Minnesota residents oppose Twin Metals mine near Boundary Waters

A recent poll conducted by the Star Tribune and KARE 11, in partnership with Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy Inc., indicates that 67% of Minnesotans oppose new mining projects near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).

The controversy centers on a proposal by Twin Metals, a company owned by Chile-based Antofagasta, to develop an underground copper-nickel mining complex. The project aims to extract copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, gold, and silver from a site covering approximately 1,156 acres near the South Kawishiwi River.

Conservationists and lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the environmental impact of sulfide ore mining. They argue that the extraction process could leach heavy metals into the air and water, potentially polluting the watershed that connects to the BWCAW. The proposed mine is expected to operate for an estimated 25 to 30 years.