Twin Metals submits plan to mine near BWCA

Twin Metals Minnesota submitted plans today to state and federal agencies for its proposed copper-nickel mine on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely.

The submittal includes a mine plan of operations issued to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a scoping environmental assessment to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The plan, which was reviewed in part this week by WTIP, explains how Twin Metals intends to mine underground for copper, nickel and other precious metals for the next 25 years. The plan also describes how Twin Metals aims to address environmental impacts associated with the project.

And while supporters of the project cheered the news this week of the plans submission to state and federal agencies, there are many who live in, or visit Cook County and the Boundary Waters region who are concerned about the Twin Metals project.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Kathy Graul, the public relations manager for Twin Metals Minnesota, about the company’s mining plan and what comes next in the process.