Note: This op-ed was originally published in the Duluth News Tribune.

The Senate Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee recently received a tour of the Tamarack Nickel Project with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Talon Metals. The tour was insightful and provided an opportunity for both the state and Talon Metals to answer questions. We thought we should share the information provided on the tour with the public.

Minnesota has a unique opportunity to provide a domestic source of nickel for the United States. Nickel is used for everyday things like computers and household appliances, but it is also a key mineral for clean energy initiatives and is needed for electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. As Democrats continue to push our state toward “green” energy, we need to focus on utilizing the resources necessary to make that transition possible.

First, mining creates jobs and stimulates our state’s economy, especially in the Northland. Inflation has hit families throughout the state, and as Democrats continue to villainize the mining industry, it has hit folks in that industry even harder. By supporting mining innovations like the Tamarack Nickel Project, we will be at the forefront of a new mining industry, which will lead to steady, good-paying union jobs for Minnesotans. Eighty percent of Talon employees live in Minnesota, and we want that trend to continue. Mining is a major economic driver for our state, and if we can safely be at the forefront of nickel mining while also creating new jobs, we should jump at the chance.

There have also been numerous arguments from the left against mining due to water contamination concerns. This would be a non-issue with the Tamarack mine. Current plans show Talon bringing ore to the surface through an underground tunnel, which would then be stored in an enclosed building. This would limit any type of mass water contamination. Talon has repeatedly committed to abiding by state regulatory reviews, so they can mine without disturbing water sources. The fact of the matter is that we need these resources if we want to move toward cleaner energies that Democrats are pushing. Talon has put forward a plan that provides the nickel supply needed to accomplish that, while also preserving water, wildlife and air quality. Democrats want to mandate green energy, but limit our ability to mine the necessary nickel in Minnesota. They can’t have it both ways.

That directly leads into the next point: We should be jumping at the opportunity to expand mining here because it will allow Minnesota to have oversight in the process. In the case of iron, there are so few places with iron ore reserves in the world. Yet, Minnesota Democrats have voiced concerns with the process of mining iron in Minnesota, completely disregarding the fact that options are so limited. The “not in my backyard” argument falls on deaf ears when your phone, car and solar panels are made by child and slave labor workers with irresponsible impacts to the environment. If we are mining in Minnesota, we have the chance to put procedures in place that ensure safety and proper oversight. Minnesota has some of the highest environmental standards and labor protections in the country, and we know our mines can operate safely because they’ve been doing so for years. We should encourage the growth of this industry instead of limiting it.

The bottom line is that no other state in our country mines better than Minnesota — we still have some of the cleanest water in the world after generations of mining, and it’s certainly not going to get worse if we tap into the nickel ore in our state. Democrats have villainized mining industries for so long, yet fail to recognize the important role mining will play in moving toward the “green” future Democrats claim to support. The Tamarack Nickel Project is currently the only development stage high-grade nickel project in the U.S., and what better state to be at the forefront of this new endeavor than Minnesota? Nickel mining will create jobs and help our economy with proper oversight that preserves wildlife and water. It’s time to move mining forward in Minnesota.

Minnesota Senators Nathan Wesenberg, Justin Eichorn, and Rob Farnsworth