AIDEA approves $45M plan for Ambler Road
BY SHANE LASLEY, NORTH OF 60 MINING NEWS Based on a directive made by Con- gress more than 40 years ago and its
own mission to promote economic growth and diversity in Alaska, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority board of directors has approved $44.8 million to advance
pre-development work on the Ambler Road project in Northwest Alaska. "Thanks to the AIDEA Board of Di- rectors for authorizing the 2023 proj- ect budget, which enables the project to move ahead," said Alaska Industri- al Development and Export Authori- ty Executive Director Randy Ruaro. "AIDEA will fight for jobs, a future for Alaskans, and environmentally re- sponsible resource development right here in Alaska." Formally known as the Ambler Ac- cess Project, this 211-mile road would provide an economical means of de- livering mineral concentrates con- taining copper, zinc, silver, cobalt, and other metals critical to clean en- ergy and America's economic inter- ests from mines in the Ambler District to the market. Drilling has outlined more than 9.4 billion pounds of copper, 9.5 billion pounds of zinc, 84 million ounces of silver, 850,000 ounces of gold, and 77 million pounds of cobalt in the Ambler Mining District. Recognizing the need for sur- face access to unlock the rich min- eral potential in the Ambler District, Congress included special provisions in the 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) that guarantees the approval of a trans- portation corridor to this metals-rich region of Northwest Alaska. Section 201 (4) of ANILCA reads, "Congress finds that there is a need for access for surface transportation purposes across the Western (Kobuk River) unit of the Gates of the Arctic National Preserve (from the Ambler Mining District to the Alaska Pipeline Haul Road) and the Secretary shall permit such access in accordance with the provisions of this subsection." "Those promises in ANILCA and the needs of Alaskans and the fami- lies for good paying jobs and the op- portunity to start a small business matter," said Ruaro. "That is why we continue to progress the project and work toward these significant project milestones."
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The Alaska Miner
Spring 2023
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