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NEWS-CONTINUED (U.S. & Canada Regional News - from p. 17) mitments will be made in 2014 and 2015, with an early works program initiated prior to 2014 to maintain the project execution timeline. Pebble Partnership Initiates 2012 Work Program The Pebble Partnership, a 50:50 partner- ship between a subsidiary of Anglo American and an affiliate of Northern Dynasty Minerals, moved into its summer work season in mid-May 2012, with a $107-million budget for the year. The part- nership is developing the Pebble copper, gold and molybdenum mineral deposit in southwest Alaska. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, Anglo American is required to commit $1.5 billion in staged investments to retain its 50% interest in the project. The project has aroused vocal opposition based on its perceived threat to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. "Following the completion and release of the 27,000-page Pebble Environmental Baseline Document earlier this year, the Pebble Partnership is now focused on finalizing the other principal document required to trigger permitting under NEPA—a Project Description," Northern Dynasty President and CEO Ronald Thiessen said. "After years of methodical and intensive geological, environmental, socioeconomic, and engineering study, we are now finalizing a proposed design for the Pebble project that will meet and exceed environmental regulations and permitting requirements in Alaska and the United States, while providing significant benefits to the region, the state and the nation." Prior to initiating project permitting, the partnership plans to undertake a broad- based public engagement program to con- sult Alaskans and other project stakehold- ers about project planning. This public consultation initiative is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2012. "As part of the process of developing a proposed Project Description, the Pebble Partnership will be meeting and consulting with the people and communities of south- west Alaska and throughout the state to allow Alaskans and all interested stake- holders to gain a better understanding of how this project will be built and operated to provide significant benefits to the state and country, while protecting fish, water, and other important natural resources," Thiessen said. Mining Simulation Facility Opens at Missouri University Students in the mining department at Missouri University of Science and Technology will soon gain hands-on train- ing in heavy mining machinery, surface mining methods and materials handling systems in Missouri S&T;'s new Virtual Surface Mining Facility. Located on the Missouri S&T; campus, the facility is the first of its kind in a North American university, said Dr. Samuel Frimpong, the Robert H. Quenon Chair of Mining Engineering at Missouri S&T.; "The lab will introduce students to the world of surface mining," said Frimpong. "It will give them a chance to interact with large-scale surface mining operations with heavy mining machinery in a classroom environment. We want the students to know that engineers can have fun on the job in their environments." The lab was made possible through $675,000 in donations from Caterpillar Global Mining, Luminant Energy, Immersive Technologies and P&H; Mining. The compa- nies are members of Missouri S&T;'s Mining Engineering Development Board. The Virtual Surface Mining Facility will contain two Immersive AES 2B base simu- 50 E&MJ; • JUNE 2012 www.e-mj.com