South32 eyes Trump's nod for Alaskan copper access
The Australian mining company South32 Ltd. hopes that Donald Trump's new administration will grant access to the copper-rich region in northwestern Alaska, where it has acquired exploitation rights. A decision from the Department of the Interior halted operations.
If the construction of the industrial road to the Ambler Mining District in Alaska, halted by the Biden administration and sparking controversy, were approved by Donald Trump, the Australian mining company South32, along with Trilogy Metals Inc., would gain the ability to extract high-quality copper, reports Bloomberg.
The mining conglomerate hopes that the new president will allow operations in this area, as he promised during the campaign. As Bloomberg recalls, the declaration for immediate approval was presented in the documents of the so-called Project 2025, which is the vision of Trump's second term showcased during the campaign.
Let's recall that the U.S. Department of the Interior blocked the proposal for the construction of a 340-kilometre road, justifying the decision with the need to protect 28 million hectares of federal lands from mining activities.
According to South32's CEO Graham Kerr, the discovery of a new, large deposit could be of exceptional significance for the industry. However, he admitted that the biggest challenge is conducting exploration due to seasonal constraints, noted Bloomberg.
As stated on the mining company's website, South32 holds a 50% stake in the Ambler Metals joint venture with Trilogy Metals, headquartered in Vancouver, which owns the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects located in the Ambler Mining District in north-western Alaska.
The formation of the joint venture followed a three-year exploration partnership with Trilogy Metals, focused on the Arctic polymetallic deposit, the Bornite copper deposit, and regional exploration prospects.
