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on November 24, 2019
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Duluth News Tribune: In Response Column / It’s True: No Waste-Rock Piles, No Acid Mine Drainage at Twin Metals

Written by Isaac Orr
in Mining

Twin Metals made waves earlier this year when the company announced they would be using the dry stack tailings storing method, which is considered to be one of the safest way to store mine tailings. While even some anti-mining groups gave a tepid positive response (they seemed like they were caught flat footed, to be honest) other groups continue to contend that copper nickle mining cannot be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner. Julie Padilla of Twin Metals responds to some of these accusations in the Duluth News Tribune. We at Twin Metals always appreciate an opportunity to educate the public on...

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on November 15, 2019
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More Minnesota Mining! Talon Metals Seeks More Exploration on the Tamarack Deposit

Written by Isaac Orr
in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

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...

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on October 30, 2019
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Good News on Polymet! Minnesota Court of Appeals Rules Environmental Groups Can’t Move the Goalposts

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment, Greater Minnesota, Minnesota Economy

There is good news on the Minnesota mining front, as the Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge by anti-mining groups seeking to invalidate Minnesota's rules for non-ferrous mining. This is a big deal, because anti-mining groups, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, were trying to overturn the entire regulatory framework for how Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources evaluates and regulates mines that produce copper, nickel, platinum, cobalt, and other metals we depend upon every single day. Had this challenge succeeded, it would have been a massive blow to Minnesota's economic future, and a loss for the environment, as well. Minnesota...

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on October 23, 2019
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Why Are Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Sponsoring Minnesota Anti-Mining Legislation?

Written by Isaac Orr
in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Mainstream news outlets in Minnesota rarely tell the tale of how the Obama Administration incorrectly broke decades of protocol by cancelling mineral leases of Twin Metals Minnesota and sought a 20 year moratorium on mineral exploration in the Superior National Forest during his lame duck session. The inappropriate actions of the Obama Administration were reversed  by President Trump, but unfortunately, Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are supporting an action that would force the National Forest Service to prevent any action that would advance mining in this area, according to documents obtained by Mining Minnesota, pictured below. While Senator Smith's position...

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on October 02, 2019
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Another One Bites the Dust: Federal Judge Rejects Challenges to PolyMet Land Swap

Written by Isaac Orr
in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Excellent news, as yet another lawsuit designed to delay the PolyMet mining project has been struck down in federal court. According to CBS: A federal judge has rejected challenges by several environmental groups to a land swap needed for the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen dismissed the four challenges late Monday. She ruled that the groups lacked the necessary legal standing to block the land exchange between PolyMet and the federal government. She said that’s because PolyMet had not yet secured all the necessary permits to begin work, so the groups couldn’t establish that they’d been harmed. PolyMet...

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on September 22, 2019
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Sunday Funnies: Cobalt Mining in the Congo for Renewable Energy Sources

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment, Mining

There's more than a twinge of hypocrisy among liberal environmentalists that want to stop responsible mining for copper, nickel, and cobalt in Minnesota at all costs, yet demand that the state transition to 100 percent carbon free electricity without nuclear or large hydro. Wind and solar power use enormous amounts of copper and nickel and Minnesota has the largest undeveloped reserves of these metals in the world. It's our responsibility to mine them responsibly, not to export environmental damage, and our conscience, to developing countries.  ...

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on September 18, 2019
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Statewide View Column: Closing Down Coal Gives China’s, India’s Iron Industries An Edge

Written by Isaac Orr
in Climate, Energy, Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

The following article was written by me, and it originally appeared in the Duluth News Tribune. Xcel Energy recently made headlines by announcing it wished to close down its coal-fired power plants 10 years before they were previously scheduled to retire. However, it would be nothing short of a disaster for Minnesota’s mining industry, both present and future, if Minnesota Power pursued a similar path by closing the coal-fired Boswell Energy Center at a time when China and India are greatly expanding their use of coal. Mining requires an enormous amount of energy. In fact, the MinnTac mine in Mountain Iron reportedly...

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on September 07, 2019
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While Liberal Environmental Groups Delay Mining in MN, Canada Approves Another Mine

Written by Isaac Orr
in Environment, Minnesota Economy

While liberal environmental groups continue to file lawsuits to obstruct the permitting process for non-ferrous mining in Minnesota, Canada has permitted another mine. The latest mine permitted will develop gold deposits about 100 miles north of International Falls, MN. Canada has shown time and time again that is possible to mine responsibly. Given this weight of evidence, it is unfortunate that groups like the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness would eschew responsible mining in Minnesota. In doing so, they are denying thousands of hardworking Minnesotans the opportunity to get high-paying, family supporting jobs. They are...

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