NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2021
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT Dear Colleagues & Neighbors,
T
HE 2021 FIELD SEASON is in full swing and the Bornite Camp is bustling with activity. I am excited to see the results of our recruitment efforts, with a large number of shareholders participating in the summer work program. The success of this endeavor is directly related to the warm reception and support we received at each of the virtual meetings held with village tribal and city councils. Our core objective for the season is to conduct an extensive exploration drilling program using three drill rigs at the Arctic Project and in the Ambler VMS belt. The exploration program includes geophysical surveys, field mapping, and soil sampling in the Cosmos Hills in the Bornite area. Additionally, engineering and environmental studies for the Arctic Project are advancing safely and efficiently. As exploration and development efforts continue, I urge you to visit the career section of amblermetals.com to review additional potential job openings.
As always, our priority is to conduct our work safely and to protect our people, the surrounding communities, and of course, the natural indigenous environment. The COVID protocols in place are robust and working, which bodes well for completing a safe and productive program this year. A successful safety culture is driven by people’s behaviors, and I am grateful for everyone’s efforts on this front. For those working at our site, I ask that you continue to respect that
the Bornite Camp is a drug and alcohol-free environment to ensure everyone’s safety. I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the camp, as well as visiting with people in the region during the rest of the year. Taikuu! Ramzi Fawaz, President & CEO Ambler Metals LLC
AMBLER METALS | NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2021
SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT:
LYNN COMMACK Q: How did you hear about the Kuuvangmiut Scholarship program? A: “In my very first rural development course, I did a case study on Trilogy Metals. As I was researching information for the paper, I stumbled upon the scholarship application on the website. This was in 2017, so it was before there was an Ambler Metals.” Q: You’re working for Ambler Metals now. Tell us about the job and how your education helps you in the position? A: “I am the Covid & Records Coordinator... to make sure that no person shows up to camp with the virus. “A very important lesson I took away from my studies in rural development is that people need to decide for themselves, and what makes sense to only them, even if other people wouldn’t understand. Super vague, I know, but very helpful in life. Other ways my education helps me is my familiarity with deadlines, being organized, and also being flexible as well.” Q: What advice do you have for new students or prospective students that qualify for this scholarship? A: “Oh, man. Just go for it... I think a lot more can be said, if you don’t know about what it is like in college, all we have to compare it to is what we see in the movies, and college (at least, in my experience) was far from what was conveyed on television. We can get a degree from home, we can get funded, we can get fully funded, it really can be done. You just have to apply yourself!”
Environmental Baseline Surveys
E
XTENSIVE BASELINE DATA collection is crucial to resource development. But let’s talk about why it’s important. To design a responsible project and mine, you need to have a deep understanding of the land, air, water, plants, and animals before the project is built. For example, are there fish in the nearby streams? If so, what kind of fish? How many? What is the water quality of the streams where they swim? Hundreds of these important questions have been asked, and answered, through scientific investigation of the baseline environmental conditions at and around the proposed Arctic Mine. This information helps form the mine design with the intent to minimize impacts and ensure the mine plan is suitable and collaborative to the conditions on the ground. These plans, in turn, will be used as part of the permitting process, and eventually compliance monitoring during operations. Even after the mine is closed, baseline data collection will continue to make sure that conditions are stable and the air, water, plants, and animals are protected. In addition to fish and habitat studies, there is an intense
2
focus on water. Water quality sampling has been in practice at the Arctic site since 2009, and includes year-round study; spring, summer, fall and winter. There is even water sampling conducted for under-ice flow. Collected samples are sent to a lab for analysis and testing for traces of metals that may be naturally present in the water. For example, have you ever observed an orange seep at a tundra pond or mountain stream? That could be a sign of metals in the water, particularly iron, that is part of the natural baseline conditions of an area. It is critically important that we know exactly what is in the water, and the rocks, before any mining takes place. This approach is full circle so that we can design a water treatment plant to appropriately treat the water in accordance with Alaska’s rigorous environmental standards and ensure healthy streams throughout the area. These studies, and many others such as weather, climate, wetlands, and Traditional Knowledge, add to the body of work necessary to develop a responsible mine in the Arctic.
3
T
AMBLER METALS | NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2021
What happens at the camp at Bornite?
HE CAMP AT BORNITE is a mini-village. The more visible aspects of the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects’ summer programs are the scientific efforts; gathering geologic information through drilling, sampling, logging, and mapping. But these activities only tell part of the story. Equally important is the dedicated team behind-the-scenes who ensure the availability of safe drinking water and groceries. They monitor electrical power, fuel supply and sewage treatment, provide medical services, manage communications, freight logistics, and transportation. Their efforts and actions are critical to the success of overall camp operations. DRINKING WATER comes from a well located near the camp site. Our environmental team regularly samples the pumped and treated water to ensure it
meets the state of Alaska drinking water standards. GROCERIES are flown into the Dahl Creek Airstrip on DC-6 airplanes and trucked to the Bornite Camp. From there, the culinary team and kitchen staff from NANA Management Services produce three hearty meals per day for the crews and administrative staff. JET-A FUEL is flown in from Fairbanks then pumped into storage tanks where it is used to power helicopters, heavy equipment, and drills. Pathfinder Aviation provides skilled pilots, mechanics, and flight coordinators so that we can safely move people and equipment throughout the remote terrain. HOUSEKEEPING staff does an excellent job keeping the tents and common areas clean. Their work is especially
important given the extra sanitization efforts that are necessary to keep everyone in camp free of COVID-19. Our highly-trained MEDICAL SERVICES TEAM, provided by Beacon Medical and Safety Services, is ready to help personnel with everything from minor scrapes to serious medical conditions. They are supported by a team of consulting physicians 24/7 and, if necessary, a medevac contractor. They conduct all on-site COVID-19 testing. These are just some of the daily tasks that support Ambler Metals’ exploration goals. It’s a big job that takes many people with unique skills — all working safely and cooperatively.
3700 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 101 Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Anchorage: (907) 339-8770 | Fairbanks: (907) 452-1941 AmblerMetals.com
Welcome Nasruk Nay to the team!
W
E ARE PLEASED to announce that Nasruk Nay has joined the Ambler Metals team as our Community Outreach Coordinator. Nasruk, half Inupiaq from Noorvik, was raised in a fish camp. The oldest of six children, his father was a constable and a state trooper, and his mother was a community health aide. From an early age, Nasruk had an affinity for helping others. He attended the Alaska Technical Center and became a Certified Nurse’s Aide and EMT. He joined the Kotzebue Police Department in 1994 before becoming an Alaska State Trooper in 1998 — and was named Alaska State Trooper of the Year in 2018. He holds an Advanced Police Certificate, with assignments that included patrol, Drug and Alcohol Investigator, and VPSO Program Support. Nasruk was a frequent visitor and friendly face to many villages in the NANA Region and across the State of Alaska. It has been a mutually beneficial experience and creates a sense of community camaraderie, trust, and goodwill. Nasruk has a true passion for helping his neighbors and their communities thrive. “I take every opportunity to interact with my village folks,” says Nasruk.
“Over time, I will likely have contact in some capacity with a vast majority of village residents. It helps greatly to have a positive connection. I hope my bonds and relationships with communities across the region will translate well in my new role with Ambler Metals.” Nasruk and his wife Elia combined have eight children and two grandchildren.