Proposed Arctic Mine, Ambler Road Threatens America’s Largest Park Landscape

KOBUK, ALASKA – The fight over the Ambler mining road and future of Alaska’s Brooks Range entered a new phase, as a public review and comment period opened on the Arctic mine proposal. The joint venture between international companies South 32 and Trilogy Metals applied for permits for the first industrial mining proposal that would require access via the contentious, undeveloped private 211-mile Ambler industrial mining road.

The Arctic mine would include open-pit extraction along with related infrastructure, built near the endangered Kobuk Wild & Scenic River, to produce more than 10,000 tons of ore per day. Extracted resources would be transported daily along the proposed Ambler mining road, over thawing permafrost, thousands of rivers and streams, and through Gates of the Arctic National Preserve.

In October 2025, the Trump administration invested $35.6 million in Trilogy Metals, taking a direct 10% stake in the company. Trilogy Metals is one of the co-owners of the proposed Arctic mine with South32. The investment coincided with the administration’s decision to override science, broad opposition and a 2024 final plan, with its approval of the Ambler mining road. A recent Bloomberg article raised questions about whether the approval was granted in exchange for a share in the company. Despite claims by the Trump administration that the Ambler road is important for national security, the Arctic Mine’s feasibility study indicates the extracted resources will be sold to China, Japan and Korea.

Clean drinking water, Alaska Native communities, wildlife including sheefish and Western Arctic caribou, and America’s largest national park landscape would all be threatened by the Arctic mine if it and the Ambler mining road are successfully constructed.

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has sued the Trump administration over its approval of the 211-mile Ambler mining road and has long fought to protect Ameria’s largest national park landscape from this threat. The Arctic Mine scoping period is open for public comment through November 2, 2026.

Statement by Naawéiyaa Tagaban, Alaska Campaign Director for National Parks Conservation Association

“All Americans should be outraged that our taxpayer dollars are being wasted to fund international companies that seek to destroy our country’s largest park landscape. Sacrificing clean water, Alaska Native communities and our country’s conservation legacy with no clear return of investment for the public is America last. National Parks Conservation Association stands strong in our fight and belief that the disastrous Ambler mining road proposal, which the Arctic Mine would rely on, will never be built.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.