Talon Metals – Copper Nickel Mining and Election Day
Election Day is less than two weeks away. An issue that remains important for many voters in northeastern Minnesota is copper-nickel mining. WDIO TV in Duluth recently hosted a candidate forum with Rep. Pete Stauber and DFL candidate Jen Schultz in the race to represent Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. The topic of copper-nickel mining was discussed during the forum, as heard in a segment of this week’s episode.
Developers of a proposed nickel mine in northern Minnesota plan to move construction of its processing plant to North Dakota because of environmental concerns.
Talon Metals has been under pressure from environmental groups and the tribal bands of the Lake Superior Chippewa about a plan to build the processing plant in Tamarack, about 50 miles west of Duluth.
Todd Malan, a Talon executive, told WTIP that relocating the battery-minerals processing plant to North Dakota “would mean that we would only need to permit the mine and rail loading facility” in Minnesota.
“We will need to obtain both North Dakota permits and conduct a federal NEPA review for the facility in North Dakota,” he said.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden recently invoked the Defense Production Act in order to increase the mining of critical minerals that can be used to power electric vehicles. In doing so, Biden specifically referenced the Tamarack mine as a key component of the president’s vision toward changing what travels on America’s roadways.
The proposed mine continues to generate attention from media across the country, including recent reports in the New York Times, Forbes, and the Star Tribune.
Podcast Host Joe Friedrichs spoke with Malan for this week’s episode.