ST. PAUL — Encouraging an industry in Minnesota to recover minerals like lithium and nickel from discarded electronics is the goal of a bipartisan bill in the Legislature.
Supported by a diverse coalition of legislators, unions and advocacy groups — including several Iron Range legislators on both sides of the aisle — the legislation would establish an advisory task force to focus on critical minerals recovery in the state.
The bill’s sponsor, DFL Rep. Liish Kozlowski of Duluth, said these minerals are critical to a clean energy future and focusing on their recovery in Minnesota could boost in-state production of solar panels or wind turbines.
"We should create conditions to build Minnesota’s clean energy here in Minnesota and recycling these critical minerals can help us to create that resilient and localized supply chains we know we desperately need, especially up in Northern Minnesota and on the Iron Range," Kozlowski said.
The task force would investigate the technologies and look at the infrastructure needs for collecting, transporting and recycling the materials, with the goal of keeping the minerals out of landfills.
Rep. Roger Skraba, R-Ely, said the recent discovery of a helium deposit in Lake County pairs well with the push for mineral recovery in the state.
Like some of these minerals, helium is also used to produce computer chips.
"The president of the United States wants chips to be made in the United States," Skraba said. "We have the helium here from Minnesota, we have this product here from Minnesota, we could easily manufacture chips in Minnesota based on all the pieces in the puzzle."
The task force would include representatives from the solid waste and energy industries, manufacturing, labor, tribal governments and experts in environmental justice.
The bill was laid over Wednesday, April 3, by the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee for possible inclusion in a larger bill.
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