Final EIS on Ambler road
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will issue the final Environmental Impact Statement, or FEIS, for the Ambler industrial road in February. The original target was December. Traditionally a federal Record of Decision, a final approval, comes 30 days after the FEIS. BLM is considering three route options for the single-lane gravel road from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District in the western Brooks Range. The shortest is 211 miles and is preferred by Trilogy Metals, which is exploring copper deposits in the area. If the road were built it would cost about half a million dollars. Construction would depend on whether Trilogy and its partner, Australia-based South32, proceed to build a mine.

Tracer dye study at Palmer Mine
Results of a tracer dye study at the proposed Palmer mine near Haines will be available by February. The dye will indicate if groundwater seepage from mining operations – if a mine is developed – could reach the Klehini and Chilkat rivers. The state Dept. of Environmental Conservation is waiting on the dye study before issuing a permit for Constantine Metals to build a one-mile underground adit, or tunnel, to do underground exploration drilling of the ore body.

In another development, Constantine has retained Hemmera, a Canadian environmental consulting firm, to help it assess attitudes toward mining in the nearby Haines community and ways of addressing issues. Community attitudes are mixed, not surprisingly. The Chilkat Valley Mining Forum Committee, a group formed with hopes of bringing the community together, has been hit with resignations of members, the latest being the Haines Economic Development Forum. Lynn Canal Conservation and Chilkat Indian Village left the committee earlier.

Yukon ore to Skagway again
The Minto copper mine in Yukon Territory has reopened and new owners Pembridge Resources will truck ore seasonally to Skagway in January to the state-owned Skagway Ore Terminal, the Skagway News reported. Meanwhile, dredging and removal of contaminated submarine soil around the terminal will be begin in September.