on July 02, 2020

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Bureau of Land Management Moves To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Twin Metals Project

Written by Isaac Orr

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that the agency will prepare a detailed Environmental Impact Statement to thoroughly analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Twin Metals mine, which would produce copper, nickel, cobalt, and other precious metals. According to the BLM press release: “Under President Trump’s leadership and direction from the Secretary, this proposed mine may reduce the vulnerability to disruption of critical mineral supplies. If the plan of operation is approved, you can rest assured knowing that development and production of critical minerals is done in an environmentally responsible, regulatory-consistent, and economically feasible manner,” said William...

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on April 14, 2020

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Mining Is An Essential Industry, Tourism Is Not

Written by Isaac Orr

in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Budget

According to the Walz administration, the mining industry is essential, the tourism industry is not. The people of Northeastern Minnesota support expanded mining in their region, and one would assume the current closure of nonessential businesses would only reinforce this support. Why would they want to put all of their eggs in a nonessential basket?...

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on April 13, 2020

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Montana Regulators Approve New Copper Mine

Written by Isaac Orr

in Mining

Montana regulators have approved a new copper mine, known as the Black Butte Copper Project, in Central Montana. The mine is owned by Sandfire Resources America Inc., and the company expects this environmentally-responsible mine to deliver a big economic boost into the local community. According to the company's website, the company expects to employ 240 full-time employees and an additional 50 full-time contractors with annual average wages estimated to be $65,000 per year. If these projections hold true, the company would be the largest employer within a 50 mile radius of the mine. Urban liberals often roll their eyes at the economic...

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on April 03, 2020

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Metro To Miners: You’ll Have to Do Something Else

Written by Isaac Orr

in Mining

A recent story in Politco entitled "Minnesota on the edge: 'I've voted Democrat my whole life. It's getting tougher," details how the political leanings of Minnesotans on the Iron Range, who had traditionally leaned toward the DFL, are beginning to shift. The shift is occurring because a significant number of people living on The Range feel that the party has become more focused on its urban constituency, which has lost touch with the pro-labor, pro-mining constituencies on The Range. Energy and environmental issues are at the forefront of the diverging interests of urban liberals and blue-collar workers up North. Urban greens,...

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on February 28, 2020

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Senator Rarick Cites American Experiment’s Mining Research in the Mitchell Hamline Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice

Written by Isaac Orr

in Environment

We're delighted to report that Senator Jason Rarick (R) cited American Experiment's research on copper nickel mining in Minnesota in his piece to the Mitchell Hamline School of Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice. You can read the piece below. The future of mining on the Iron Range has taken a couple of hits in the last month. At the end of December, at the behest of Ramsey County Congresswoman Betty McCollum and environmental activists, a federal spending bill gave the State Department 60 days for another review of the potential effects of Twin Metals’ proposed copper-nickel mine in the Boundary...

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on February 27, 2020

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Minnesota Ranked as 4th Biggest Mining State in 2019

Written by Isaac Orr

in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Many people in the Twin Cities are vaguely aware of the fact that Minnesota mines iron ore, but few understand the scale or importance of mining to the communities who develop our iron ore resources, or the important implications it has for our country. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Commodities Survey, Minnesota leapfrogged California to become the 4th largest mining state in the country, based on the value of minerals sold. The primary minerals mined were iron ore, lime, sand and gravel (construction), sand and gravel, (industrial), and crushed stone. Minnesota improved one spot in the ranks compared...

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on December 31, 2019

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This Year in Energy and Environment: 2019 Edition

Written by Isaac Orr

in Energy

With 2020 upon us, I'd like to reflect back on 2019 because it was a banner year for energy and environmental issues here at Center of the American Experiment. Here are some of the highlights from each month. In January, American Experiment submitted comments to the U.S. Forest Service in support of the lease renewal for the Twin Metals Minnesota mine. Since then Twin Metals has submitted its mine plan to state and federal agencies for review. We also covered the fact that wind and solar were not working during Polar Vortex in real time, highlighting the dangers of relying upon...

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on December 27, 2019

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Hey Minnesota Liberals! Stop Complaining About Low-Wage Service Jobs Unless You Support More Mining

Written by Isaac Orr

in Economy

The new soup du jour of liberal talking points appears to be that the current economy isn't very good at all because many of the jobs that are currently being created are low-paying jobs in the service and tourism sectors. But if liberals in Minnesota want to complain about the rise of low-paying jobs in these sectors, they had better be in favor of more mining in Minnesota....

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on December 19, 2019

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Great News! Twin Metals Submits Its Mine Plan to State and Federal Agencies for Review

Written by Isaac Orr

in Environment, Mining, Minnesota Economy

Yesterday, Minnesota took another step toward unearthing prosperity when Twin Metals Minnesota formally submitted its mine plan to state and federal agencies for review. According to the Twin Metals press release: "This marks the culmination of more than a decade of engineering, hydrogeological, environmental and engagement work including the evaluation of dozens of project configurations and technologies that maximize environmental protection." "Submission of the project starts a multi-year scoping and environmental review process that will thoroughly evaluate this proposal. The review process will include additional baseline data collection, impact analyses, and multiple opportunities for public input." The move was predictably decried by anti-mining...

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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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