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Judge Recommends Not Reissuing Permit for NewRange Copper Nickel Mine

The proposed $1 billion project in Minnesota faces another setback as concerns over water pollution persist.

  • The proposed NewRange Copper Nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota suffered a fresh setback this week when an administrative law judge recommended that state regulators should not reissue a crucial permit for the long-delayed project.
  • Administrative Law Judge James LaFave said in a ruling late Tuesday that the design for the mine’s waste basin won’t adequately prevent water pollution.
  • The proposed $1 billion mine has been delayed by a string of court rulings and administrative actions since regulators issued the original permit to mine and other necessary permits in 2018 and 2019.
  • The project’s proposed open-pit mine near Babbitt and processing plant near Hoyt Lakes is a a 50-50 joint venture between PolyMet Mining and Canada-based Teck Resources.
  • Several other major obstacles to the project also remain unresolved, including the Minnesota Supreme Court ruling in August that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency improperly granted the main water quality permit.
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