U.S. government to assess Twin Metals Minnesota’s proposed mine

Antofagasta’s (LSE: ANTO) Twin Metals Minnesota has received formal notice that its planned copper-nickel-cobalt-platinum metals mine will be assessed through a federal environmental review. The U.S. government’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notified the company at the end of June of its intention to scope and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed mine project in Minnesota. Twin Metals’ chief regulatory officer, Julie Padilla, said this is another important part of the company’s long-term plans for an underground mine. “It’s really a significant milestone,” Padilla told The Northern Miner. “Getting to this point means that we’ve submitted and answered enough questions on the mine plan of operations that the BLM feels it’s prepared to enter into formal environmental review.” The project has been in development for a decade, and is located between the cities of Ely and Babbitt in northeastern Minnesota. The company is headquartered in St. Paul, with its operational base located in Ely.