Mr. Ronald Thiessen reports

NORTHERN DYNASTY: PEBBLE PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCES TRANSPORTATION AND PORT OPERATIONS PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSORTIUM OF ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGE CORPORATIONS

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.'s 100-per-cent-owned United States-based subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a consortium of Alaska native village corporations as a major transportation contractor for the proposed copper-gold-molybdenum mine.

The MOU signed this week with Alaska Peninsula Corp. (APC) positions APC to lead the development of a consortium of Alaska native village corporations with landholdings along Pebble's 82-mile access route north of Lake Iliamna. Once formalized, the consortium will provide road maintenance, truck transport, port operations and other logistics services to the future Pebble mine -- contracts expected to exceed $20-million (U.S.) in value each year.

"It has always been a core commitment of ours and the Pebble Partnership's that this project benefit local communities and local people," said Ron Thiessen, Northern Dynasty president and chief executive officer. "As we move toward a final environmental impact statement (EIS) this month and a record of decision later this summer, we are rolling out a series of programs and announcements to bring that commitment to life."

Mr. Thiessen said the lead federal agency for Pebble's permitting process, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has now signalled the final EIS will be published July 24, 2020. In the run-up to this key milestone, the Pebble Partnership has announced the Pebble performance dividend initiative to distribute a 3-per-cent net profit royalty interest in the future Pebble mine to full-time residents of Bristol Bay, the initiation of a public consultation process for power sharing in the region and now the formation of a major local contracting consortium."

Other benefits Pebble is expected to generate for the people of Bristol Bay and Alaska include:

• Between 850-1,000 full-time, direct, high-wage jobs and as many as 2,000 total jobs;
• Up to $400-million annually in mine expenditures;
• More than $50-million annually in state government revenues;
• Up to $20-million annually in revenues for the Lake and Peninsula Borough.

"We are walking the talk," Mr. Thiessen said. "Our objective is to work with local companies and local people to ensure that Pebble makes a profound and lasting contribution to the economic health and sustainability of the villages and Alaska native cultures of the Bristol Bay region."

The Pebble Partnership issued the following statement earlier today with respect to the MOU signed with APC.

The consortium would operate all related logistics for the project related to the proposed northern transportation corridor. This would include managing port operations, maintaining the access road between the Pebble port and the Pebble mine site, and providing trucking and other logistics services between the Pebble port and the Pebble mine site. The value of the MOU is expected to exceed $20-million per year during operations. The operation of this logistics chain is critical to the successful development of the Pebble project, and this MOU is evidence of the strong support these village corporations have provided to Pebble over the past few years.

The MOU envisions the village corporations along the northern transportation corridor will play a significant and meaningful role in the development and operation of the Pebble project, and ensure full local participation in contracting and employment opportunities. This role at Pebble will also enable these village corporations to extend these services directly to the residents of the villages with the opportunity to significantly reduce the enormous cost of living in these communities.

"As we near approvals for our federal permits, it is time to begin laying concrete contractual commitments for construction and operations opportunities. The Pebble opportunity is real. We are excited about this opportunity to partner with our long-standing business partners in the area," said PLP chief executive officer Tom Collier.

"For APC and the other village corporations around the lake, contract opportunities like this are how we can ensure local hire and other direct local benefits from the project while assisting in the safe development and operations of the Pebble project. We want to be at the table with the Pebble team in making good decisions for the region and ensuring our shareholders directly realize the benefits of this opportunity," said APC chief executive officer Dave McAlister.

PLP is developing the Pebble project in southwest Alaska. The project is currently advancing through the federal environmental impact statement (EIS) process, with a final EIS report and record of decision expected this summer. Mr. Collier noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the regulatory agency leading the EIS process, has been confirming with stakeholders that the final EIS should be released on July 24.

APC is an [Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act] village corporation, formed with the merger of the village corporations of Port Heiden, South Naknek, Ugashik, Kokhanok and Newhalen. APC's mission statement is 'to preserve and enhance the quality of life of Alaska Peninsula Corporation shareholders and to protect our culture while managing our assets in a manner which enhances their value.'

APC and PLP signed an agreement in 2018, which provided right-of-way access across APC lands and gave APC "preferred contractor" status on Pebble-related contracts located on APC lands. Since that time, APC has provided a number of contract services to PLP, which have been key to advancing the project through the EIS process.

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-per-cent interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. PLP is the proponent of the Pebble project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources.

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