hour bush-plane flight from Anchorage, is known for its abundance of brown bears, horned puffins and critically endangered beluga whales. Wildlife-seeking tourists travel to this pristine Alaskan wilderness.\n\nNow, an American mining company, Contango Silver & Gold, is pushing to build a mine for gold and other metals on private land in the middle of Lake Clark National Park. The private land is owned by a Native corporation, which supports the venture, hoping for economic benefits.\n\nHowever, many tribal members and local business owners oppose the mine.

They fear it will harm the park's ecosystem and disrupt tourism. The proposal has split the small community of Tuxedni Bay and surrounding areas, creating a fierce debate over conservation versus development in one of America's most remote and wild landscapes.