MINING IN MINNESOTA

WHERE AND HOW WE USE IT

• There are three iron ranges - the Cuyuna, Mesabi and Vermilion.
• is used to make steel of various types and is the most common metal used.

LAWS

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

IMPACTS

• Significant changes to the landscape could also impact attraction and retention of employees to the area’s expanding medical services, construction, government, and finance industries.

HOW IT CHANGED THE ENVIRONMENT

• They disturb the land in ways that often prevent real reclamation, leaving behind a degraded natural landscape. They often create water pollution problems such as acid drainage.

RECENT NEWS

• It's a crucial milestone for PolyMet, which wants to dig and process copper, nickel and precious metals for 20 years at its deposit known as the NorthMet deposit. It's part of the Duluth Complex, a rich vein of minerals that stretches near the Iron Range from about 150 miles north of Duluth to the Canadian border

Untitled Slide

• http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/minerals.html
• http://www.nma.org/index.php/federal-environmental-laws-that-govern-u-s-min...
• http://www.miningtruth.org/economic-impacts/#.VxeoJ_A8KrV
• http://www.mncenter.org/Portals/0/6%20-%20publications/research%20reports/E...
• http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/03/03/polymet-gets-minn-ok-to-proceed-on-...