WASHINGTON, D.C.-Earlier today, an act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, which would make it easier to mine in Minnesota. “Mining has been a way of life for Minnesotans since the 1800s and is a crucial part of our state’s economy,” said Rep. Tom Emmer (R), of Minnesota’s Sixth District, who also sponsored the bill. “Unfortunately, in its…
WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Superior National Forest Land Exchange Act, which finalizes a long-awaited land exchange in Northern Minnesota between the U.S. Forest Service and PolyMet Mining. The exchange has been undergoing seven years of review, and is key to the advancement of PolyMet’s copper-nickel mine project. The bill was forged by Rep….
ST. PAUL, Minn.-Ore Exports have shot way up in the third quarter of 2017 in Minnesota. According to the Department of Employment and Economic Development, they are up 770 percent which is equivalent to $135 million. The main reason for the increase is renewed interest from the markets in Canada and Japan. Overall exports of all products in the state…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Government lawyers go to federal court Tuesday to seek dismissal of a lawsuit by developers of the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine who are seeking to regain their mineral rights leases. The Obama administration last year declined to renew the longstanding leases that Twin Metals needs for the underground mine near Ely in northeastern Minnesota….
SUPERIOR, Wis. Press Release Below: Members of the media: this is to inform you of a fire this morning in Superior. At 0530 all three engine companies, Battalion Chief and Gold Cross Ambulance were called for a fire at 2400 Winter street which is Midwest Energy. Once on scene crews found fire in the belt system used to move coal…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A legislative committee has signed off on a Republican bill that would end Wisconsin’s nearly 20-year ban on gold, silver, and nickel mining. Wisconsin lawmakers passed a bill in 1998 that requires sulfide mining applicants to prove a similar mine has operated in North America for 10 years without causing pollution and a similar mine has…
CLOQUET, Minn- The City of Cloquet became the location point for a public hearing involving new sulfate and wild rice standards proposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. It’s a change mining supporters say is over the top and could severely hurt their operations and the economy on the iron range. However the agency says the proposed changes are spot…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s moved from being “genuinely undecided” on the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine to being a genuine supporter of the project. Dayton tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press nothing of that magnitude is risk free, bu the thinks it’s a risk worth taking. However, he adds, PolyMet still must meet the…
DULUTH, Minn. – Wednesday night at the DECC, the hearing was divided, supporters from both sides stood shoulder to shoulder voicing concerns. The proposed line would replace 1,031 miles of pipeline, 337 miles of it will be built across Northern Minnesota. “It supplies about 80% of the crude oil that’s refined right here in the Minnesota refineries,” said Jessica Smith…
(Garret Ellison | MLive)HAYWARD, Wis. – The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board passed a resolution approving an agreement with Enbridge Energy Partners during their Tuesday, Oct. 11 meeting, according to the DrydenWire.com. This new 25-year agreement allows Enbridge the right-of-way for two existing pipelines that cross over three miles of the southwestern corner of the reservation. The two lines…
DULUTH, Minn. – Vikings and Packers fans were glued to their television sets on Sunday for the first border battle of the season. The Minnesota Vikings squared off against the Green Bay Packers at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. As always, the fans enjoy coming out as the rivalry rages on. “We all love the Vikings here, and they…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Lincoln Park community in Duluth is getting ready to host their second annual Lincoln Park Open House. More than 30 businesses in the Lincoln Park area will be hosting special events and deals on Saturday. The event is meant to showcase the growing business community happening in the district. “There are a lot of things happening…
MADISON, Wis.-A legislative committee has approved a Republican bill that would end Wisconsin’s sulfide mining moratorium. The Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry voted 3-2 to approve the bill Wednesday. All three Republicans on the committee voted for the bill. The two Democrats voted against it. Committee approval sets up a full Senate vote. Wisconsin lawmakers enacted legislation…
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – County officials in northern Minnesota say they’re anxious about a property tax case involving Enbridge Energy that could force them to repay $18 million in tax revenue collected between 2012 and 2014. Minnesota Public Radio reports that Enbridge contends the state Department of Revenue began using new methodology in 2012 to determine the value of pipelines…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – Hundreds gathered in Virginia to take a walk over the newly constructed bridge there. It was the first annual Bridge Days Community Walk. People of all ages took the hike over to the bridge to get a look at some of the views the unique structure has to offer. “It is truly an amazing structure,” volunteer organizer…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – The Iron Range community had the chance to train like firefighters on Saturday. It was the first ever Firefighter Challenge at the Mesabi Family YMCA. The free event had challenge courses that kids and adults could test out their skills on. Competitors wore weighted vests and air packs to get an idea of what the Virginia and…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A series of 18 public hearings in nine cities on Enbridge Energy’s proposal to replace its Line 3 oil pipeline has moved to the Twin Cities. At issue is whether the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission should grant a certificate of need for replacing the 1960s-era pipeline, which carries Canadian crude from Alberta across Minnesota to…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Environmental groups are asking the Department of Natural Resources to give the public more time to comment on the draft dam safety permits for the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. The latest request came Wednesday from four groups: WaterLegacy, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Cloquet Valley State Forest, and the Izaak Walton…
CHISHOLM, Minn. -For hundreds of years mining has been the focus of life on the Iron Ranges of Minnesota. The Iron Range Research Center in the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm preserves the past of these areas in its archive collection. The mission of this department is to collect materials to interpret the human experience on all three of Minnesota’s…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Soo Locks at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan connect the Duluth and Superior shipping industry with the rest of the world, but the aging locks haven’t been updated in decades. The locks at Soo Straights connect Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes and beyond. The locks raise and lower ships so they can navigate…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – The new Highway 53 bridge is almost complete. It’s the tallest bridge in Minnesota. Soon it will be open to traffic. Iron rangers and state officials dedicated the new bridge to the public on Friday. “Are you ready to celebrate?” asked U.S. Representative Rick Nolan (DFL-Minn.) at the dedication ceremony. At over two hundred feet tall, the…
(KQDS) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has opened a 30-day public comment period on the draft PolyMet dam safety and public works permits. From Sept. 15 through Oct. 16, the public can submit comments on two draft dam safety permits and a draft public waters work permit for the PolyMet Mining, Inc. NorthMet mining project. The DNR dam…
SUPERIOR, Wis. Protestors hoping to keep Enbridge workers from getting into their construction site on the line 3 replacement project Thursday morning are now in trouble with the law. In a dramatic scene, several protesters were arrested Thursday in Superior. One has been charged with disorderly conduct during the incident while three others were booked for resisting arrest and trespassing….
DULUTH, Minn.-A lawsuit has developed on the Iron Range by two major players in the ore industry. Mesabi Metallics has filed a lawsuit against Cleveland Cliffs, according to the Wall Street Journal. Mesabi Metallics, which is trying to begin construction again on a Nashwauk mining project, is having trouble getting the funding to do so. They are alleging that Cliffs…
NASHWAUK, Minn.-Chippewa Capital Partners has received a 30-day extension to find financing to complete construction of a Nashwauk mining project. Today, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said that if Chippewa can’t secure financing for the project, the permits to mine there could be lost. If that occurs, the Department of Natural Resources will regain control of the mineral leases there. “I…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Forest Service held an open house in Duluth Monday to help inform the public about a proposed land exchange in Northeast Minnesota. As part of the deal, the Forest Service would acquire 31,000 acres of Minnesota School Trust land in the Boundary Waters. In return, the state would receive an equal value of federal land on…
DULUTH, Minn. – A group of concerned citizens sent a message to Gov. Mark Dayton Tuesday regarding PolyMet’s proposed copper–nickel mine. The group called Duluth for Clean Water wants an evidentiary hearing before a permit to mine is issued to PolyMet for its proposed site. Critics call the type of mining proposed the most toxic form of mining known in…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – One of Superior’s largest employers, Calumet Oil Refinery, is being sold to a Canadian company. “This is a key wonderful addition to our asphalt business into our integrated corridor in North America.” Jerry Miller, U.S. Refining, Vice President The new owner, Husky Energy tells Fox 21 they plan to keep the roughly 180 workers at the refinery. “We’ll…
DULUTH, Minn. – Discussions for and against a proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in Northeast Minnesota continues. On Sunday, a Duluth environmental group held an event to gain support. According to Duluth for Clean Water officials, decisions could be made later this year on whether permits to mine are granted to the proposed PolyMet project. Before that happens, some in Duluth…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – The auditorium at Virginia High School was packed this evening with hundreds showing up to voice their opinions of the U.S. Forest Service’s proposal to withdraw 234,000 acres of federal land around the boundary waters that would be used for future copper–nickel mining. It’s an issue that’s been debated back and forth, ever since the forest service…
MINNEAPOLIS–The fight over whether to allow copper–nickel mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northeastern Minnesota is shifting to St. Paul. The U.S. Forest Service is opening a new set of public meetings on its proposal to bar minerals exploration and development on more than 234,000 acres near the pristine wilderness for up to 20 years. The first meeting…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan gets a hearing this week on his bill to push through a land exchange needed for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. It’s one of four land exchange bills the House Subcommittee on federal lands will consider Friday in Washington. PolyMet wants to swap 6,650 acres of federal land it needs…
NASHWAUK, Minn. – Mesabi Metallics has announced it is reducing its workforce in half at its newly acquired facility in Nashwauk from 50 to 25 workers. Recently the company was bought up by Chippewa Capital Partners during bankruptcy proceedings. The mine in Nashwauk is not yet completed, but instead of current company employees finishing it, a third-party will be hired….
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – U.S. Representative Rick Nolan has introduced a bill to force completion of a land swap needed for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. PolyMet is welcoming the move, saying the transaction hasn’t been moving forward as fast as it could. But it’s being criticized by environmental groups, which say the deal undervalues the land and…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – An environmental group says the design for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota has changed in significant ways that require regulators to take a fresh look. WaterLegacy cities changes in the mine’s tailings basin and wastewater treatment facilities, and a new disclosure of how much water would be pumped from the mine, in requesting a…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota leaders have approved a lease agreement with a company that indents to complete construction on a pellet plant and another facility to produce high-grade iron ore. Minnesota Public Radio reports the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and state auditor approved the agreement Monday with Chippewa Capital Partners. The deal gives the company and…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) – The Justice Department has moved to dismiss lawsuit challenging an Obama administration decision against renewing mineral rights leases for the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. In a motion late Monday, the Justice Department says the federal district court in Minnesota lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, and that it must be brought in…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has upheld a Trempealeau County decision denying a permit to open a new sand mine for use in hydraulic fracking. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against Iowa-based AllEnergy Corporation. It had argued that a Trempealeau County environmental and land use committee in 2013 wrongly denied its permit to open the…
FORBES, Minn. – Lawmakers and officials from Cliff’s Natural Resources had reason to celebrate, as they cut the ribbon on the re-opened United Taconite facility. “We are truly celebrating here today the largest producer of iron ore pellets in North America sending a brand new mustang pellet to the largest blast furnace in the United States,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar…
ST. PAUL, Minn.-U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum says she has won assurances from the Trump administration that it will proceed with a two-year study on whether copper-nickel mining should be permitted on federal lands in the watershed that flows into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The Minnesota Democrat pressed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on the scientific review, which was launched under…
DULUTH, Minn. – Officials from the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute announced a breakthrough in ilmentite processing Thursday. NRRI partnered with Canadian firm Process Research Ortech to find a way to separate titanum dioxide and iron oxide from ilmenite deposits. The results, nearly pure samples of both titanium oxide and iron oxide. But, officials say they’re a long…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Iron Range and Duluth are connected by more than geography, and officials are proud to showcase those connections. A new magazine insert published by the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board and other partners showcases the entire region, from the Range to Duluth. IRRRB Commissioner Mark Phillips says the connection between the communities affects everyone even…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – PolyMet Mining Inc., has submitted two revised Dam Safety Permit applications, according to the Department of Natural Resources. The applications address the Flotation Tailings Basin and the Hydrometallurgical Residue Facility for the proposed NorthMet Project near Hoyt Lakes. Changes made to the applications were based on feedback provided by DNR technical experts and external consultants. These…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is initiating the sale of leases for state-owned metallic minerals in Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, and St. Louis Counties. The total amount of land up for lease is 195,324 acres. The lease sale involves nonferrous minerals, which are all metals, such as copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold,…
WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) – An oil pipeline company says it has no plans to add another pipeline through Wisconsin despite environmentalists’ speculation. The Janesville Gazette reports that Enbridge Energy’s Line 61 through Rock County is approved by the state to pump up to 1.2 million barrels of oil each day to Chicago and southern oil refineries. The line’s pumping volume…
DULUTH, Minn.-Cliffs Natural Resources released its first quarter results today which had a few surprises. Despite the increase from last year, the company operated with a net loss of $30 million over the last three months. Cliffs said in a statement today, that even though they have lost money, they have already reduced their debt to $1.6 billion compared to…
DULUTH, Minn. – Essar Steel of Minnesota’s project in Nashwauk got some new life yesterday as Chippewa Capital Partners won the bid to run it, which was worth about $300 million. Chippewa is owned by Tom Clarke, of the state of Virginia, who also bought out the bankrupt Magentation ore plant in Grand Rapids. The plans now are to merge…
WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Donald Trump is directing the administration to investigate whether steel imports are jeopardizing U.S. national security. In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump signed a memo ordering the investigation while surrounded by executives from U.S. steelmakers. A 1960s trade law gives the president authority to restrict imports if they are determined to be harmful to U.S….
DULUTH, Minn.-A recent study about the mining industry’s impact on the Northland has revealed some startling statistics. According to a report from the Praxis Strategy Group, mining supports about 5,100 jobs in the area, while tourism accounts for 6,400. The mining jobs pay out at average rate of $82,000 a year, while tourism sits at $18,000 a year. “The region tails…
DULUTH, Minn. – Mining industry leaders are in Duluth this week as part of the 90th annual SME Conference at the DECC. The conference features more than 200 companies showing off the latest trends in mining and plenty of discussion about where the industry is headed. “We truly believe we can mine here, we can keep it local, use our…
