(a) A person who requests a loan under AS 27.09.010 shall prepare an operating plan that describes the amount of the loan requested, the nature and location of the advanced mineral exploration, development, or mining for which the loan is requested, the equipment and other resources available to the person to implement the operating plan, and the economic feasibility of the plan. The person requesting a loan shall submit an operating plan to the department.
(b) Within 30 days after receipt of an operating plan under (a) of this section, the department shall review the operating plan and shall determine the economic feasibility of the advanced mineral exploration, development, or mining described in the operating plan. The department may extend the time for making its determination as to economic feasibility if an extension is necessary to obtain more information under (c) of this section.
(c) The department may require a person who has submitted an operating plan to provide additional information on the proposed advanced mineral exploration, development, or mining if the information is necessary for a determination of economic feasibility under (b) of this section.
(d) If the department determines that an operating plan is economically feasible, the department shall provide the person who submitted the plan with a written statement of economic feasibility.
(e) The department may enter into contracts for the services of experts in advanced mineral exploration, development, or mining to perform the functions described in (b) - (d) of this section.
(f) Information acquired under this section is confidential and may not be disclosed except to the person who supplied the information or except by order of the court.