Desiree Hagen

A group of workers at Ambler Metals Bornite camp during summer 2026 season. A representative from Ambler Metals said the focus of the summer field program was helicopter-supported drilling in the Arctic Project area to provide data for the permitting process and that over 100 people worked at the camp during the May to September season.

Ambler's first proposed mine is in its earliest stages. Local leaders are asking if it's worth it

Desiree Hagen

Ambler Metals, the company behind the proposed open pit copper and zinc mine, has touted local benefits from the project ranging from construction and mining jobs to new infrastructure and even lower fuel prices.

McKenzie "Matu" Brown fills up containers at Ambler's water plant. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation cleared the water for drinking in late July.

News Stories

Ambler has gone 5 months without water and sewer. Fixes could take months.

Desiree Hagen

According to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, about 85 percent of Ambler's main water lines are cracked, unable to hold pressure, and require replacement.

Rusting on a tributary of the Eli River, taken on Patrick Sullivan's research trip in June. Sullivan said it shows iron throughout the aufeis and in the shrubs, which suggests that metals were being released throughout the winter. The iron in the shrubs was probably deposited when the aufeis was near its maximum extent, he said.

A new model could help predict rusting rivers, researchers say

Desiree Hagen

The phenomenon known as "rusting rivers" happens when once-clear streams release highly acidic and metal-laden water, which pose a direct threat to fish and vegetation. It's happening throughout Alaska's Brooks Range.