The other side of pebble: controversy surrounds this development and the opposition is good at getting their message to the world, but what does Pebble Limited Partnership have to say?

• Author: Cutler, Debbie
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: MINING - Interview

This is what Chief Executive Officer John Shively of Pebble Limited Partnership says of the potential mine. PLP was formed to explore the possibility of developing a copper/gold/molybdenum deposit in Southwest Alaska, where jobs come few and far between, and communities are torn between the growth this could mean to the economies in the region, and the message broadcasted everywhere that this mine, if developed, could destroy a beautiful region and their pride and joy: Bristol Bay fisheries.

But Shively has a kinder, softer message to tell. Read his words and make up your own mind about the Pebble project.

ABM: What are the five core principals formed by the partnership between Northern Dynasty and Anglo-American? And what does this mean to Alaska?

Shively: Pebble will benefit Alaskans; will co-exist with the fishery; will listen before it acts; will build sustainable communities; and will use the best science. For Alaska, it's a commitment for us to be a responsible company and so that Alaskans will know our values going forward. It's also to stress that Pebble is not about pitting two industries against each other but rather about expanding economic opportunity in an economically challenged part of our state.

ABM: Where are you headquartered? And how many employees are Alaskans?

Shively: The Pebble Limited Partnership is headquartered in Anchorage with operations in Iliamna and Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada). About three-quarters of our employees are Alaskan.

ABM: What other Alaska mining exploration plays are in the Bristol Bay region? How big are they? And why do we not hear of them?

Shively: Rio Tinto is exploring near the Pebble site. Several others have claims on State land in the area with varying levels of activity. So far no one has announced a discovery such as Pebble and that could be a reason few have heard of them.

ABM: If it comes down to a choice between Pebble and the livelihood of the Bristol Bay fishing industry, which will win out? Why?

Shively: It is not about a choice. I have said many times that if it is a choice between fishing and mining, fishing wins every time. That is why we are stressing our message about co-existence and investing considerable time and resources on conducting environmental studies of the area around us. Alaskans should further understand that our permitting system will not allow one industry to advance a project at the expense of another. It is worth noting again that there are few economic opportunities in our rural communities and Pebble could change people's lives in that area in a positive way.

ABM: You use helicopters for all transportation into and out of Pebble. How expensive is this? And is it a cost saver for Pebble or done for environmental purposes?

Shively: We made a decision early on to minimize our environmental footprint via our exploration program at Pebble. It is much more expensive to use helicopters in support of our program. Helicopters are an important part of any mineral exploration project in Alaska. We've just taken it a step further to minimize our...