The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) has approved a $13-million plan and budget for the 2021 summer field season activities for the Ambler access project, a critical link in the development of one of the largest copper/zinc belts in the world.
The cost will be shared equally by AIDEA and Ambler Metals, the joint venture operating company equally owned by TSX-listed Trilogy Metals and ASX-, LSE- and JSE-listed South32.
The Ambler access project is a proposed 340 km, east-west running controlled industrial access road that would provide industrial access to the Ambler mining district. The area currently lacks the transportation infrastructure necessary for the operations of mines in the area.
AIDEA has entered into a land access agreement with Alaska Native regional corporation Doyon to conduct final feasibility and permitting activities to advance the access project.
With more than 12.5-million acres of land in Alaska allocated to the corporation, Doyon is the largest private landholder in Alaska.