Northern Dynasty: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Orders Pebble Case To Be Judged on Its Merits

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") said a majority decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit announced today in relation to a lawsuit brought by Trout Unlimited and other environmental groups against the US Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), challenging the federal agency's July 2019 decision to withdraw its previously issued ‘Proposed Determination' with respect to Alaska's Pebble Project, means that the case must now be heard and judged on its merits by a federal district court in Alaska

In April 2020, US District Court Judge Sharon L. Gleason granted EPA's ‘Motion to Dismiss' the case without a hearing, stating the plaintiffs had "failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted". Today's decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed in part the lower court ruling, and remanded it back to federal district court in Alaska for additional proceedings to determine whether the withdrawal was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion or contrary to law. One of the three judges on the Ninth Circuit panel that issued today's decision wrote a lengthy dissent opposing the majority decision.

The plaintiffs, a collection of anti-development activists led by Trout Unlimited, challenged the EPA's authority to withdraw its prior regulatory action under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act (initiated in 2014 by the Obama administration), which sought to preemptively veto the Pebble Project before a permit application had been filed or an Environmental Impact Statement permitting process was undertaken.

Northern Dynasty President & CEO Ron Thiessen said, in his view, the US federal government should prevail at the district court level, and the EPA's decision to withdraw its prior Proposed Determination should be upheld.

"This case was summarily dismissed last year by a federal judge in Alaska because the plaintiffs failed to state a cause of action that was reviewable by the courts," he said. "Today's split decision by the Ninth Circuit does not strengthen the plaintiffs' case. Accordingly, we believe the federal government should prevail when the case is ultimately heard so long as the court's final decision is based on the merits of the arguments presented."

About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.
Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly owned Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit, located 200 miles from Anchorage and 125 miles from Bristol Bay. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources.

For further details on Northern Dynasty and the Pebble Project, please visit the Company's website at www.northerndynastyminerals.com or contact Investor services at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Review Canadian public filings at www.sedar.com and U.S. public filings at www.sec.gov.

Ronald W. Thiessen
President & CEO

U.S. Media Contact:
Dan Gagnier, Gagnier Communications
(646) 569-5897

Forward-Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" under applicable law. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, which address permitting, development and production for the Pebble Project are forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding (i) the mine plan for the Pebble Project, (ii) the social integration of the Pebble Project into the Bristol Bay region and benefits for Alaska, (iii) the political and public support for the permitting process, (iv) the ability to successfully appeal the negative Record of Decision and secure the issuance of a positive Record of Decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the ability of the Pebble Project to secure state permits, (v) the right-sizing and de-risking of the Pebble Project, (vi) the design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project mine plan, (vii) exploration potential of the Pebble Project, (viii) future demand for copper and gold, (ix) the potential partnering of the Pebble Project, and (x) the ability and timetable of NDM to develop the Pebble Project and become a leading copper, gold and molybdenum producer. Although NDM believes the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way be construed as guarantees that the Pebble Project will secure all required government permits, establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project or develop the Pebble Project. Assumptions used by NDM to develop forward-looking statements include the assumptions that (i) the Pebble Project will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses without undue delay, (ii) studies for the development of the Pebble Project will be positive, (iii) NDM's estimates of mineral resources will not change, (iv) NDM will be able to establish the commercial feasibility of the Pebble Project, and (v) NDM will be able to secure the financing required to develop the Pebble Project. The likelihood of future mining at the Pebble Project is subject to a large number of risks and will require achievement of a number of technical, economic and legal objectives, including (i) obtaining necessary mining and construction permits, licenses and approvals without undue delay, including without delay due to third party opposition or changes in government policies, (ii) finalization of the mine plan for the Pebble Project, (iii) the completion of feasibility studies demonstrating that any Pebble Project mineral resources that can be economically mined, (iv) completion of all necessary engineering for mining and processing facilities, (v) the inability of NDM to secure a partner for the development of the Pebble Project, and (vi) receipt by NDM of significant additional financing to fund these objectives as well as funding mine construction, which financing may not be available to NDM on acceptable terms or on any terms at all. NDM is also subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions, such as the current uncertainties with regard to COVID-19.

The National Environment Policy Act Environmental Impact Statement process requires a comprehensive "alternatives assessment" be undertaken to consider a broad range of development alternatives, the final project design and operating parameters for the Pebble Project and associated infrastructure may vary significantly from that currently contemplated. As a result, the Company will continue to consider various development options and no final project design has been selected at this time.

For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com

SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/652235/Northern-Dynasty-Ninth-Circuit-Court-of-Appeals-Orders-Pebble-Case-To-Be-Judged-on-Its-Merits

News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia

ndm:ca copper investing Copper Investing

Finlay Minerals stakes the JJB Property - within the Bear Lake Corridor of British Columbia

finlay minerals ltd. (TSXV: FYL) (OTCQB: FYMNF) ("Finlay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the staking of 9 mineral claims covering 15,453 hectares (approximately 154 km²) in the northern Bear Lake Corridor of British Columbia . The JJB Property is named in honour of Finlay's Founder, John J. Barakso who was an early advocate for the potential of the Bear Creek Corridor.

JJB PROPERTY:

The JJB Property is located within a highly prospective 135-kilometer-long belt in the Stikine Terrane, which hosts several significant copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) showings and prospects. Noteworthy nearby projects include Zimtu Capital Corp.'s Copperline Project and Doubleview Gold Corp.'s Red Spring Project. Additionally, porphyry projects along the Bear Lake trend include Imperial Metals' Cu-Mo Porphyry Bear Lake Project, American Eagle Gold's Cu-Au-Mo ± Ag NAK Project, Amarc Resources Ltd.'s DUKE Project, and HDI Quartz Mountain's Cu Porphyry Jake Project.

The JJB area has geology similar to that of the deposits found in the Bear Lake Corridor. Three main copper showings have been identified on the property: Squingula, Quin, and Pat. The Squingula and Quin showings are located near an Eocene intrusion on the west side, characterized by a coincident magnetic high. This magnetic high is surrounded by a low that corresponds with an iron oxide anomaly, potentially indicative of a porphyry target. Both the intrusion and the magnetic and iron oxide signatures are associated with a multi-element geochemical anomaly identified through limited sampling. Mineralization appears to be influenced by major northwest-trending structures and east-west cross structures, with known mineralization occurring at the intersections of these structures.

In 2025, exploration work at the JJB will focus on expanding the geochemical anomalies within the gossanous magnetic low surrounding the magnetic high. Priority will be given to an airborne magnetic survey, along with prospecting and soil sampling.

Details on the JJB Property can be found in the JJB Property Technical Presentation and in the Properties section of the Company website at www.finlayminerals.com .

SAY PROPERTY:

Lying 4 km south of Finlay's new JJB Property, work continues on the SAY Property, which has recently been expanded with additional staking to the north and south. The SAY Property now totals 26,202 hectares. The SAY Property was acquired in 2024, and an inaugural field program focused on chip sampling and mapping along the 4.3-kilometer-long SPUR Trend. This led to the discovery of the AG Zone and confirmed the continuity of high-grade Cu-Ag mineralization in the East Breccia Zone.

The SPUR is a high-grade Cu-Ag structural vein and breccia target that extends for 4.3 km along the north-northwest Tsaytut Spur ridge * .

The SHEL target area is a Cu-Mo porphyry identified through historic mapping and drilling. SHEL mineralization is reported to be associated with veining and breccias within quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes and lies on the western margin of an unexplored 3 km x 2 km magnetic high * . Historical assays and airborne magnetic data indicate the potential for the expansion of known mineralization in these two target areas.

In 2025, exploration work at the SAY will aim to expand the mineralized footprint of the SPUR and SHEL targets through geological mapping, soil sampling, and an airborne magnetic survey.

Details on the SAY Property, can be found in the SAY Property Technical Presentation and in the Properties section of the Company website at www.finlayminerals.com .

References:

*	Refer to finlay minerals ltd. News Release # 11-24 dated October 3, 2024 entitled: " Finlay Minerals has completed its Inaugural Field Program at the High-Grade Copper-Silver SAY Property " available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.

Qualified Person:

Wade Barnes , P. Geo. and Vice President, Exploration for Finlay Minerals and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved the technical content of this news release.

About finlay minerals ltd.

Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits with five 100%-owned and operated properties in northern British Columbia . In addition to the JJB & SAY Properties, the Company holds the:

PIL Property , which covers 13,374 ha in the heart of the Toodoggone region, has numerous porphyry Cu-Au ± Ag targets and associated epithermal Au-Ag mineralization. Exploration on the PIL Property is fully funded for 2025 with the signing of an Earn-In-Agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (Refer to news release FYL NR03-25 entitled: "Finlay Minerals Enters into Earn-In Agreements with Freeport for its PIL & ATTY Properties ". ) The PIL is neighboured by Amarc Resources and Freeport-McMoRan's joint venture JOY Project and TDG Gold Corporation's Shasta/Baker and Sofia Properties. The PIL Property is also 25 km northwest of Centerra Gold's past-producing Kemess South Mine and 15 km east of Thesis Gold's Lawyers Project.
ATTY Property covers 3,875 ha of sub-alpine terrain in the southern Toodoggone region. Exploration on the ATTY Property is also full-funded for 2025 with the signing of an Earn-In-Agreement with Freeport-McMoRan in April 2025.The Toodoggone is a northwest-trending belt of Triassic to Jurassic arc terranes that hosts numerous significant porphyry Cu-Au ± Ag and associated epithermal Au-Ag deposits. The ATTY Property is in between and contiguous to Centerra Gold's Kemess Project and the joint-venture JOY Project held by Amarc Resources and Freeport-McMoRan. The ATTY Property KEM target has similarities to the Kemess North Trend, which hosts the Kemess Underground and Kemess East deposits.
Silver Hope Property covers 21,322 ha and surrounds the past-producing Equity Silver Mine in the prospective Skeena Arch region of central B.C. The Silver Hope contains the Main Trend which is a >2 km Cu-Ag-Au mineralized trend with mineralization starting at surface. West of the Main Trend is the West Cu-Mo Porphyry which is also mineralized starting from surface. The Property hosts a network of forestry roads and trails and has all-year access from Houston, BC .

Finlay trades under the symbol "FYL" on the TSXV and under the symbol "FYMNF" on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company's website at www.finlayminerals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Robert F. Brown
President, CEO & Director

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the exploration plans for the JJB and SAY Properties. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay's proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE finlay minerals ltd.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2025/23/c5360.html

News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia

Keep reading...Show less

Copper pipes laid on top of each other in bundles.

5 Best-performing Copper Stocks on the TSX in 2025

Over the past year, copper prices have reached record highs on two occasions, with the most recent instance being on March 26, when the metal soared to US$5.26 per pound.

These high prices stem from an increasingly tight copper market, driven by rising demand from population growth and migration in the global south, as well as growing pressures from the energy transition.

This situation is compounded by a limited number of greenfield projects that would introduce new deposits, as opposed to brownfield projects that merely extend the life of existing mines.

The first quarter of the year also witnessed some panic buying, as traders moved inventories into the US in anticipation of tariff-related price increases. Interest in companies developing US copper mines has increased as well as new US President Donald Trump looks to expedite critical metals projects.

Against that backdrop, how have TSX-listed copper companies performed? Learn about the top five best-performing copper stocks in 2025 by year-to-date gains below. Data for this article was retrieved on April 7, 2025, using TradingView's stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$50 million are included.

Northern Dynasty: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Orders Pebble Case To Be Judged on Its Merits

In this article

Next US copper mine: Copper mines under construction

Next US copper mine: Mines being restarted

Next US copper mine: Copper mines in the permitting stage

1. Northern Dynasty Minerals (TSX:NDM)

2. Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (TSX:ASCU)

3. Imperial Metals (TSX:III)

4. Gunnison Copper (TSX:GCU)

5. St. Augustine Gold and Copper (TSX:SAU)

FAQs for investing in copper

Is copper a good investment in 2024?

What is copper used for?

How to invest in copper?

How to invest in a copper ETF?

How is copper priced?

How is copper processed?

Where is copper mined?

Latest News

Latest Press Releases

Related News

TOP STOCKS