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                                                                  Exhibit 24(b)
                                                                               
                              POWER OF ATTORNEY                                
                                                                               
                                                                               
        WHEREAS, Alaska Apollo Resources Inc., A British Columbia corporation  
(the "Company"), intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission   
(the "Commission") under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  
"Act"), a Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, a draft of    
which has been previously reviewed by the undersigned (the "Form 10-K"),       
together with any and all exhibits and other documents having relation to the  
Form 10-K;                                                                     
                                                                               
        NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned in his capacity as a director or       
officer or both, as the case may be, of the Company, does hereby constitute and
appoint William S. Daugherty as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to do any and all acts and 
things in his name and on his behalf in his capacity as a director or officer  
or both, as the case may be, of the Company, as fully and to all intents and    
purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, and to execute any and
all instruments for the undersigned and in his name in any and all capacities  
which such person may deem necessary or advisable to enable the Company to     
comply with the Act and any rules, regulations and requirements of the         
Commission, in connection with the filing of the Form 10-K, including          
specifically, but not limited to, power and authority to sign for the          
undersigned, in his capacity as a director or officer or both, as the case may 
be, of the Company, the Form 10-K and any and all other documents (including,  
without limitation, any amendments to the Form 10-K or to such other documents)
which such person may deem necessary or advisable in connection therewith; and 
the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that such person shall do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.                                             
                                                                               
        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed his Power of Attorney
as of the 21st day of May, 1997.                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                /s/ Charles L. Cotterell    
                                                ------------------------------ 
                                                CHARLES L. COTTERELL