North of 60 Mining News - The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. Oct. 4 reports that it has concluded its 2021 field program at the company's Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum-silver project in Southwest Alaska.

The principal focus of this year's program entailed:

• The continuation of select environmental baseline studies.

• Site care and maintenance, including the Pebble project site, and other facilities located within Iliamna.

• The demobilization and removal of facilities and equipment no longer required.

• The inspection, containment, and permanent closure of select drill holes and monitoring wells to maintain compliance with Alaska regulations and permit requirements.

• Support and data collection for the U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge monitoring program on the South and North Koktuli Rivers.

• Finally, support for site visits.

The Pebble Limited Partnership has stated that it continues to prioritize local contracting and employment. To that end, the 2021 field program was staged out of facilities owned by Alaska Native village corporations in Iliamna – most of whom were contracted or partnered on infrastructure facilities – and employed local residents and Alaska Native corporation shareholders.

Furthermore, the team included four full-time Pebble Partnership employees and seven part-time workers from the local communities.

"Our commitment to working in an environmentally sustainable manner while providing much needed economic stimulus and employment in this region of Southwest Alaska remains unwavering," said Northern Dynasty Mining President and CEO Ron Thiessen. "I'm happy to report the team worked safely and ensured that the goals of the summer field season were met."

With the ever-present controversy regarding the Pebble project – the recent assignment of a new review officer regarding the ongoing Pebble appeal, as well as the changing of hands with a new administration – the status of the project continues to remain uncertain. Yet with continued goodwill, and the looming scarcity of critical minerals that Pebble would provide, there still may come a day when this world-class copper-gold project sees production.