Ambler Metals resumes exploration projects Trilogy Metals will
ramp up efforts at Arctic, Bornite After a two-year pause, explora - tion in the Ambler Mining District of Northwest Alaska will resume this year. Trilogy Metals Inc. announced a 2026 exploration program and budget for Ambler Metals LLC, the joint-venture with Australian-owned South 32 that is exploring discoveries of copper and other metals in the Ambler region. The program will focus on advanc- ing the finds toward permitting, tech - nical de-risking and long-term devel- opment, Trilogy said. The resumption of work follows the companies’ decision to pause activi - ty after Deb Haaland, Interior Secre - tary under former President Joe Biden, canceled permits for the Ambler Access Project, a 211-mile industrial road that would connect the region to the state’s Dalton Highway to the east. President Donald Trump has re- stored the permits, which is encour- aging the companies to renew work in the area. The 2026 program totals approximately $35 million for the ad - vancement of the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects located in northwestern Alas- ka, Trilogy said. The amount is roughly on par with the companies’ work for the two years prior to Haas cancelling the road permits. “The 2026 work program represents a pivotal year of progress for the UKMP as Ambler Metals prepares to initiate the mine permitting process for the Arctic Project, while continuing to ad- vance the technical and organizational foundations required for future devel- opment,” Triology said in a statement. “The joint venture is planning mine
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Photo Courtesy Ambler Metals Ambler Metals will prepare the Bornite Project camp for ongoing exploration and multi-year use.
permit submissions in 2026, poten - tially leveraging federal expedited programs such as FAST-41, subject to project readiness and continued en- gagement with stakeholders. FAST-41 is a U.S. federal framework designed to enhance coordination, transparency and predictability for permitting critical infrastructure projects,” Trilogy said. Ambler Metals will also advance the engineering, environmental and technical programs required to sup- port a future final investment decision for mine construction and operations, Trilogy said. Although exploration has been underway for decades in the Am - bler region with significant discoveries made, more drilling is needed to “prove up” the reserves needed to justify the road construction, which is estimated to cost in excess of $500 million. Exploration in 2026 will focus pri - marily on the Arctic Project including geotechnical and condemnation drill- ing to support mine design, infrastruc- ture placement and future produc- tion planning, Trilogy said. Arctic is a high-grade deposit composed mainly of copper that is of the significant finds
made so far. Ambler Metals will also be preparing the Bornite Project camp for ongoing exploration and multi-year use. The joint venture plans to open the Bornite camp during the 2026 summer field season to conduct geotechnical and exploration drilling, along with general camp maintenance and capital improvements to support future pro- grams. During 2026, the joint-venture will also reestablish an independent man- agement team dedicated to managing the next stages of advancement at the UKMP. Ambler Metals will also continue to evaluate, through its existing ar- rangement with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority the potential for early-stage funding op - portunities to support advancement of the Ambler Access Project, also known as the Ambler Road, the company said. The 211-mile proposed road would be for industrial use only and is intended to enable exploration and development at the UKMP.
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THE LINK: The Official Magazine of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance | WINTER 2026
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