| 2015 |
Exploration |
Exploration Project |
NovaCopper Inc. |
Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects |
In the southwestern Brooks Range, NovaCopper Inc. continued resource definition, engineering, and environmental studies at its Upper Kobuk Mineral Project, a partnership with NANA Regional Corp. (photo 3). The 2015 program focused on advancing the Arctic copper?zinc?lead?silver?gold deposit toward feasibility stage. The company invested $5.5 million in exploration, engineering, and environmental studies, including a 10,000 foot infill and geotechnical drill program. More than 50 percent of the on-site employees were NANA shareholders and residents of northwestern Alaska. |
| 2016 |
Exploration |
Exploration Project |
NovaCopper Inc. |
Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects |
In 2016 Trilogy Metals Inc. (formerly NovaCopper Inc.) drilled a total of 10,033 feet in 13 holes at their Arctic volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, one of their assets in the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects in the southern Brooks Range. The holes were selected for geotechnical, hydrological, waste-rock characterization, metallurgical studies, and further resource-definition purposes. In 2016 Trilogy Metals also conducted aquatics, avian, habitat, archaeological, and wetlands-delineation surveys, continued ongoing baseline environmental data collection, and completed a LiDAR survey for the project area, which was initiated in 2015. |
| 2017 |
Exploration |
Exploration Project |
Trilogy Metals, Inc. |
Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects |
In April 2017, Trilogy Metals Inc. signed an agreement with South32 Limited, an Australian company, granting South32 the option to form a 50/50 joint venture pursuing Trilogy?s Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects. South32 Limited?s initial $10 million investment was spent on exploration at Trilogy Metals Inc.?s Bornite carbonate-hosted copper-replacement deposit in the southern Brooks Range. The 2017 Bornite exploration program included drilling nine diamond drill holes totaling 27,680 feet, a detailed ground gravity survey, and soil sampling using a deep-penetrating geochemical method. Trilogy?s gravity survey was collected on a 330-foot grid spacing, including 845 gravity stations over an area of approximately 2.2 by 1.2 miles. Trilogy Metals Inc. announced a $5.1 million budget for their Arctic volcanogenic massive sulfide project in the southern Brooks Range in March 2017. In April 2017, Trilogy completed a metallurgical test program using sample material collected in 2016. Trilogy Metals Inc.?s 2017 Arctic field program included 2,576.1 feet of diamond drilling in five, PQ-diameter holes to collect two tons of representative mill-feed ore material to conduct bulk ore-sorting studies. An additional 898 feet of sonic drilling was completed to collect geotechnical, hydrological, geothermal (permafrost), and hydrogeological information for planning the tailings-management facilities and waste-rock dump for the project in support of the upcoming PFS. Trilogy also continued baseline environmental data collection and continues to advance Arctic?s acid-base-accounting static and kinetic test work. |
| 2018 |
Exploration |
Exploration Project |
Trilogy Metals, Inc. |
Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects |
Trilogy Metals Inc.?s approximately $6.7 million program for their Arctic VMS project in the southern Brooks Range consisted of approximately 1,946 feet of geotechnical and hydrological drilling. The geotechnical program consisted of 24 large-diameter drill holes and 40 excavated test pits, and was designed to provide additional geotechnical and hydrologic information for the waste rock dump, tailings management facility, and surface infrastructure. In addition, studies on the Arctic road alignment (from the Arctic mine site to Dahl Creek), acid rock drainage and metal leaching potential, ore-sorting capabilities, and metallurgical studies at Arctic were started during 2018. Trilogy also completed their ore-sorting program initiated in 2017. Early indications are that the application of this technology could improve the head grades of material being processed at the proposed Arctic grinding mill by eliminating waste rock. |
| 2019 |
Exploration |
Exploration Project |
Trilogy Metals, Inc. |
Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects |
In December 2019, South32 Limited announced that it had exercised its option to acquire a 50 percent interest in the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) from partner Trilogy Metals Inc. Trilogy will contribute its UKMP assets to the new joint venture company, Ambler Metals LLC, and South32 will contribute $145 million. Exploration continued on the Arctic property. |