Petersburg Pilot -

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – A large lead and zinc mine in northwest Alaska is planning to build a 10-mile (16-kilometer) road to a pair of possible expansion sites.

Red Dog Mine operator Teck has applied for state and federal permits for the road project. The company wants to transport heavy equipment to the prospective sites to do more intensive underground drilling, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported Tuesday.

The mine has operated since 1989 and the company hopes to extend its lifespan by finding a new source of zinc and lead at the remote Arctic sites of Anarraaq and Aktigiruq. The Canada-based...