Example of open pit mining: bingham canyon mine, utah
 Photo by Michael Melford
Pebble Mine is the name commonly used in regard to the Northern Dynasty mineral find that is located at the headwaters of the Bristol Bay watershed. This watershed is home to the largest wild salmon population on the planet and contains one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world, Lake Illiamna, and two world renowned river drainages, the Nushagak and Kvichak. These rivers are best known to outsiders for their world class sport fishing, but to locals these rivers serve as primary food suppliers for subsistence, supplying most notably salmon, but they also maintain the habitat for other plants and animals that are traditionally hunted and gathered throughout the year. To the world, this watershed represents a global food source rearing station that grows half of the world's wild salmon that hits the market through the Bristol Bay commercial fishery, a $1.5 billion value.
The controversy behind the Pebble deposit relies heavily on the location. The mine would destroy over 20 square miles of fish and wildlife habitat and will include a series of earthen dams that will be responsible for holding back 10 billion tons of toxic waste. If it were to go into development, the future of the Bristol Bay Watershed and all that it represents would be at the mercy of one of the largest open pit mines in the world, a type of mine that has yet to function perfectly without major environmental disasters that degrade water quality and habitat. Over 80% of local residents oppose the project because of the potential risk it poses to the 10,000 year old traditional way of life and the commercial fishing economy that has been a large economic contributor within Bristol Bay for over 100 years. |
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Pebble Mine Fact Sheets: |
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Notable publications
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