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Ores, Mine And Ours: Mining And The Environment In Minnesota

A view of the Hull-Rust Mahoning open pit iron mine in Hibbing, Minnesota, one of the state's mining towns.
STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images
A view of the Hull-Rust Mahoning open pit iron mine in Hibbing, Minnesota, one of the state's mining towns.

Minnesota is a land of beautiful lakes and gorgeous landscapes. It’s a natural magnet to nature-seeking tourists. But the geology that created the wonder of the lakes also houses rich deposits of nickel, iron, copper and other valuable minerals. This has stirred a fierce debate over who these rare natural resources are for.

Mining these lakes could bring jobs. So can tourism. And demand for scenic vistas as well as copper will only increase as each becomes more rare.

Should Minnesota’s lakes remain as they are, or is it what’s underneath that counts?

GUESTS

Dan Kraker, Reporter, Minnesota Public Radio

Nancy Norr, Chair, Jobs for Minnesotans

Steve Morse, Executive Director, Minnesota Environmental Partnership

For more, visit https://the1a.org.

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