The village of Platinum has approximately 54 permanent residents. It is located 125 air miles south of Bethel or one hour by small plane.
It is at the foot of Red Mountain, which lies to the south, and is 300 yards from the Bering Sea to the west. Goodnews Bay is on the north east and there are many mountains to the north, south and east.
In the village there is a one small corporation store. The small health clinic of Platinum is 200 feet from the school and employs 1 full-time health aide, who is a certified EMT. Platinum is governed by a city government and a village council.
A large herring, salmon and halibut processing plant was built and opened for operation in June 2009. It is owned by CVRF (Coastal Villages Region Fund). The plant is located at the “point” about 3 mile northwest of town and employed approximately 250 seasonal workers but is now closed.
The Platinum mine, which is located to the South of Red Mountain, opened the spring of 2008. It employs 75 miners and crew will operate from break-up to freeze-up.
KNIK Construction operates a sand and gravel business during summer and early fall. They supply the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta with sand and gravel, which is delivered by barge to its destinations throughout the region.
Residents can pick enormous amounts of blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and salmonberries in the late summer and fall. They hunt bear, caribou, moose, seal and walrus. They trap many smaller animals. Wolves, fox and coyotes are frequently seen in and around the village. Residents also catch salmon, halibut and cod from the ocean and trout and pike from the local streams and rivers.