Counterpoint: This isn’t our great-great grandparents’ mining debate

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Earlier this week, Mille Lacs Band Chair Melanie Benjamin authored an opinion piece opposing the Tamarack mine in northeast Minnesota (“Mining threatens all our communities,” Jan. 23). In it, she brings up many of the same talking points we hear from anti-mining advocates repeatedly.

These folks continue to live in an 1890s mindset, where permitting and regulatory structures were inadequate, modern mining practices did not exist, and the Iron Range did not have 140 years of history showing us that safe mining can happen right here in Minnesota.

Today, in 2024, Minnesota is home to some of the most stringent environmental, regulatory and labor laws in the world. The scare tactics that many anti-mining advocates peddle are based on hypothetical scenarios or bad practices of the past that have long since been discontinued. These incidents occurred decades ago before governmental regulations were in place — or at least not up to the standards that we have today.

When the Tamarack mine becomes fully operational, it will have undergone the most rigorous permitting and regulatory process in the history of our state. The standards that the mine will be required to maintain by the state of Minnesota will go above and beyond any standards from the past.

Thanks to modern technologies and practices, we know that copper-nickel mining can happen safely and effectively. A prime example is the Eagle Mine located in Michigan’s upper peninsula. This mine has been in operation since 2014 and is utilizing many modern practices including liners, water filtration and other important monitoring systems to ensure little impact to the environment is occurring. To date, there have been no issues.

Benjamin is correct when she mentions that the demand for green technologies will only continue to grow. It’s also true that the critical minerals needed to produce these green technologies will need to come from somewhere. If we do what she is suggesting, and refuse to source these materials from Minnesota, we will be enabling the enslavement of thousands of child workers around the world thanks to nonexistent labor regulations in places like Africa and Indonesia.

Sadly, it is too easy for many to ignore these human rights atrocities in the name of satisfying our demand for green technologies. However, we cannot ignore these harsh realities that will only get worse if Minnesota refuses to lead on this.

As a proud Iron Ranger, I know what our region and its people are capable of. We have an opportunity to continue diversifying our regional and statewide economy by setting the gold standard for safe mining operations not only in America but for the entire world. This is a standard in which our commitment to the highest possible labor standards is surpassed only by our duty to protecting the environment.

For more than 140 years, the people of northern Minnesota have supported mining in their backyard and have held the industry accountable when necessary. The mistakes of the past and hypothetical scenarios should not define our future. We can pursue a new Minnesota Miracle — one where we mine, manufacture, distribute and recycle the important materials needed for the economy of tomorrow.

Instead of outdated talking points and reflexive opposition, let’s work together and be leaders by setting the precedent for what can be possible. This does not need to be an either-or proposition. Together we can protect the environment for generations to come while providing high-wage, union jobs for Minnesota families and lead the way in providing the materials we need for our future.

Spencer Igo, R-Wabana Township, is a member of the Minnesota House.