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THE JOURNAL - AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION BY THE ALASKA MINERS ASSOCIATION
MAY 2026 | WWW.ALASKAMINERS.ORG
Graphite Creek permitting on track with targeted decision by September COURTESY OF GRAPHITE ONE
Ambler Metals submits federal permitting application for Arctic project COURTESY OF AMBLER METALS
G raphite One Inc., a developer of a complete U.S.- based advanced graphite supply chain, provided an update in late April on the permitting progress of its flagship Graphite Creek Project under the FAST-41 federal permitting program. The Graphite Creek Project — planned as an open-pit graphite mine and associated mineral processing plant located approximately 37 miles north of Nome — was accepted as a FAST-41 “covered project” on June 2, 2025, becoming the first Alaska mining project to be listed on the FAST-41 Federal Permitting Dashboard. Following the 60-day Coordinated Project Plan (“CPP”) process, the detailed permitting timetable was publicly posted on August 5, 2025. The CPP established a clear 13.5-month schedule for the required federal environmental reviews and autho- rizations, with a projected completion date of Sept. 29, 2026.
A mbler Metals announced April 20 that it has sub- mitted an application for a Clean Water Act section 404 permit to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, thereby initiating federal permitting to build and operate the Arctic mining project. Ambler Metals also plans to request an eligibility review for coverage under the program established by Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) which is administered by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC). FAST-41 coverage would provide a comprehensive, integrated permitting timetable, bring greater transparency and allow for dispute resolution. Discovered in the 1970s, Arctic is one of the world’s high- est-grade copper deposits with an estimated grade of 5% copper equivalent. The deposit is 0.4 square miles and holds an estimated 46.7 million tons of probable mineral reserves, including copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver. “Alaska has a very strong track record of responsible resource development while protecting the surrounding
As of the latest dashboard update, the project remains “in progress” under the leadership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Company continues to advance all required federal reviews on schedule, with full transparency provided to the public via the Federal Permitting Dashboard. “FAST-41 has delivered exactly what it was designed to do — improved timeliness, predictability, and account- ability across multiple federal agencies without chang- ing any environmental or regulatory standards,” said Anthony Huston, President and CEO of Graphite One. “By establishing a coordinated, publicly posted time- table and bringing all agencies together early, FAST-41 is accelerating our ability to develop America’s largest graphite deposit and establish a secure, domestic supply chain for lithium-ion battery anode materials and other critical graphite products across a range of technology sectors.”
communities and wildlife,” said Kaleb Froehlich, Ambler Metals Managing Director. “We’re looking forward to working closely with the federal government, the State of Alaska, the Northwest Arctic Borough, and the com- munities in the project area to advance the Arctic proj- ect which will help power the nation’s economy, con- tribute to our national security and bring much-needed jobs and economic growth to Alaska, particularly to nearby villages. Ambler Metals continues to affirm that any future mining in the Upper Kobuk must have lasting support from the people who live there, and as we move through the permitting process, we will con- tinue to build this trust and keep regional stakeholders informed at every stage of the process.” Ambler Metals has an established partnership with NANA, known as the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP), to explore mining in the area. Development of the Arctic deposit would lead to an estimated 1,000 jobs in both construction and operations, $407 million in State revenue, and $300 million in labor income.
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