Mining News: PFS, scoping pave road to Arctic

Trilogy Metals Inc. Nov. 10 filed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report that supports the April resources estimate for the Arctic project in Northwest Alaska. At a 0.5 percent copper-equivalent cut-off grade, the April estimate outlines 36 million metric tons of in-pit indicated resources averaging 3.07 percent (2.44 billion pounds) copper, 4.23 percent (3.36 billion lb) zinc, 0.73 percent (581 million lb) lead, 0.63 grams per metric ton (728,000 ounces) gold and 47.6 g/t (55 million oz) silver. Trilogy said this resource is sufficient to support the upcoming Arctic pre-feasibility study, which is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2018. “Arctic is pretty special – we predict it will be one of the highest grade open pit copper projects in the world,” said Trilogy Metals President and CEO Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse. “Arctic is also located in the geographic center of a 100-kilometer- (60 miles) long belt containing over two dozen known grade polymetallic deposits and occurrences. It is not hard to envision a central milling concept with the other deposits potentially feeding the mill beyond the mine life at Arctic.”

The Arctic Mine being considered in the PFS, along with dozens of other minerals deposits and prospects in this metals rich region of Northwest Alaska, would be accessed by the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project, a proposed road that would extend 211 miles west from the Dalton Highway. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is currently working on an environmental impact statement and is collecting public input for the proposed road to the Ambler district. A series of meeting to collect public input on the road proposal kicked off in the Northwest Alaska village of Allakaket on Nov. 13. A total of 11 meetings are scheduled – nine in communities near the proposed road, a Nov. 16 meeting in Fairbanks and a Nov. 20 meeting at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage. “With the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project now in the formal permitting process and public scoping meetings taking place, it is exciting to see the Ambler Access Road finally taking shape,” said Van Nieuwenhuyse.

–SHANE LASLEY