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Twin Metals Minnesota filed a lawsuit on Monday, August 23, in U.S. District Court to have once approved northeastern Minnesota federal mineral leases renewed.
Last January, the U.S. Interior Department canceled those mineral leases following a review by the Biden administration that found the prospect of mining copper, nickel, cobalt and platinum metals near the Boundary Waters could imperil the waterways that thread through the region and Quetico.
Arguing the mineral leases were illegally canceled by the Interior Department, Twin Metals said it hopes the lawsuit will “restore the leases and other rights, which will restart the environmental review process as required by law for the company’s mine plan.”
Over the past 12 years, Twin Metals has spent $550 million to develop the project. The company’s website claims “there is no risk to the environment from acid rock drainage. Twin Metals will utilize an environmentally friendly tailings management system called ‘dry stack,’ which means there is no dam, and therefore no potential for dam failure.”
Twin Metals said it hopes to “reclaim its federal mineral leases and reverse a series of arbitrary and capricious actions by federal agencies aimed at preventing the development of its modern mining project in northern Minnesota. These actions by the Department of Interior and Bureau of Land Management undercut America’s long-term priorities of securing domestic supply chains, addressing climate change by moving toward a clean energy future, and strengthening national security.”
Dean DeBeltz, Twin Metals Director of Operations, said, “Our plan is backed by decades of exploration and analysis and is rooted in the most environmentally sophisticated design, which is tailored for our project location and mineral deposits. It deserves a fair evaluation by federal regulators based on its merits.”
The company also asserts the mine is “on track to become carbon neutral through utilization of an electric mining fleet, renewable energy, and mine ventilation and heat recovery. And because the mine is underground, its surface footprint will be about 10-15 percent that of an open pit mine.
“As an Ely native and fourth-generation miner, I know first-hand how important this project is to help advance America’s clean energy goals while creating good jobs here at home,” said DeBeltz. “I’m proud to be part of a company that is so deeply committed to bringing growth back to this area and doing so in a responsible way.”
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s international law firm represents Twin Metals in the lawsuit.
Becky Rom, National Chair of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, issued this statement,
“Chilean mining conglomerate Antofagasta – the owner of Twin Metals – just filed a lawsuit in an attempt to resurrect their toxic sulfide-ore copper mine on the edge of the Boundary Waters. This lawsuit is a clear attempt to work against the will of the people and shows that Antofagasta will stop at nothing to ruin the Boundary Waters with their toxic mine.
“The Biden administration’s actions to protect the Boundary Waters were well-considered, consistent with legal precedent and established public policy, and reflect the will of Minnesotans and the American people.”
Jobs for Minnesotans seemed to have another take on the legal action and released this statement
, “Jobs for Minnesotans firmly stands behind Twin Metals Minnesota’s right to a fair review of their project. We are extremely disappointed by the series of seemingly politically motivated federal actions to kill their project over the last 10 months.
“These actions set a dangerous precedent. They are an attack on all mining in northeast Minnesota, jeopardize domestic access to critical clean energy minerals, and are an affront to the people of northeast Minnesota who have proudly and responsibly developed natural resources for generations.
“The actions taken against the Twin Metals project ignore the rigorous science-based environmental review process outlined in the law. We believe the environmental review process will prove this project can mine safely and protect the environment.
“Over the 25-year life of the Twin Metals mine plan, the project will produce enough minerals to support the manufacture of clean energy technologies, including enough nickel to make 7 million electric vehicles, enough copper to create more than a quarter million wind turbines, and enough copper to support the production of 250,000 megawatts of solar power.
“Twin Metals’ proposed mine will revitalize the economy of northeast Minnesota by creating more than 750 high-wage, family-sustaining mining jobs plus 1,500 spinoff jobs in the region.”
On January 15, 2020, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum introduced legislation to permanently ban sulfide ore mining on federal lands within the BWCAW watershed. The bill passed the House Resource Committee in July 2022. In addition, State Senator Steve Cwodzinski and State Rep. Kelly Morrison presented a similar bill to ban sulfide ore mining on state lands in the BWCAW wilderness watershed.
Environmentalists warn that 13 of the 14 sulfide ore copper mines in the U.S. have had failures that significantly harmed water quality in the areas near the mines. However, Twin Metals asserts it can mine copper and nickle safely. The matter will now be argued in front of a federal court.
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