President Trump recently signed an executive order directing federal agencies to accelerate domestic mineral production in northern Minnesota. The NorthMet mine, which has applied for a lease to open a copper-nickel facility, appears on the list of federally prioritized projects. While some local legislators applaud the move, critics express concern. They worry about environmental risks and long-term impacts on human health and wildlife.
Last Friday, the Trump administration began identifying domestic mineral sources as part of its national strategy. The executive order directs permitting agencies to identify mineral projects already under review for possible fast-tracking.
According to the President, this initiative will “create jobs, fuel prosperity, and significantly reduce our reliance on foreign nations. Transportation, infrastructure, defense capabilities, and the next generation of technology rely upon a secure, predictable, and affordable supply of minerals.” This piggybacks on the President’s “national emergency declaration” from January 20. The declaration waives specific legal requirements to speed up the process of advancing mining leases.
PolyMet, a company originally based in Minnesota, proposed the copper-nickel mine in 2005. Then, in 2023, Glencore, an Anglo-Swiss multinational, acquired PolyMet. NewRange Copper Nickel (NRC), a joint venture between Glencore and Teck Resources, now owns the NorthMet mine. NRC is headquartered in Minnesota and is one of twenty mining projects on the administration’s list.
If approved, the NorthMet lease would allow the production of copper, nickel, and platinum group elements. The company plans to renovate and expand a currently unused taconite processing facility located six miles south of Babbitt. The proposed complex would sit on 4,300 acres, some of it wetland. Notably, the facility sits within the St. Louis River watershed, along the eastern edge of the Superior National Forest.
Economic hopes vs environmental harms
Supporters argue the mine could boost the local economy. Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-8) told Bring Me the News, “NewRange’s NorthMet deposit represents a significant opportunity to produce the critical minerals necessary to secure our nation’s economic and security needs.” State Representative Spencer Igo (R-Wabana Township) added his approval, stating that Trump’s action “is an important step in getting this critically important project back on track after years of bureaucratic delays.”
However, tribal nations strongly oppose the project. In 2023, federal officials revoked PolyMet’s wetlands destruction permit after determining the project failed to meet Clean Water Act standards. The Fond du Lac Band, located near Cloquet, raised objections, insisting that agencies recognize them as “experts” in upholding their water quality standards. At the time, the Environmental Protection Agency recommended against reissuing the permit.
A key issue is the amount of sulfate and mercury in water. Sulfate can hurt the growth of wild rice, and mercury contaminates fish, making them unsafe to eat. Together, the contaminants threaten important food sources and cultural resources.
In a Facebook statement, Friends of the Boundary Waters, a clean water advocacy group, criticized the effort, saying: “The only thing that has changed is the willingness of the current administration to bend the law and ignore science, and that’s exactly what fast-tracking this project will involve.”
While the Environmental Review and Permitting Status has been planned, it has not been completed. As a result, the federal permitting dashboard will publish the NorthMet mine’s permitting timeline by May 16, 2025.
More info:
- Immediate Measures To Increase American Mineral Production – Federal Register
- PolyMet’s NorthMet Mining Project – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Trump administration reveals plan to fast-track NorthMet mine proposal – Bring Me The News