VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Trilogy Metals
Inc. (TSX: TMQ) (NYSE: TMQ) ("Trilogy" or the "Company") is
providing an update on the Ambler Access Project ("AAP").
Yesterday, the United States Department of the Interior ("DOI")
filed a motion to remand the Final Environmental Impact Statement
("FEIS") and suspend the right-of-way permits issued to the Alaska
Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") for the
Ambler Access Project. The DOI has stated that the suspension of
the road permits will allow it to carry out additional supplemental
work on the FEIS.
The motion also indicated that the DOI has requested that the
lawsuits filed against the DOI by a coalition of national and
Alaska environmental
non-government organizations be suspended. The lawsuits had been
filed in response to the United States Bureau of Land Management's
("BLM") issuance of the Joint Record of Decision ("JROD"), that
authorized a right-of-way across federally managed lands for AIDEA
and the AAP.
The Company will be commencing discussions with its partners,
including NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., AIDEA, the Northwest
Arctic Borough, the State of
Alaska and South32 Limited to understand the potential
impact of the above decision by the DOI on AIDEA's proposed plan
and budget for the 2022 summer field season activities that were
previously announced.
Tony Giardini, President and CEO
of Trilogy, commented, "Foremost we would like to thank all of the
Native villages in the Upper Kobuk Region, and the Northwest Arctic
Borough, that have passed resolutions in favor of the AAP. This
demonstrates the incredible support for the project from our Native
Partners. We see this motion as another step in the consultation
process leading to the ultimate development of the AAP and we
recognize that subsistence is a key factor not just in the
development of the road but in the development of the Upper Kobuk
Mineral Projects which we believe will have significant positive
impacts on the local economy, the provision of high paying stable
jobs for Native Alaskans and the production of green metals, such
as copper and cobalt which are critical for the decarbonization of
the planet."
The Company believes that the five-year permitting process for
the AAP was carried out in an exhaustive, extensive, and robust
manner with considerable outreach and accommodation to affected
communities and other related parties. According to AIDEA, during
the scoping period (which was extended from 90 days to over 330
days), the BLM held 15 public hearings in 13 communities and
received more than 7,200 written comments. Subsequently, after the
draft EIS was released in August
2019, the BLM held an additional 18 hearings in rural
communities, hearings in two hub communities (Anchorage and Fairbanks), and a hearing in Washington, D.C. The BLM received an
additional 29,000 written comments to the draft EIS which were
scrutinized and incorporated into the FEIS. AIDEA reiterated that
the development and production of the FEIS/JROD, which cost almost
$5 million, was an extraordinarily
high-quality and comprehensive analysis report.
For more information on the motion by the DOI please go to DOI
documents.
About Trilogy Metals
Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metal exploration and development
company which holds a 50 percent interest in Ambler Metals LLC
which has a 100 percent interest in the Upper Kobuk Mineral
Projects ("UKMP") in Northwestern
Alaska. On December 19, 2019,
South32, a globally diversified mining and metals company,
exercised its option to form a 50/50 joint venture with Trilogy.
The UKMP is located within the Ambler Mining District which is one
of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts
located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the
world. It hosts world-class polymetallic volcanogenic massive
sulphide ("VMS") deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and
silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to
host high-grade copper and cobalt mineralization. Exploration
efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler Mining
District – the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate
replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within a land
package that spans approximately 181,387 hectares. Ambler Metals
has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., an Alaska
Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration
and potential development of the Ambler Mining District in
cooperation with local communities. Trilogy's vision is to develop
the Ambler Mining District into a premier North American copper
producer.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively
"forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and United States
securities legislation including the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other
than statements of historical fact, included herein, including,
without limitation, statements relating to the permitting and
construction of the AAP, the timing and benefits of the AAP and the
merits of the UKMP are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such
as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates",
"potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements
that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or
"should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve
various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the
uncertainties involving whether the Alaska Industrial
Development and Export Authority will build the AAP; the results of
the additional supplemental work on the
FEIS resulting from the voluntary remand; the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic; success of exploration activities,
permitting timelines, requirements for additional capital,
government regulation of mining operations, environmental
risks, prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies
and services, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of
drilling results and geological tests, unexpected cost increases
and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2021 filed with Canadian securities
regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents
filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time
to time. The Company's forward-looking statements reflect the
beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are
made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the
forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or
other factors, should they change, except as required by
law.
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SOURCE Trilogy Metals Inc.