Trump's possible green light boosts hopes for Alaska copper
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. Operations were suspended following a decision by the Department of the Interior.
If Donald Trump approved the construction of the industrial road to the Ambler Mining District in Alaska, which the Biden administration halted and which sparked controversy, 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 facilitate operations in this area, according to campaign promises. As Bloomberg notes, the promise for immediate approval was highlighted in the documents of Project 2025, the vision for Trump's second term presented during the campaign.
It's important to remember that the U.S. Department of the Interior blocked the proposal for constructing a 340-kilometer road, citing 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 exceptionally significant for the industry. However, he admitted that the biggest challenge is conducting exploration due to seasonal constraints, Bloomberg noted.
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 northwestern 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.
