The Senate voted 50-49 Thursday to tear down a two-decade mining moratorium that has protected Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, delivering a major win to Twin Metals Minnesota as it pursues a copper and nickel operation in the region.
The resolution dismantles a 20-year ban imposed by the Biden administration in 2023 across 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest. The House already approved the measure, and it heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it.
The vote was razor-thin. Only two Republicans crossed the aisle: Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Missouri Republican Josh Hawley did not vote. Democrats held the line in opposition.
Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, a Democrat, warned that the repeal would "green light exposure of this national treasure to the highly toxic and destructive impacts of sulfide or copper mining." She also framed the outcome as contrary to Trump's America First agenda, noting that Twin Metals is foreign-owned, plans to use Chinese state-owned smelters, and would sell metals on the global market rather than prioritize domestic supply.
Twin Metals, a subsidiary of Chilean mining giant Antofagasta PLC, sees the vote as a pathway to development. A company spokesperson told the Washington Post that Thursday's result was "a critical moment for our nation's ability to strengthen our mineral supply chains" and stressed that any project must still clear years of multi-agency environmental review and meet Minnesota's strict standards.
The company has pitched the mine as an employment generator, promising hundreds of jobs to the region.
Conservationists reacted with alarm. Ingrid Lyons, executive director of Save the Boundary Waters, called it a "dark day" for the wilderness area and said the Senate had "silenced" the voices of Minnesotans and the broader public who oppose the project. Smith told supporters that the fight continues and urged them not to lose hope.
Obstacles remain. Twin Metals still must clear legal challenges, secure federal leases, and obtain state permits before breaking ground.
Author James Rodriguez: "This vote shows how slim the margin is for projects that pit resource extraction against environmental protection, but it also reveals that the real battle over Minnesota's waters will likely unfold in the courts and state agencies, not just in Congress."
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