The Risks of the Pebble Mine Proposal

Proposed mining in the Bristol Bay Fishery Reserve.  Credit: Renewable Resource Coalition
Proposed mining in the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve
Credit: Renewable Resources Coalition

Roughly 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, and just north of Lake Iliamna, the Pebble Limited Partnership (commonly called the Pebble Partnership of Anglo American PLC and Northern Dynasty Minerals), intends to build the Pebble mine, consisting of what would be the largest open pit mine in North America, and an additional large underground block-cave mine. Owners hope to excavate billions of tons of raw ore, primarily seeking significant quantities of copper, gold and molybdenum, along with smaller yields of silver, palladium and rhenium.

This pristine wilderness, which includes prime spawning habitat for the world's most productive wild sockeye fishery, would be devastated by the Pebble Mine...