Congressional Republicans have sent President Donald Trump a resolution that would lift a federal ban on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, hoping to clear the way for a South American company to extract precious metals from the region’s pristine forests, lakes and bogs. House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas. The Senate followed suit Thursday, voting 50-49 to send the measure to Trump for his signature. Democrats argued on the Senate floor that lifting the ban would…
Author: TJ Markle
The US Senate narrowly voted on Thursday to overturn a ban on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters canoe area wilderness, an enormous complex of interconnected lakes, rivers and forests that is among the most visited wild areas in the US. The resolution passed 50-49 to repeal a 20-year moratorium imposed by Joe Biden’s administration in 2023 on mining across the 225,000 acres (91,000 hectares) in the Superior national forest. The House had already approved the measure, and it will now head to Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it. The vote marks a victory for Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of the Chilean mining giant…
Minnesota has among the most rigorous state-level environmental protections in the nation. Nothing in the Senate’s action on April 16, 2026, changes that. The Minnesota DNR’s environmental review and permitting work is grounded in state statutes, rules, and policies, which require both rigorous science and extensive input from the public, Tribal Nations, and other parties. At this time, there are no active proposals for non-ferrous mining projects in the Rainy River watershed pending before the DNR. There has been public confusion regarding state mineral leases currently held by Twin Metals. Currently, the DNR has the legal option to cancel only…
Chile and the United States will sign agreements on mining and security on Monday, the Chilean government said. Officials from both governments will be present for a signing ceremony in Santiago later on Monday, Chile said, including Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Perez Mackenna, Minister of Mining and Economy Daniel Mas and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno. Last month, Chile and the U.S. announced they would begin discussions on rare earths and other types of critical minerals to coordinate on public and private financing for mining projects, the management of scrap for minerals recycling,…
Critical Metals (CRML) stock is surging after Greenland officially approved the transfer of an additional 50.5% stake in the Tanbreez rare earth project to the company. That brings Critical Metals’ total ownership to 92.5% — giving it majority control of what is widely considered one of the largest rare earth deposits ever discovered. This is a big deal. Tanbreez sits in southern Greenland and contains nearly 45 million tons of rare earth material. About 27% of that is heavy rare earth elements — the kind essential for EV motors, defense systems, and high-precision technology. Right now, China controls 95% to…
Three mining projects worth US$17.32 billion (bn) entered Chile’s environmental evaluation system during the first quarter, marking a historic quarterly record and reflecting a rebound in the sector’s investment. The figure includes the operational continuity project and copper production growth at Minera El Abra, a subsidiary of US-based Freeport McMoran, for US$7.500bn. This project seeks to extend the useful life of the mine until 2070 and add more than 340.000t/a of fine copper to the current production of around 100.000t/a. It also considers the US$5.100bn project submitted by Minera Escondida, a subsidiary of Australian company BHP, with the aim of…
Peruvians head to the polls Sunday to elect a new president and Congress, but illegal mining – a major driver of deforestation and mercury pollution – has received little attention on the campaign trail, even as it spreads deeper into the Amazon and Indigenous territories. Experts warn the gap reflects a broader failure to confront what has become the country’s largest illicit economy, with growing impacts on the environment, public health and Indigenous communities. “Political parties don’t understand that illegal mining has become the country’s main criminal activity and the one that moves the most money,” said environmental lawyer César…
China’s sulphuric acid export ban is threatening to disrupt copper, nickel and silver mining operations facing supply chain and logistics pressures Mining operations worldwide are bracing for significant disruption as China’s sulphuric acid export ban from May threatens to severely constrain production at copper, nickel and silver mines already grappling with supply chain pressures from the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz closure. The ban targets sulphuric acid produced as a by-product of copper and zinc smelting in China, the world’s largest exporter of the chemical. For mining operations, particularly those reliant on acid leaching processes, the decision could mean production slowdowns,…
A draft environmental assessment said that the mining is necessary because market conditions suggest a demand for quartz. Over 300 acres of national forest land in Arkansas could soon become the site of quartz mining, and the public has until early May to comment for or against. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced April 5 it’s taking public comment on mining at the Ouachita National Forest, Jessieville-Winona-Fourche Ranger District. There were eight areas in the national forest identified as possible quartz mining sites, totaling 337 acres. Six of the eight tracts would be permitted for quartz prospecting, while the other…
Interior Alaska mine poised to remain a key gold producer and economic driver for years to come. FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Two decades after its first gold pour, Pogo mine has evolved from a modest, 10-year operation into a cornerstone Interior Alaska gold mine built on a foundation of people, partnerships, and community. During a keynote address at the Alaska Miners Association’s spring convention in Fairbanks, Pogo General Manager Mick Eckert said the mine’s success and milestones are not simply measured in gold output. “They represent the energy, the innovation, and the continuous improvement that people put into the operation,” he said.…