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The Biden administration on Friday blocked construction of the proposed 211-mile Ambler road used for accessing minerals in northern Alaska, saying it is protecting Native Alaskans and rural residents.
The two-lane, all-season gravel road would have served a zinc and copper mine planned by Ambler Metals, a joint venture between Trilogy Metals (NYSE:TMQ) and South32 (OTCPK:SOUHY) which has been engaged in exploratory work in the region for several years.
The Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects in the Ambler mining district contain an estimated combined resource of 8B lbs of copper, 3B lbs of zinc and 1M oz of gold equivalent.
Alaska lawmakers had lobbied the Biden administration to allow the road, but the project has been opposed by tribes in interior Alaska as well as hunting and angling groups.
The Trump administration approved the project permit in 2020, but the Biden Interior Department then ordered a new analysis, citing inadequate environmental impact studies; in April, the department recommended against any proposed version of the road.