Stauber reintroduces restoring mineral leases in Superior National Forest

Rep. Pete Stauber reintroduced a bill to restore mineral leases in the Superior National Forest on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

The Superior National Forest Restoration Act would overturn the Biden administration’s 2023 withdrawal of mineral leases for more than 225,000 acres in the Superior National Forest.

"Thankfully, with Donald Trump back in the White House and Republicans in control of both Chambers of Congress, we are well positioned to reverse the damage done by President Biden and turn Minnesota into a critical mineral powerhouse," Stauber said in a news release.

The Duluth Complex, a geological intrusion within the Forest, contains billions of tons of increasingly more precious metals like copper, nickel, cobalt and platinum, which are anticipated to be in high demand for their use in electric vehicles and battery storage.

Environmental groups like Save the Boundary Waters are steadfastly against advancing mining projects near the pristine Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness.

“Rep. Stauber’s bill is a giveaway of America’s most popular Wilderness Area — the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness — to a foreign mining company,” said Ingrid Lyons, the executive director of Save the Boundary Waters, in a news release.

Chile-based mining company Antofagasta has been part of the last decade’s mineral lease tug-of-war near the Boundary Waters, proposing a sulfide-ore copper mine with the Twin Metals project.

Sulfide-ore copper mining involves using sulfur-based chemicals to extract metals from rock.

This type of mining has never been done in Minnesota and carries environmental risks like increased sulfates in ground and surface water, which is known to be detrimental to wild rice. Environmental groups have also argued there is evidence that "clean" copper-nickel mining has been successful at preventing toxic pollution.