Today, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) led members of Congress on field tours and conducted a hearing to learn more about mineral resources in northern Minnesota and hear from local community members. Stauber issued the following statement in response:

"It was my pleasure to welcome my fellow members of the House to the Iron Range to hear firsthand from stakeholders steeped in mining and showcase our vast mineral wealth. However, if we’re going to unlock the full potential of our resources and secure our domestic mineral supply chains, we need the political will to implement permitting reform. This hearing provided a platform for my constituents to further inform my colleagues about the challenges we face to getting shovels in the ground and securing our mineral supply chains."

Background

Northern Minnesota is home to several rare geological formations, including those colloquially known as the Iron Range, the Duluth Complex and the Tamarack Complex, that hold vast deposits of taconite (iron ore), copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum and other hardrock minerals. Production of copper, nickel and other minerals is not yet active, but there are several interested operators in the region working through different stages of state and federal permitting processes.

In the morning, the members of Congress visited NewRange Copper Nickel for a tour of the prospective mining site. In the afternoon, the members conducted an oversight hearing at a local high school and invited members of the public to attend. 

Today's hearing was a chance to hear from local witnesses and discuss the benefits of developing the resources in the Iron Range to their full potential, as well as learn more about the onerous permitting challenges these local operators face.