The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) has formally approved Trilogy Metals’ proposed plan and budget for the 2022 summer field season activities and services of up to $30.8 million for the Ambler Access Project (AAP). The cost will be shared 50/50 by AIDEA and Ambler Metals LLC, the joint venture operating company equally owned by Trilogy and South32 Ltd.
The Board of AIDEA has authorized up to $15.4 million for field season activities on the AAP. These funds will be matched by up to another $15.4 million from Ambler Metals and both South32 and Trilogy have approved Ambler Metals portion of this budget.
The $15.4 million that Ambler Metals is contributing to this year’s AAP budget is in addition to the $28.5 million that was approved by Trilogy and South32 for the 2022 program at the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP).
During the 2022 field season, AIDEA will be carrying out additional work, including geotechnical investigations, right-of-way surveys, environmental studies, road and bridge engineering design work, and cultural resources work.
According to AIDEA, the AAP is expected to create thousands of new jobs resulting in more than $5 billion in wages paid during the lifetime of the project and that the bulk of the workforce required for the construction, management and maintenance of the road will be from the local communities. AIDEA is already holding job fairs in the local communities with a commitment to hire locally and benefit local villages.
