Trilogy Metals said April 21 that Ambler Metals has started the federal permitting process for the Arctic project in northwest Alaska, filing a Clean Water Act Section 404 application with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The company also plans to seek Fast-41 coverage, which would put the project on a formal permitting timetable.
The move comes as Ambler Metals prepares a fully funded 2026 field program tied to its $35 million budget. Mobilization of camp and drill activities is expected by the end of May. The program is slated to include 40 to 45 drill holes and at least 5,650 meters of drilling at Arctic, with work aimed at geotechnical and hydrogeological data for mine design and permitting. Some holes will also test deeper exploration targets 3 to 4 kilometers from the deposit.
At the Bornite deposit, about 25 kilometers southwest of Arctic, the company plans to re-establish the exploration camp and prepare for a ramp-up in 2027. The broader field program will also include regional exploration across the 100-kilometer VMS belt.
An independent economic impact study for Ambler Metals said Arctic mine construction and operations could support up to 870 jobs statewide. During construction, the study projects an average of 500 direct workers over three years, peaking at about 650, with cumulative direct wages of about $160 million. Including indirect and induced effects, construction activity is estimated to support 750 jobs annually and $220 million in cumulative wages across Alaska.
For operations, the study projects about 430 direct jobs and $60.2 million in annual wages, rising to 870 total jobs and $89.8 million in annual wages statewide when multiplier effects are included. In the Northwest Arctic Borough, construction is expected to support about 160 jobs and $50 million in wages, while operations are projected to support about 160 jobs and $20 million in annual wages.
The study also estimated annual Alaska state taxes and fees of $31.3 million from Arctic production. It said Nana shareholders could receive about 230 preferential hires annually, and that Nana’s 1% net smelter royalty could total about $85.7 million over the mine life. Alternatively, Nana’s 15% net proceeds royalty was estimated at $400 million to $570 million cumulatively.
Trilogy also highlighted transportation savings tied to the Ambler Access Project road, saying it could reduce costs for remote communities by up to $3.4 million a year. The study said heating fuel transportation costs could fall by as much as 70%, and material transportation costs for a typical single-family home in the Upper Kobuk region could drop by about $287,000, or nearly 40%.
Bornite is forecast to produce 1.9 billion pounds of copper over a 17-year mine life, with the potential to extend copper mining activities beyond 30 years. Following these announcements, the company's shares moved -3.76%, and are now trading at a price of $3.33. Check out the company's full 8-K submission here.
