Trump approves mining near Boundary Waters in Minnesota, allowing Chilean company to seek permits

US President Donald Trump has lifted a ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, clearing the way for a South American company looking for the region’s precious metals to begin applying for permits.

Environmentalists fear that the move will set a precedent for eliminating other ways to protect public areas across the country. Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, has been looking to mine for copper, nickel and other precious metals in the Superior National Forest since 2019.

The barge site is in national forest just downstream from the mine site, raising concerns that mining could create pollution that could contaminate one of the nation’s remaining wilderness areas.

Former president Joe Biden’s administration in 2023 imposed a 20-year moratorium on mining in the national forest, halting Twin Metals’ plans.

But Trump has called for increased domestic energy and mineral production, and congressional Republicans sent him a resolution to repeal the decision earlier this month, promising the move would create jobs and revitalize the mining industry in Minnesota’s Iron Range. The president signed the decision on Monday.

“Today is a dark day for America’s most beloved wilderness, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and a strong warning for public lands across the country,” said Ingrid Lyons, executive director of Save the Boundary Waters, in a statement.

“The people of Minnesota and the text of the greater American public have been loud and clear – this iconic place needs to be protected. Today, the very people who claim to represent them, are being ignored, and worse, silenced. However, it is not over, and we will continue to fight.”

The spokesperson for Twin Metals, Kathy Graul, in a statement sent by the Associated Press said that the removal of the decision creates an opportunity to strengthen the mineral supply chains but emphasized that the company still has to go through a strict process of approvals that could take years.

The mine site is located on top of the public, private and public domain, creating a regulatory labyrinth.

The company’s first hurdle is reestablishing the right to mine after Biden’s Interior Department officials revoked its lease for the site in early 2022.

Twin Metals filed a lawsuit seeking a declaration that the leases are still valid, but a judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2023. The company is appealing that decision.

Twin Metals will also have to win a mining permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources by demonstrating that the company can prevent water pollution, safely store waste rock and restore the land after the mine is finished. The company will also need state water and air permits.

US Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who voted to remove the announcement, could be a serious roadblock for the company if she succeeds in her bid to run for governor in November.

Environmental groups and indigenous tribes may challenge the entire permit in court, potentially stalling Twin Metals’ plans for years. Friends of Boundary Waters, for example, says the case remains “under active consideration.”

And Canadian officials may raise concerns that the mine could cause cross-border pollution that violates agreements with the US.

The Boundary Waters separates northeastern Minnesota from northwestern Ontario, hence the name. Quetico Provincial Park, also a wilderness area famous for its backpacking trails, lies on the other side of the border.

The area remains untouched by humans. Logging is prohibited, aircraft must obey minimum height restrictions when flying over it, and motorized boats are restricted to certain areas.

The US Forest Service has issued about 776,000 visitor permits between 2020 and 2024.