The Summer 2026 issue of Mazina’igan, published by the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), included a comprehensive and eye-opening summary of mining activities in the northern portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan—lands ceded to the United States by the Ojibwe in nineteenth-century treaties. We found the piece, authored by GLIFWC Environmental Section Leader John Coleman, so useful that we are reprinting it here.
As higher metals prices and government initiatives to promote domestic strategic minerals production continue—particularly those used in high tech and the military—GLIFWC environmental specialists are observing an increase in mining and mineral exploration in the region. Even with the added interest, several projects seem to be stalled due to a shortfall in private funding. Both the current and last administration have prioritized locating “critical” minerals as exploration and mining companies utilize federal grants to locate deposits of copper, nickel, and other key resources. GLIFWC staff are currently tracking mining and exploration projects in the 1836, 1842, 1837, and 1854 Ojibwe Ceded Territories. There’s a lot happening out there.
Three-state summary
Iron mining continues to be the dominant mining activity in Minnesota with expansion of several mine pits and tailings basins in the eastern Iron Range. The Polymet copper mine, re-branded as NewRange, continues to be on hold. A new mine plan is expected in mid-2026. Speculation has been that the major change will be in tailings disposal, but we wait to see what the company proposes. Talon Metals continues to collect data on their deposit near Tamarack and is working toward a mine plan through the state scoping process. United Taconite (UTAC) is constructing a third tailings basin near the St. Louis River over the objections of tribal staff because of past and expected future impacts to manoomin.
The only minerals exploration activity in Wisconsin is spearheaded by Green Light Wisconsin (GLW) as it studies the Bend Deposit in north central Taylor County. GLW drilled six exploration holes last summer and in late February began drilling 18 more holes to characterize the deposit. GLW is also in the process of applying to the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to drill another 28 holes later in the year at the Bend site.
In Michigan‘s Upper Peninsula, Talon Metals bought the Eagle Mine and associated Humboldt Mill. A plan to backfill mine waste tailings into Eagle is now on hold. Previously, Talon Metals had acquired large mineral lease holdings in the western Upper Peninsula and has been drilling near the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). The company is interested in using the Humboldt Mill to process ores from any new deposits it develops in the U.P. and may ship ore to Humboldt from its Tamarack project in Minnesota. Along the Lake Superior shoreline, the Copperwood project appears stalled for now. Finally, White Pine Mine operators continue to collect baseline environmental data and drill bore holes to characterize expansion to the northeast.
Digging deeper
Wisconsin
Green Light Wisconsin, Bend Deposit Exploration: After acquiring mineral rights from Aquila Resources in 2021 Green Light Wisconsin (GLW) has pursued exploration permits for the Bend site on the Yellow River in Taylor County. This site is on Forest Service property within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. In 2025 GLW drilled six exploration holes in the Soo-Line Parcel and in February 2026 began drilling 18 more holes in that 40-acre parcel. The Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the State of Wisconsin are reviewing applications for additional exploration in the form of 28 more borings into federally owned minerals. Despite tribal requests, neither the state nor the federal agencies have specified that drilling at the site must be done in winter and frozen ground conditions. However, according to the state, if drilling occurs in wetlands, it must be done when the ground is frozen or under a detailed wetland fill permit. The state has required several permits related to water use and stormwater runoff but has so far not reviewed or issued a wetland fill permit. Review of application materials for the 28 borings into federally owned minerals is expected to continue into at least late spring. GLIFWC staff will work with the BLM and Forest Service to ensure adequate stipulation so that water and forest beings are protected.
Green Light Wisconsin Reef, Lobo and other deposit exploration: Also acquired from Aquila Resources, these deposits are on private property in Marathon and Oneida counties. GLW has not applied for drilling permits at these sites in either 2024-25 or so far in 2026.
Michigan
Talon Eagle Mine: In 2025, Talon Metals bought the Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill from Lundin Mining. This mine has operated on the Yellow Dog Plains since 2014. Originally scheduled to end in 2019, mining plans are now expected until 2029. Talon/Lundin engineers began refining tailings for use as paste backfill in the underground mine after ore is removed. When there is little risk to groundwater, GLIFWC staff are supportive of backfilling mines with tailings because then it is unlikely to leak into the broader environment or be released by tailings dam failures. The backfill plan was approved by the state in May of 2025, but the tailings waste backfill plan is on hold.
Talon Humboldt Mill: Eagle Mine ore is processed near the Upper Peninsula town of Humboldt where spent tailings are discharged into an old iron mine pit full of water. The pit lake overflows and water is treated before being discharged to the Middle Branch of the Escanaba River. GLIFWC has monitored waters downstream of the mill since 2011. In 2023, GLIFWC cooperated with the US Geological Service to install water quality monitors upstream and downstream of the mill on the Escanaba River. Having water chemistry monitoring in both locations will enable GLIFWC and partner agencies to determine the impact of tailings discharge on water chemistry. The Humboldt Mill was bought in 2025 by Talon Metals for processing ore that comes from any new deposits they find in the Upper Peninsula. Talon is also evaluating whether it would be economical to ship ore from the proposed Tamarack Mine in Minnesota to the Humboldt Mill.
Talon Metals exploration: In 2024 Talon Metals applied to the State of Michigan to lease 23,288 acres of state-owned minerals in the western Upper Peninsula. Talon has also acquired rights for exploration on approximately 400,000 acres of land owned by UPX Minerals (Sweetwater Royalties). Those private mineral parcels are in an area south and east of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). Talon first began exploratory drilling in 2023 and continues in 2026. Some of the most intensive drilling is just east of KBIC at the Boulderdash and Roland Lake sites.
Tilden Iron Mine: This long-running iron mine continues to capture and pipe selenium-contaminated water to a pit for storage where it has yet to be treated. Some selenium-contaminated flows from waste rock piles remain uncaptured. The tailings basin discharge to surrounding natural waters has reduced concentrations of selenium relative to several years ago because of treatment and dilution. However, some seeps from the tailings basin and waste rock stockpiles and groundwater contamination remain unaddressed. Michigan EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Department) permitted Tilden’s waste rock expansion last year, but comments by GLIFWC and others appear to have greatly reduced the wetland and stream impacts that were originally planned. The mine is planning on using the old Empire Tailings Basin for Tilden tailings once the existing basins are at capacity. All the tailings dams have flaws according to GLIFWC tailings dam analysis. In 2026 Tilden will need to get its water discharge permit renewed by the state. Staff will comment during that process based on our previous sampling, visits to the mine and review of draft permitting documents.
Copperwood: Owned by Highland Copper, this deposit was described and permitted in the 20-teens. Just west of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park near the shore of Lake Superior and Black River Harbor, tribal staff have monitored and commented on this project for years. In 2024, in what appeared to be an effort to convince potential investors that the project is viable, the company rerouted Gypsy Creek, which was necessary for future construction of a tailings basin. In 2025, the Michigan legislature again failed to approve a requested $50 million state grant. Highland Copper, the project owner, has stated that it will be submitting updated mining plans to the state in 2026. Press releases by the company suggest it is trying to reduce its environmental footprint by proposing to backfill the mine and dewater the tailings. Highland Copper sold its interest in the White Pine mine to Kinterra, generating $30 million, which should fund its Copperwood operations for the next year.
White Pine Mine North: In 2023 Highland Copper and Kinterra Copper partnered to create the White Pine North project to exploit the mineral deposit northeast of the historical White Pine Mine. In 2025 Highland Copper sold its 34% interest in the mine to Kinterra for $30 million, suggesting possible lessening of interest in U.P. hardrock mining. The project is on the shores of Lake Superior immediately east of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. In 2024 and 2025, the owners conducted environmental monitoring to establish baseline conditions and continued to drill exploration holes to characterize the mineral deposit. In 2024 the company gave tribal staff updates concerning the project. In early 2026 the company presented information to tribal staff on its environmental monitoring program and is expected to send the state a mining plan mid year.
Back-40 Mine: With the loss of its wetland permits due to court rulings in 2021, Aquila Resources sold the mine project to Gold Resources. That company claimed to have redesigned the mine for lesser impacts and hoped to file a mine permit application in 2022. While there was a Scoping Environmental Impact Assessment meeting in 2022 with the Michigan EGLE and EGLE released a final Scoping Environmental Impact Assessment in 2023, there have been no further developments on this project. It appears that the owner of the project, Colorado Springs-based Gold Resource, had a financial meltdown in mid-2023. It is currently focusing on its gold and silver mine in Mexico called Don David.
Minnesota
Talon Metals Tamarack Deposit: Talon Metals submitted mine proposal materials in 2024 and 2025 to the State of Minnesota. The final Scoping Decision document from the state came out in February of 2026 and is under review by tribal environmental staff and others. Talon continues to drill exploration holes near the town of Tamarack in east-central Minnesota to characterize the nickel, copper, and other metals in the bedrock. There are two mineral deposit areas about a mile apart, Tamarack North and Tamarack South.
While the south deposit is in the 1854 Treaty Ceded Territory, the north deposit is in the 1855 Treaty area and seven miles upstream from Big Sandy Lake, the site of the Mikwendaagoziwag Memorial, commemorating the loss of over 400 Anishinaabe lives in the fall and winter of 1850-1851 during the attempted removal of Ojibwe people from their homelands in Wisconsin and Michigan. Part of what is driving this development is Talon’s agreement with Tesla to supply 75,000 metric tonnes of nickel concentrate. Talon’s proposal is new for the mining industry in that almost all mining facilities would be enclosed in buildings where precipitation and dust could be controlled. Talon has proposed to ship its ore to a North Dakota facility for processing but recently bought the Humboldt Mill in Michigan and is evaluating the economics of shipping the Tamarack ore there.
U.S. Steel Minntac Iron Mine: The Minntac mine tailings basins have discharged wastewater into the Sand and Dark Rivers since mining began in 1967. That discharge has killed off extensive manoomin in the adjacent Twin Lakes and on the Sand and Dark Rivers. The high mineral content of the wastewater, particularly sulfate, has eliminated wild rice, despite reseeding attempts. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issued a water discharge permit for the tailings basins in 2018 with goals for water quality but so far U.S. Steel has not met water quality standards. The MPCA is currently revising the basin discharge permit to conform with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Maui case, which specified that a discharge to a holding pond that then leaks to a water of the U.S. needs a water discharge permit. Final details on how the Maui decision will be implemented at the site are under development by the MPCA. Final development of an implementation plan has been stalled by political opposition to enforcement of the wild rice water quality standard. Staff continue to monitor water quality at the site and in the Sand River.
United Taconite Fairlane Plant: United Taconite (UTAC) continues to expand its tailings basins near Fairlane, 10 miles south of Virginia, Minnesota. The tailings basin expansion was designed in the 1970’s and will be constructed to leak water to surrounding wetlands and waterways in order to maintain structural stability. Therefore, polluted tailings basin water will flow into nearby manoomin waters. Staff have been working with Fond du Lac to monitor water downstream of the existing basin. UTAC applied for an exception from the wild rice water sulfate standard of 10 mg/L for one of the lakes downgradient of the existing basin because sulfate levels from its existing tailings basin exceed state water standards. That application was rejected by the state. Staff are investigating the availability of water quality data for the other lakes that surround the existing tailings basin and have asked UTAC for their data. However, that data either does not exist or UTAC is unwilling to release it. Staff plan to access the manoomin lakes and gather samples in 2026. Tribal staff have strenuously objected to construction of the expanded tailings basin, but the state refuses to halt the construction and wants to address the water quality issue in coming years. Unfortunately, at that point the basin will be constructed and highly mineralized effluent will be difficult to control.
Cleveland-Cliffs Northshore Mine and Silver Bay Tailings Basin: The company’s proposed tailings basin expansion at Milepost 7 near Silver Bay was permitted by state and federal agencies. The state decided that no Environmental Impact Statement was needed for the expansion, but a court reversed that decision in 2025. Therefore, there will be an EIS developed for the project in the next year or two. The expanded tailings basin is needed because the mine pit, which is south of Babbitt, is being expanded and deepened. That pit currently discharges polluted mine pit water to Birch Lake. Details are available at the DNR website.
PolyMet & Teck Merger: NewRange Copper Nickel was formed by the merger of PolyMet Mining and Teck Resources. This places an approximately12-mile-long deposit under single ownership. That deposit is just south of Cleveland-Cliffs’ Northshore iron mine pit and underlies the 100 Mile Swamp. It has been proposed as a very large open pit mine. Tribal staff have been reviewing and commenting on the PolyMet portion of that deposit, called Northmet, for almost 20 years. Currently, permitting for mining of the Northmet deposit is held up by multiple court cases on wetland and water quality permits and a state proceeding related to tailings disposal. GLIFWC staff continue to be involved in assisting the Fond du Lac Band in characterizing risks to tribal resources from this project. Recently there has been very little activity on this project and the state has delayed review of the Permit to Mine for NewRange (PolyMet) until it receives additional information from the applicant. The company has suggested it will submit updated mining plans in 2026.
