Mining in Minnesota

Northern Minnesota has a long, successful history of taconite and iron ore mining dating back a century. There is plenty of evidence that these types of mining are not detrimental to the environment.

Minnesota has no evidence, however, of environmentally safe copper/nickel mining. There is no research to back up the claims that Polymet is making about the safety of their proposed mines.

Copper and Nickel Mining

Copper and nickel mining is substantially different from the taconite and iron ore mining that has traditionally been done in Minnesota. Extracting copper and nickel from the earth had been deemed the most toxic industry in the country by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Toxins

Copper and nickel mining involves sulfide ore. When sulfide ore comes into contact with oxygen or water in the atmosphere, it creates sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid leaches out heavy metals and chemicals from mined rock to produce acid mine drainage.

This toxic drainage is contained in a holding pond and builds up over time. The dams that are created to hold it too often fail.

Polymet’s Proposal

The dam proposed for the Polymet mine is illegal in other countries due to failures, collapse, and creating environmental damage as well as human deaths.

The current proposal in Minnesota would leave the Minnesota taxpayers responsible for payment of any environmental clean up that is required.

Glencore

The parent company of Polyment is Glencore. This company has a trail of lawsuits from around the world. This is a result of environmental degradation and clean up costs. Glencore refuses to put their name on the contract in use in Minnesota, and uses Polymet as a front company.

Glencore could allow Polymet to go bankrupt after they reap the rewards of a decade of mining. This is their typical mode of operation - they would then leave Minnesotans responsible for the clean-up of their messes.

Legislative Action

To combat the awful record of the Glencore company, I am the co-author of the Prove it First Legislation. This requires the mining company to demonstrate one place in the world where they have successfully mined copper nickel without causing environmental degradation and additional costs to local governments.

Until they can prove it first, we need to protect the environment in the area where there is 20% of the cleanest fresh water in the country - our natural treasure that is Northern Minnesota, and the economic engine of the tourism industry for the area.

Thanks for reading! Look for our next blog on Sunday, July 10th.