Silent Alarm

The Upper Midwest has long been a mining province—from the iron ranges that built the Great Lakes steel belt to the copper camps of Michigan’s Keweenaw. Today, a new wave of proposals is taking shape around copper, nickel, and precious metals integral to electric vehicles, grid upgrades, and electronics. Momentum varies widely by state and by project: some are edging through permitting; some are drilling to define resources; others are stalled by policy and litigation. This is the mining landscape.

Minnesota: Copper and Nickel

On Minnesota’s Iron Range near Hoyt Lakes, NewRange is pursuing the NorthMet copper–nickel project, which could be the state’s first modern sulfide mine. The plan envisions open-pit mining and a concentrator repurposed from historic taconite facilities. NorthMet has secured and defended key federal and state approvals over the years; however, the permit to mine is currently on pause. The Minnesota DNR stayed its application to allow the company time to consider design changes.

About 50 miles west of Duluth, Talon Metals’ Tamarack project targets high-grade nickel, copper, and cobalt, which is crucial for EV batteries. Talon has a supply agreement with Tesla for up to 75,000 metric tons of nickel over six years once commercial production starts, a feat that hinges on mine planning and state permitting. The company has reported high-grade findings this spring and is preparing a mine plan for submission to regulators. If advanced, Tamarack would position Minnesota as a domestic nickel source at a time of intense supply chain scrutiny.

The most politically charged proposal remains Twin Metals Minnesota, an underground copper–nickel project near Ely in the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The project has seesawed with federal policy: leases were canceled and a 20-year mineral withdrawal enacted under the Biden administration. However, in June 2025, federal officials initiated moves to reverse the withdrawal and reinstate the pathway for leases—an action now tied up in Congress, litigation threats, and fierce public debate over acid mine drainage risks to a pristine wilderness. Regardless of outcome, Twin Metals will remain a bellwether for how the U.S. balances critical minerals policy with watershed protection. Visit https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/ for more information.

Minnesota’s copper–nickel deposits could contribute copper for transmission lines and nickel for EV cathodes. But the state’s regulatory process—built around case-by-case scientific review, water quality protections, and contested case hearings—means timelines are inherently elastic. That cautious pace is by design, reflecting both the economic promise of hundreds of operations and construction jobs and the headwater sensitivities of the Lake Superior basin.

Michigan: Upper Peninsula Copper Revival

Highland Copper and partners are advancing two copper projects in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Copperwood Project in Gogebic County is completing engineering phases through early 2026, aiming for financing and construction decisions. To the east, White Pine North aims to restart mining on a historic site with a projected 22-year mine life at 15,000 tons per day; Canadian mining firm Kinterra Capital recently acquired a majority stake. Part of White Pine North is near Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Park, causing concern among local activists for a variety of reasons. Mining could extend under the Park’s Presque Isle River.

Highland Copper is a junior mining company with permit and preconstruction experience, but no mine development record. They will likely look to sell to a more experienced firm.

Protect the Porkies founder Tom Gotewohl has serious concerns about mining downstream from Lake Superior. “Nearly half a million people from around the state and nation have signed a petition opposing Copperwood’s development. These folks are not against mining in principle; they recognize that the juncture of Lake Superior with the North Country Trail and the Porcupine Mountains is not an appropriate place for heavy industrial development, period -- least of all an inexperienced foreign company’s first ever attempt at a mine, with waste to be stored in unprecedented proximity to Lake Superior.” Check out Protect the Porkies website here.

On the Menominee River across from Wisconsin, Gold Resource Corporation’s Back Forty gold-zinc-copper proposal has been mired in regulatory and legal hurdles, with key permits denied or remanded in recent years and financing challenges at the company level. While proponents tout economic benefits, opponents highlight proximity—on the order of hundreds of feet—to a major river system and the risk of acid-generating waste. As of press time, the project remains stalled, emblematic of how social license can be as decisive as geology.

Michigan’s UP offers legacy infrastructure, mining-literate communities, and rail/port access to the Great Lakes. State and local grant support can further tilt projects toward feasibility, though Lake Superior watershed concerns and tribal rights remain central considerations. These proposals are risky as they are located downstream from vital water resources.

Wisconsin: Early-Stage Exploration-Badger Mining History

Wisconsin has few near-term mines on the horizon, but it has seen a notable resurgence in exploration since the repeal of its mining moratorium in 2017. Green Light Wisconsin holds the Bend copper-gold deposit in Taylor County and the Reef gold prospect in Marathon County. In August 2025, the Wisconsin DNR updated Bend exploration details and renewed the company’s license.

Memories of the shelved Penokee Hills taconite proposal, the long-fought Crandon sulfide mine, and Wolf River watershed activism shape the state’s modern discourse. Today’s projects must demonstrate not only economic viability, but also a credible plan for tailings, water treatment, and post-closure stewardship in a landscape of trout streams, wetlands, and tribal resources. However, some conservative legislators are signaling that weaker mining laws would spur economic development.

Outlook

Across all three states, the decisive question is long-term water quality. Projects that minimize water contact and commit to robust financial assurance are best positioned in contested watersheds. EV and grid buildouts are creating durable demand for copper and nickel. Agreements like Tesla–Talon can unlock financing, but investors must insist on engineering maturity and community support before writing big checks.

Although Copperwood has permits, its financial and infrastructural limitations cast doubt on its readiness. Highland Copper has only $12 million for a $400+ million project and lacks development experience, suggesting they may sell the project to make their money. Its stock trades in penny stock territory at 12 cents per share. Minnesota’s Tamarack could follow if the resource and mine plan satisfy state regulators. NorthMet remains a wild card until the design clarifications are completed. Twin Metals is wholly contingent on federal policy and litigation outcomes, while Wisconsin’s Bend and Reef are at the information-gathering stage.

The Trump administration is signaling that mining is a solution and not a problem. Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, advocates for a major expansion of domestic mining to achieve “energy dominance” and reduce the U.S.’s reliance on foreign countries, particularly China, for critical minerals. His stance reflects the administration’s “Mine, Baby, Mine” agenda, which prioritizes mineral extraction on federal lands.

Gotewohl takes a long-term view of mining projects. “What is the value of a clean freshwater sea? What is the value of a healthy old-growth forest? What is the value of peace in pristine Nature? The importance of such resources must be weighed carefully against short-term profit, which largely serves to pad the pockets of foreign executives and develop technologies that do relatively little to further human health and happiness. Our civilization needs to take a hard look in the mirror and consider the true price of so much stuff. Will electric cars and AI data centers make us happier and healthier? If not, why would we entertain the prospect of poisoning water and damaging Nature for their sake?”

From the Menominee River to the Boundary Waters, organized coalitions—tribes, anglers, outfitters, local governments—can and will shape outcomes.

Most people love their electronic devices, but it is essential to consider whether establishing sulfide mines in the upper Midwest—an area known for its abundant water resources—is justified. Individuals engaged in outdoor recreation should remain vigilant about current developments and communicate concerns with legislators regarding potential mining near the Boundary Waters, Porcupine Mountains, Lake Superior, and other precious water properties. The impact on natural resources could be devastating.