More Minnesota Mining! Talon Metals Seeks More Exploration on the Tamarack Deposit

Minnesota is home to some of the largest undeveloped deposits of copper and nickel in the world. Responsibly developing these resource would bring a major boost to Minnesota’s economy, supporting up to 14,850 jobs and reduce America’s reliance on foreign countries to supply the metals and minerals we rely upon every single day. Mining in Minnesota would also be a way to increase the supply of ethically mined minerals, reducing the demand for metals mined by children in foreign countries.

One of the deposits we included in our 2018 study Unearthing Prosperity  was the Tamarack deposit, a copper-nickel rich deposit near the Aitkin-Carlton county line. According to the Duluth News Tribune, Talon Metals is seeking approval from the Department of Natural Resources to explore metallic mineral deposits.

On Nov. 6, Talon submitted an exploration plan with the DNR detailing its intent to insert “geophysical probes” in existing boring holes, that are temporarily sealed, on active state nonferrous metal mineral leases about 1/2 mile south-southeast to about 3.5 miles north-northeast of Tamarack; However, if the borings are blocked, Talon said it will use a drill rig to clear the blockage.

In a news release earlier this month, Talon said its two main objectives were to continue exploration and “develop a process to produce nickel sulphates.” Talon sees itself as supplying the emerging electric vehicle market with battery materials.

“The ability to produce a value-added product could create a unique opportunity for Talon to explore direct sales to the battery industry (at a premium price for nickel sulphates as compared to the London Metals Exchange … nickel price) as opposed to the traditional route of selling product to a smelter at discounted prices,” the company said.

The Tamarack project would be an underground mining facility. The picture below is from is a diagram of the ore deposits and the initial mine plans.

The PolyMet mine made history by becoming the first copper-nickel mine to gain approval from DNR. Once PolyMet successfully beats all of the legal appeals made by anti-mining groups and raise the capital required to start the project, the PolyMet mine will lead the way for other projects, like the Tamarack mine, to help Minnesotans unearth prosperity.