MINING

WHERE AND HOW IT'S USED

• Mining occurs in eastern Minnesota
• Low grade iron ore called taconite is used to make steel
• Clay is used to make bricks, porcelain, tiles, and medicines.
• Granite and limestone are used to make homes, buildings, roads and tombstones.

LAWS AND REGULATION

• Federal Land Policy and Management Act - prevents undue and unnecessary degradation of federal lands.
• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act - regulates coal mining operations and reclamation.

IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• Erosion
• Sinkholes
• Contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water

ENVIRONMENT CHANGE DUE TO MINING

• Releases toxic amounts of minerals and heavy metals into the soil and water
• Coal mining releases coal mine methane, a green house gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide

RECENT NEWS

• Iron ore prices skyrocket to above $70 a ton, hitting their highest level since January 2015.
• PolyMet copper mine

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Digging into MN Minerals: Minnesota DNR
• Federal Environmental Laws that Govern U.S. Mining
• The Real Price of Gold — National Geographic Magazine
• Greenpeace International
• MINING.com
• Minnesota Public Radio News