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Did you mean to include Rhenium? There's no Rhodium.
Northern Dynasty Comments on Recent Statements by President Biden Regarding 'Made in America' and Mining in the U.S.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/northern-dynasty-comments-recent-statements-104500226.html
Not sure, but Russia return to gold standard, and overall international instability are forcing $$ into comodities, especially gold, nickle, etc. But, maybe another vairaible I'm not aware of? anyone...
Governor Dunleavy Challenges New WOTUS Definition
February 11, 2022
"Governor Mike Dunleavy challenged the proposed new definition of WOTUS, Waters of the United States, in comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) this week. The Biden Administration is proposing to expand the definition for WOTUS, under which significantly more Alaska waters would be designated as WOTUS and thus fall under federal control.
“Alaska stands to be disproportionately affected by the Proposed Rule, and particularly, by the vast expansion of federal jurisdiction it will inflict on states,” said Governor Dunleavy. “Alaska needs regulations tailored to the diversity and abundance of its waters, not a one-size-fits-all rule imposing excessive federal requirements.”
The Governor noted that Alaska has significantly more water than all other states: Alaska has roughly 900,000 miles of navigable rivers and streams; 22,000 square miles of lakes; nearly 27,000 miles of coastline. In addition, Alaska has more wetlands than every other state combined, which cover 43 percent of the state’s surface area.
The submitted comments highlight four areas of concern:
The Proposed Rule would expand WOTUS beyond any previous definition, highlighting the failure of Congress to adequately define WOTUS in statute.
The science underpinning the Proposed Rule is insufficient to support its application to several Alaska-specific categories of waters.
The Proposed Rule impedes Alaska in carrying out its constitutionally imposed responsibility to manage its own natural resources and impinges on Alaska’s management rights under the federal Alaska Statehood Act.
The Proposed Rule disregards the language in the federal Clean Water Act which “recognize[s], preserve[s], and protect[s] the primary responsibilities and rights of state[s]” to manage and protect water resources.
“Rest assured my Administration will stand up for the rights of Alaska and for Alaskan property owners,” said Governor Dunleavy.
In his response, Governor Dunleavy has requested four exclusions for Alaska from the WOTUS definition based on the data gaps in the science used to support the Proposed Rule: (1) Alaska permafrost wetlands, (2) Alaska forested wetlands, (3) Alaska wetland mosaics, and (4) Alaska waters and lands falling under the “other waters” category in the Proposed Rule."
Northern Dynasty comments on one year anniversary of appeal submission and recent predictions of significant increases in the price of copper coming in light of supply/demand imbalances...
January 19, 2022 Vancouver – Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") comments on passing the one year anniversary of submitting the Administrative appeal to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ("USACE") on January 19, 2021 regarding the Pebble Project in Southwest Alaska, and on recent increases in copper price estimates by several large U.S. banking institutions.
"We continue to approach the USACE to see if they require additional information or have a decision on whether a site visit is needed, and while we are being told that the USACE is working diligently on our file, it has now been a year without discernable progress in terms of a decision. We would take significantly more comfort if we could actually see signs of progress," said Ron Thiessen, President and CEO of Northern Dynasty. "In the meantime, we are not idle. While awaiting a decision from the USACE, we continue to assess legal options to address the many possible outcomes from their decision. We are also studying the positive economic benefits of our project for Alaska and the U.S. The Pebble project is too important to be stifled by regulatory inaction."
Significantly higher copper prices predicted by major banks
Northern Dynasty is heartened by the growing calls for increasing copper production from leaders in the industry. Goldman Sachs recently increased the Bank's forecast for copper to US$12,000/mt (approx. US$5.40/lb), seeing 20%+ upside this year, as the metal is forecast to reach all-time highs over the coming 12 months. Bank of America expects copper to reach US$20,000/mt by 2025 due to an expected supply/demand imbalance1.
"We echo recent comments from Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and BlackRock that higher prices in the near term are the likely outcome of the looming supply deficit for copper at a time of growing demand. The reality is that without copper you cannot create electricity, transport it, or convert the electric energy into usable kinetic energy in end-use applications. The amount of copper required to enable a successful global energy transition to a zero-carbon economy is enormous, and the only realistic way to meet this demand is to increase production," said Thiessen.
"It appears to me that the loudest voices expressing concerns about the impacts of climate change and the desperate need for action are also the loudest voices opposing any mining whatsoever in the United States. That isn't just incomprehensible, it is impossible. The fact is that about 80% of all copper ever produced is still in use, so the suggestion that we can simply obtain 100% of new supply needed, effectively as much copper that has ever been produced, from recycling 20% of historic production is a physical and mathematical fantasy," Thiessen added.
Dunleavy requests state funding so Alaska can take over wetlands permitting from feds...
https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2022/01/05/dunleavy-requests-state-funding-so-alaska-can-take-over-wetlands-permitting-from-feds/
Well, Skoda, would be interesting to know who that "little bird" is. I suppose they know that Canadian enterprises are the ones that get most of these projects successfully underway:
1. Teck (Can)- Red Dog, the largest Zinc mine in the world. Originally RD was developed by Cominco (Canadian company) and Teck took control of Cominco in the 1990’s.
2. Kinross (Can) -Ft. Knox Mine near Fairbanks.
3. Northern Star (Aus) - Pogo Gold mine. This mine was actually built and operated from the 1990’s by Teck. Sold to Sumitomo in 2009, and Sumitomo sold it to NS 3 years ago.
4. Barrick/Nova Gold (both Can) - Donlin Gold Project
Also, around 50% of NDM shareholders are US residents, more than any other country, including Canada!
...not to mention the favorable FEIS facts: no damage to the fish. Period.
Dems will be out of power in < twelve months now; thank God that they're
done. Just hope that their massive damage to the USA can be rectified before it all really hits the fan.
Alaska weighs asking feds for wetlands permit powers
https://www.eenews.net/articles/alaska-weighs-asking-feds-for-wetlands-permit-powers/
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy yesterday said he’s preparing to ask state legislators to support a bid to take over wetlands permitting under the Clean Water Act.
It’s a move that would affect future permits for the contentious Pebble mine, as well as other mines in the state, although the Republican governor acknowledged it would be a “tall task” to get primary control over Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which permits dredging and filling of wetlands and waterways. Only three states currently have such authority.
“But we’re going to work on it, and we believe we’re going to be successful,” he told an audience at the American Exploration and Mining Association’s annual conference at the Nugget Casino Resort, just outside Reno, Nev. The governor’s pledge was met with rapturous applause.
The request will also ask for funding to seek primacy under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a statute governing hazardous waste.
“We’re going to work on that as well," he said.
Northern Dynasty: Pebble Partnership asks Court to enforce speedy action by the EPA in its response to defendant’s motion for Remand with Vacatur
Arguments presented echo concerns raised by the State of Alaska regarding the EPA’s previous slow actions on making a decision...
October 13, 2021 Vancouver – Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX: NDM; NYSE American: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") advises that its 100%-owned, U.S.-based Pebble Limited Partnership (“Pebble Partnership”) has filed a motion which requests the Court set a schedule requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to make a prompt decision to either withdraw or finalize a decision on the 2014 Proposed Determination.
“Recall that the 2014 Proposed Determination by the EPA was pending for five years before finally being withdrawn in 2019, and now, two years later, the Proposed Determination is being resurrected,” said Ronald Thiessen, President and CEO of Northern Dynasty. “As the State of Alaska noted in its motion, ‘The EPA should not be allowed to remand the Proposed Determination into administrative no-mans-land for indefinite proceedings for an indefinite time…’ We, too, believe the imposition of a schedule by the Court is necessary to ensure that the EPA does not let the Proposed Determination languish, and therefore attempt to regulate by inaction.”
“If they decide to proceed with their Proposed Determination, then we will again pursue a legal challenge, and with the strong administrative record of the overwhelmingly positive Final Environmental Impact Statement of 2020, and the Proposed Determination which is not supported by an adequate record, we believe we will win. If they decide to abandon this unheralded abuse of power and instead apply a science and fact-based process, free from political interference, then they should uphold the EPA withdrawal. Either way, they must decide in a timely basis, because we believe that a prompt decision is required by due process,” Mr. Thiessen added.
On this issue the State of Alaska responded to the Federal Court in Alaska similarly, agreeing to the remand only on the basis that the EPA agree to a court-imposed schedule for either vacating the 2014 Proposed Determination or finalizing it.
If you viewed the Dunleavy video I provided the link to below, and agree that our current President is clueless on the advantages of minerals extraction conducted in the US vs. 3rd world unregulated locations, please give him positive feedback at https://aws.state.ak.us/CrmForms/Home/Feedback
You've got to watch this Dunleavy video from today:
Our illustrious JRB #46 stated pre-election he would block Pebble. Only problem is his means is via EPA which has been tried (#44). No luck. And this fail is even more obviously merely a political ploy with the firm science of the final EIS which confirmed NO ISSUE ON BRISTOL. Read my lips EPA, rather read the FEIS, NO ISSUE ON BRISTOL.
"It concludes that there would be “no measurable change” in the numbers of salmon returning to the Nushagak and Kvichak rivers or in the long-term health of the commercial fisheries in the region."
9/9/2021
Northern Dynasty: Preliminary Economic Assessment for Alaska’s Pebble Project presents robust projected financial results...
“The significant metal production forecasts and robust financial estimates we’re releasing today clearly suggest that Pebble is potentially more than just one of the greatest accumulations of copper and other strategic metals ever discovered on American soil,” said Mr. Thiessen. “It’s also a mineral resource that has the potential to sustain an environmentally sound and financially rewarding mining operation in the near-term, and become one of America’s most important metals producers for decades to come.”
Thiessen said the Proposed Project evaluated in the 2021 PEA – a project the USACE determined in its Final EIS would “not have measureable effects” on fisheries in Southwest Alaska – incorporates industry-leading engineering and environmental safeguards, and substantial closure funding (>$1.4 billion after 20 years of mining). The USACE issued a negative Record of Decision for the Pebble Project based, in part, on perceived impacts to the fishery that the Company believes were not adequately substantiated.
“We believe the proactive, environmentally-driven risk reduction concepts we’ve incorporated are setting a new standard for the global mining sector,” Thiessen said. “They are costs that must be incurred to develop safely and responsibly in America, and they are fully reflected in the positive economics from the development scenarios we’re announcing today.”
In addition to raising performance standards for modern mining, the proposed Pebble Project has the potential to make a significant positive contribution towards achieving the United States’ economic, manufacturing, military and climate change policy goals.
As the largest undeveloped copper, gold and rhenium resource in the world, Pebble has the potential to produce considerable quantities of critical minerals and metals – including those for which the U.S. currently relies on foreign producers for a significant proportion of its needs. Copper, in particular, is considered to be critical for renewable energy and electrification technologies, including EVs.
“In order to achieve its vision for global leadership in transitioning to a low-carbon future, the U.S. simply must develop its own domestic sources of copper and other critical metals,” Thiessen said. “In doing so, it should also demonstrate to the rest of the world what environmentally sound and socially responsible mining looks like. That’s precisely what we’ve undertaken to do at Pebble, and through the project designs evaluated in this PEA.”
Maybe short covering?
Does anyone think that NAK should become more aggressive?
Especially now that the US Military has had their "pants pulled down" in Afghanistan? Their true "political" colors shown!
I know Kyrgyzstan is not the US, but you get the idea…
Centerra units file motion seeking $1m a day in penalties against Kyrgyzstan govt
https://www.mining.com/centerra-units-file-motion-seeking-1m-a-day-in-penalties-against-kyrgyzstan-govt/?utm_source=Precous_Metals_Digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MNG-DIGESTS&utm_content=centerra-units-file-motion-seeking-1m-a-day-in-penalties-against-kyrgyzstan-govt
Dear far left environmentalist, do you have any idea what goes into your smartphone? (Not that you still have one, or use one!)
"Building up a definitive list of every material inside your smartphone is difficult due to tightly protected trade secrets and variations between makes, models and manufacturers, but it's possible to build up a general picture.
Overall, a smartphone handset consists of around 40% metals (predominantly copper, gold, platinum, silver and tungsten), 40% plastics and 20% ceramics and trace materials.
According to the Minerals Education Coalition, a baby born in the US today will use up 539 lbs. of zinc, 903 lbs. of lead and 985 lbs. of copper during his or her lifetime, not just in phones but in other gadgets and appliances too. In terms of environmental drain from every smartphone that's made, you can add the oil used to produce plastics, the sand used to produce glass, and so on.
Of the 83 stable and non-radioactive elements in the periodic table, at least 70 can be found in smartphones. According to the best available figures, a total of 62 different types of metals go into the average mobile handset, with what are known as the rare Earth metals playing a particularly important role. Of the 17 rare Earth metals, 16 are included in phones.
Neodymium, terbium and dysprosium, for example, are three of the rare Earth metals: they give your phone the power to vibrate, so smartphones could be made without them – but you'd have to rely on your ringtone. Terbium and dysprosium are also used in tiny quantities in touchscreens to produce the colors of a phone display.
In this case, "rare" doesn't necessarily mean in short supply, but they aren't plentiful either – they're spread out in small reserves in many different places on the planet, and extracting them can be tricky and time-consuming. And once they've been extracted, that's it: we only have a finite amount of them, and there are no adequate replacements.
The Governor of Alaska can cause tons of problems for Federal folks in his state...believe me. There are literally hundreds of issues where Alaska is a Federal partner or a Federal problem. All sorts of opportunities for cooperation or costly obstruction. Little practical delays and road blocks, as well as major court battles that at the very least insert years of huge delays and red tape for the Feds.
FIGHT ON GOVERNOR!
https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2021/07/09/governor-announces-senior-policy-advisor-to-spearhead-statehood-defense-initiative/
Governor Announces Senior Policy Advisor to Spearhead Statehood Defense Initiative
July 9, 2021
July 9, 2021 (Anchorage, AK) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today announced his choice to lead his administration’s priority Statehood Defense initiative. Brett Huber is the Governor’s Senior Policy Advisor for Statehood Defense, responsible for overseeing and coordinating the State of Alaska’s ongoing efforts to reassert control of lands and waters and pushing back on attempts from President Joe Biden’s federal agencies to overregulate Alaskans.
“Over decades, federal law passed by Congress is clear, and even the Supreme Court has been clear, that Alaska’s lands and waters are fundamentally different than the rest of the United States,” said Governor Dunleavy. “Unfortunately, those in power in Washington D.C. see our state as another parcel to be managed like a park. To fight those attempts to rollback our Alaskan way of life, we need a high-level, focused effort, and Brett brings that to my administration.”
DUMP MURKOWSKI!
Murkowski has created vulnerability in this area of late. Last year, she dropped her support of a process-driven federal permitting endeavor by the Pebble Project, a world-class copper, gold, molybdenum and rhenium mine in southwest Alaska. While the project was still undergoing the federal environmental review she had championed for years, Murkowksi abruptly opposed the mine.
All of you long time "Longs" undoubtedly remember the name Phillip North. (He initiated the agency's Clean Water Act Section 404(c) action for the Pebble Mineral Prospect, including the illegal pre-emptive EPA VETO).
I just ran across his current bio. A wonderful full neutral totally objective individual passionate about following the rule of law...NOT! This is the SWAMP ON STEROIDS! My faith and trust in any semblance of a fair and trustworthy process from the US EPA (and now the USACE as well) is forever destroyed.
For your reading pleasure here's good 'ol Phillip's current bio:
"Phil North was raised on the coast of Central California where he split his time between exploring the mountains of Big Sur and the rocky coast (in the water and out). Here he developed his wonder of the natural world.
He first worked in Alaska as a deckhand on a salmon tender/crab fishing boat in 1975. Over the next ten years he alternated between California and Alaska. Finally, after finishing a Bachelor of Science in Botany at the University of California, Davis, and a Master's of Science in fisheries at Humboldt State University he left his job doing research on instream-flow on California rivers for a move to Alaska full time in 1989.
There he worked as an aquatic ecologist for the EPA. Although his duties varied widely, including review of the ecological effects of a wide range of development projects, grant management and enforcement, he became somewhat of a specialist in the review of mining projects.
He initiated the agency's Clean Water Act Section 404(c) action for the Pebble Mineral Prospect in Alaska's extraordinary Bristol Bay watershed.
(Below is what prompted me to go after his "mysteriously missing" home office PC's HD via a FOIA inquiry. Was totally stonewalled by the EPA in Seattle! E.g. where did the $$ come from?)...
After 28 years of government experience he retired from the EPA. He spent four years traveling with his family, visiting 13 countries, five continents and several islands.
Phil is now in the Pacific Northwest with the Tulalip Tribes working to restore treaty reserved resources and adapting tribal interests to climate change. Phil is an advocate for decolonizing science to remove its inherent racist foundations."
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-north-15833ba0
Although rare these days, "rule of law" still is present occasionally...
June 15, 2021 (Juneau, AK) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today issued a statement on actions by a federal judge to halt implementation of the Biden Administration’s unlawful moratorium placed on oil and gas leasing until the litigation is completed.
“This is excellent news for Alaska. As we have seen in less than five months, the threat of federal overreach on major economic projects within Alaska is very real. It is stunning that a Federal Judge has to tell the President of the United States to stop trying to illegally shut down environmentally sound oil and gas development and good paying jobs for Americans and Alaskans – which support the indigenous tribes and residents of Alaska’s North Slope – while the President works to promote carbon emitting Russian gas production overseas. Alaska is consistently a top producer of oil and gas in the U.S. and we are proud of our state’s responsible development and transportation of oil to meet American demand.”
In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to shut down the federal oil and gas leasing program. In March, Governor Dunleavy joined 12 states in a lawsuit against the Biden Administration, stating “the State must be involved to protect the interests of all Alaskans in the responsible development of the bountiful natural resources contained within Alaska.”
June 15, 2021 Vancouver
Northern Dynasty: Pebble Partnership plans summer program at southwest Alaska’s Pebble Project,
"Thiessen said Northern Dynasty continues to believe in the rarity and unique value of the Pebble deposit, noting it is the world's most significant undeveloped copper resource, located on US soil, at a time when the world is facing unprecedented shortfalls of critical metals related to the transition to a low-carbon future, including copper."
"The work we are funding this summer is really an extension of our fundamental belief in the Pebble Project," he said. "That it can be developed safely and responsibly, that it can co-exist with the Bristol Bay fishery and that it can make an important contribution to America's minerals independence and climate change goals."
https://northerndynastyminerals.com/site/assets/files/4922/2021-06-15-nr-ndm-11ity8fgrrt.pdf
Regarding your link to "Alaska Native corporation to protect its land, dealing blow to massive gold mine project" there are certainly many route options.
The priority is to actually use the "Least environmentally damaging alternative" (LEDA) but just because any one of the many routes becomes unavailable for any reason, that does not as the 'Washington Post article alleges, by any means, "...make it difficult for backers of a massive open-pit gold and copper mine to carry out their project" as there are several options available.
However, in my personal opinion, this proposed action, allegedly committed in the public interest, instead has the potential opposite effect; if a less favorable route is forced.
So many of these type of selfish NIMBY (not in my backyard) attempted actions have the precise opposite effect from what is advertised.
I say us responsible and honest individuals that spot these misdeeds perpetrated in the name of fish, air, or whatever; must call them out aggressively. Think:
No copper mining = no electricity, wind or solar energy, phones, etc.
No Rhenium mining = no air defense, jet engines
No N American mining = mines just move to unregulated locales
No development = no hunting, no fishing, no hiking
No pipelines = lots of rail disasters, new tracks, high cost fuels
You get the idea. Help spread the truth.
Biden's "Supply Chain" report out this morning. Includes, "...Identify sites to produce, process rare earths".
Pebble contains 90 years of Rhenium (a metal used in jet engines and other military applications and for producing high-octane fuels). The Pebble deposit is now estimated to contain 2.6 million kg of rhenium The US Geological Survey (USGS) considers rhenium to be a strategic metal and confirms the US currently relies on foreign producers for 82% of its rhenium needs.
The development of Alaska’s Pebble project would clearly go a long way toward filling that gap, while also addressing substantial US domestic supply deficits for other critical minerals – notably copper and silver.
Similar copper deposits around the world often yield additional metal products such as selenium, mercury and uranium.
Alaska Development Team, Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy
"Alaska prides itself on responsible development of our world renowned natural resources, and the Alaska Development Team aims to facilitate ways to make doing business in Alaska easier.
Come join global companies already doing business in Alaska's abundant industries including Oil and Gas, Mining, Tourism, Commercial Fishing, Aerospace, and much more. The Alaska Development Team is ready to assist as you come North to Opportunity."
-Governor Mike Dunleavy
Governor Dunleavy Issues Statement on Biden Administration’s Action to Stop Developing ANWR:
“The Biden Administration’s suspension of leases in the ANWR 1002 Area is contrary to federal law. Section 20001 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017) clearly says ‘The Secretary shall establish and administer a competitive oil and gas program for the leasing, development, production and transportation of oil and gas in and from the Coastal Plain.’ Neither the President nor the Secretary are given the discretion to decide otherwise. Our leases for oil and gas are valid and cannot be taken away by the federal government,” said Governor Dunleavy. “I oppose this assault on Alaska’s economy and will use every means necessary to undo this egregious federal overreach. Alaska does responsible oil and gas development in the Arctic under stricter environmental standards than anywhere else in the world. Yet the federal government is focused on trying to stop our ability to produce oil and gas. Each action they take demonstrates a failure to comprehend the worldwide demand for oil and gas. If Alaska continues to be denied its constitutional right to safely develop resources, countries with much lower environmental standards will gladly fill that void with significant environmental impacts. Shutting down our lands was not what William Seward intended when Alaska was founded and we are not going to allow the Biden administration to turn Alaska into a giant national park.”
“For decades, Alaska has proven that energy development and environmental conservation can proactively co-exist,” said AIDEA Executive Director, Alan Weitzner. “The Department of Interior has yet to provide AIDEA with documentation of any deficiencies that would warrant a suspension of leases. We’re extremely disappointed in the Biden Administration’s effort to prevent Alaska from lawfully and responsibly developing its natural resources as agreed and provided for under ANILCA.”
Northern Dynasty: US Army Corps of Engineers finalizes Administrative Record for Pebble Project appeal.
Ron Thiessen, "We fully expect the administrative record and the review process it supports to be robust, objective and fact-based, and to achieve the principles of regulatory fairness the USACE is sworn to uphold."
The Pebble Partnership also recently learned the USACE is naming a new Review Officer ("RO") to lead the Pebble Project appeal. Once in place, the Company expects the new RO to set a detailed timeline for the administrative appeal process, including scheduling a potential site visit and appeal conference.
"There are guidelines in federal regulation governing these appeals that suggest they should be completed within 90 days," Thiessen said, noting the Pebble Project appeal has already passed the 90-day mark.
"But we've advised our investors and project stakeholders, consistent with prior comments made by the USACE, that 90 days is probably not a realistic timeline for our appeal given the significance of the Pebble Project, and our expectation that the USACE's review is thorough and complete.
"That said, we believe this project has been subject to inappropriate political interference in the past, so we will be extremely vigilant to prevent such forces from affecting the appeal process in any way – even through delay."
Regarding Alaska Governor Dunleavy's reaction to the new Bidden-kill-US-mining announcement, here's a hint:
"This willful (US Federal) disregard of Alaska’s rights (regarding Alaska waterways) is not only wasting money, but is hurting real people. Alaskans have been ticketed and detained by federal officials, and even had guns drawn on them." -Governor Dunleavy
https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2021/03/29/unlocking-alaska/
I anxiously await his statement and actions regarding Biden's attack on Alaska's and the US economies! Something tells me Biden actually did NAK a favor as it is gasoline on Alaska's Federal controversy fires!!!
The US needs a lot more copper / the US needs Pebble:
https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2021/mcs2021-copper.pdf
From another NAK discussion site:
I just spent 30+ minutes on the phone with the next level up exec at ACOE located in Hawaii. Here are the points of interests .
NAK supplied all necessary requested info on time for the appeal to be complete and eligible for review. The 90 day timeline is totally meaningless...it is purely a guideline for them to follow. The current holdup/delay is a function of the Alaska office of the ACOE not having delivered the entire ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD to their superiors who are located in Hawaii. The Washington office oversees the Hawaiian office. They have no mandated timelines to supply the data internally so obviously there will be no decision until it is received and reviewed. The original appeal was ~ 1000 pages. The requested complete Administrative Record has to include every email, text message, record of phone calls and every written correspondence relating to the entire project over its existence...... I was told that info is in excess of 100,000 pages and has to be reviewed in its entirety by this level.
If there are issues that they are not comfortable with to make a decision on the appeal then it goes to DC .
The ACOE rep I spoke to was talking in terms of a year or two the way the government works. On the flip side he said that should these documents not contain any new or revealing info then the process could proceed at a reasonable pace....but it takes time to read all of that info. It appears as if the political football is being passed along and the can kicked down the road. Both political parties have done untold damage to this project first with Obama’s EPA acting illegally and DJT JR opening his big mouth .
The biggest catalyst potentially for the project will be the recognition of its national security importance and the mine’s potential for copper and rare earth minerals. If US is to go to alternative energy we will sure as heck need all of this copper as alternative sources come from politically dangerous places as DRC and elsewhere . The rare earth constituents are necessary for military applications and we can be shut out by our enemies. My take from the conversation is that these guys are in no hurry to complete anything, have no deadlines , and are aware of the many political pressure groups from both sides. I asked about the FEIS being positive then the followup denial and the answer was “ outside forces can influence outcomes”. Need I say any more? He also mentioned several times that the final outcome will quite possibly be based in litigation and its outcome. As I see it....we all own a non expiring long term leap option contract...not a company. It is an abstraction. We own a .50c leap with no expiration date in the contract. I was given this contact after calling NAK and requesting it as he could offer me no additional info as the process is entirely out of their hands. They have complied with all requests for info and supplied everything.it is totally out of their hands.
The best solution here is obviously a reversal of the denial . The next best solution is them upholding the denial and progressing immediately to litigation . The company is prepared for this and there are legal firms willing to jump on this on a contingency basis. I’m just sitting on my position forever....hopefully my grandkids collect bigtime or there is a political/economic emergency event that makes this happen.
FYI the new Republican candidate going against Murkowski is worth investigating. Hopefully she wins the primary and displaces her.
Did a little investigation on the timeline for the USACE decision on a water permit, and that is an undetermined issue.
Could be next week, next month, undetermined at this time. But very likely before next year.
It is a complex set of FEIS facts to be reanalyzed, and it is good news that the time is being taken (e.g. more than 3 days) to arrive at a CORRECT decision.
One plus on the flip side is that the outlook for the value of the copper in the deposit has doubled (if not quadrupled or more) when it ultimately comes out of the ground in 2026 or so.
Ditto for the gold, rhenium, molybdenum and whatever else may eventually be added to the list.
This project is not optional for Alaska and the US.
It is required as we move into our new green economy (unless we want to end up paying China $20/lb. ++ for copper, and likely have no access to rhenium).
This release is a big deal, and shows NAK knows that public opinion = political headwind...and needs to be worked on in the digital realm. Very good move.
"The Pebble Project ESG Report released today addresses the broad range of progressive principles, practices and commitments the Company and its 100%-owned US-based subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership ("Pebble Partnership") have employed at Pebble over the past two decades to advance the project toward environmentally sound and socially responsible development."
https://northerndynastyminerals.com/site/assets/files/4911/ndm_esg_-_2021-04-26.pdf
Recent R. Thiessen presentation at HC Wainwright lays out the Pebble path forward, and concrete reasons the US needs this project to move ahead.
Very much worth a listen:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nk2pngN781AQeu9CY0NeZ0TR9OP3I2X2/view
Anyone recognize the name "Gina McCarthy"? Position? Any idea what her net worth is? (Hint: $350 mil.) Bring her up just so you know what is out there in opposition to common sense (e.g. modern civilization needs electricity...requires copper...requires copper mine.) I'm sure she just lives in a primitive cocoon; communicates with smoke signals; eats grubs; etc.
Presently, as rated at https://www.areavibes.com/iliamna-ak/cost-of-living/ Iliamna gets an "F" when it comes to cost of living. Everything in the area is extremely expensive. And based on the current lack of employment, not surprising the region is pretty much uninhabited.
Compared to Alaska overall, Iliamna gets an:
Amenities F
Cost of living F
Crime F
Employment C
Housing D
Schools B+
When Pebble opens, the region will become one where new generations of Alaskans will thrive...
Affordable electricity alone will greatly increase the standard of living.
The issue of Federal overreach in Alaska for water is identical for overreach in every other area: including management of mining lands...like Pebble. The state was provided extensive rights upon statehood. Those rights are 100% applicable to the development of Alaska's extensive mineral resources. And Governor Dunleavy for once is finally stepping up to the plate and hollering "FOUL!"
As Alaska exerts its legal rights, Pebble will receive a healthy tailwind towards overcoming the hypocritical "no mining / no copper" voices of those who demand conversion of our economy from fossil fuel to electric.
Thank goodness there are A FEW politicians (Dunleavy, Noem) still serving who are not swamp creatures: (Biden, Murkowski, Sullivan).
Perhaps there is a chance the US will somehow survive these 4 years.
Also a round of applause for R.T.'s new investor presentation at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LgTveTwqTrSLn-aXNfwjDQ
“Alaska’s destiny lies in full ownership of and access to our natural resources,” continued Governor Dunleavy. “These actions are a first step in “Unlocking Alaska” – an initiative that I will continue to advance in the coming months. My administration will not rest until Alaska has achieved the foundational promises of statehood, and every Alaskan is granted unfettered access to our lands and waters.
https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2021/03/26/governor-moves-to-exert-control-over-alaska-lands-and-waters/
The World Will Need 10 Million Tons More Copper to Meet Demand
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/the-world-will-need-10-million-tons-more-copper-to-meet-demand/ar-BB1eLp6C?ocid=msedgdhp