Developer of Alaska's Pebble mine files appeal over permit rejection

Jan 21 (Reuters) - Diversified Canadian miner Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd said on Thursday its U.S. subsidiary Pebble Limited Partnership has filed an appeal with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) over its decision to deny a key water permit for the contentious Pebble Mine in Alaska.

The USACE denied the Clean Water Act permit in November because the plan submitted by the Pebble Limited Partnership detailing how it would handle the project's waste in the ecologically sensitive area did not comply with guidelines.

The mine, one of the world's largest copper and gold deposits, has been through a roller coaster of regulation over the past 13 years. The denial of the permit had put the project's future in doubt.

"Additional details about the Pebble Partnership's RFA (request for appeal) submission will be released in the days and weeks ahead," Northern Dynasty Minerals said on Thursday.

The administration of former President Donald Trump had moved closer in July to approving the mine's permit, reversing a decision by his predecessor Barack Obama.

But a prominent group of Republicans, including Trump's son Donald Trump Jr., had publicly voiced opposition, saying the mine would destroy areas of good fishing and hunting.

Pebble Mine Partnership Chief Executive John Shively said at the time of the permit's denial that the decision was political and that the project had included necessary safeguards.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen Coates)