Partnership Completes Summer Work Program At Pebble Project

VANCOUVER - Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. reported that the Pebble Limited Partnership and its Native Corporation partners have concluded the summer work program at Pebble Project in southwest Alaska. The principal focus of the 2021 program was: 1) Continuation of select environmental baseline studies, 2) Site care and maintenance, including Pebble Project site, and other facilities in Iliamna and region, 3) Demobilization and removal of facilities and equipment no longer required, 4) Inspection, containment and permanent closure of select drill holes and monitoring wells to maintain compliance with State of Alaska regulations and permit requirements, 5) Support and data collection for the United States Geological Survey stream gauge monitoring program on the South and North Fork Koktuli Rivers, and support for site visits.

"Our commitment to working in an environmentally sustainable manner while providing much needed economic stimulus and employment in this region of southwest Alaska remains unwavering," said President and CEO, Ron Thiessen. "I'm happy to report the team worked safely and ensured that the goals of the summer field season were met."

The Pebble Partnership continues to prioritize local contracting and local employment. The 2021 field program was staged out of facilities owned by Alaska Native village corporations in Iliamna, Alaska (most of whom are contracted/partnered on infrastructure facilities), and employed local residents and Alaska Native corporation shareholders. The team included four full-time Pebble Partnership employees and seven part-time workers from the local communities.

Thiessen continued, “There is very little economic opportunity in this part of the state, and we are pleased to have made a positive contribution. "This program is just a drop in the bucket of what is possible. We continue to believe that a mine here can operate in an environmentally sustainable manner and create significant economic benefits for the people in the region through employment, contracting of services, and partnering on infrastructure needs through right of way agreements and revenue sharing, in the state through GDP contribution and taxes and in the U.S. by delivering much needed copper, and other metals to help it achieve its clean energy transition goals. We look forward to the day when these significant benefits are realized.

"With interest I read an article which made reference to the declining source of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 7i revenues for Native Corps in future, including the Native Corporations in the Bristol Bay region where Pebble is located. To a large extent the development of Pebble and the inclusion of local Native Village Corps in this development, operation, right-of-way annual payments, and revenue sharing both on the Native Village Corp level and individuals in the region, could help replace those 7i losses and more.”