Better In Our Back Yard

Despite what you might hear from anti-mining groups, the Flambeau Mine out of Ladysmith, Wisconsin was a success and is a great example of responsible industry. The Flambeau Mine was a Copper mine and it was located along the shores of the Flambeau River and operated from 1993 to 1997 and finished reclamation by 1999. Flambeau was the first mine to earn permits and operate under Wisconsin’s stringent mining laws. The WDNR holds Flambeau as an example of a successful operation and successful closure. The reclaimed site is now home to acres of wetlands, hundreds of species of plants and animals, miles of hiking trails, and five miles of equestrian trails open to the public year-round. To learn more about the Flambeau Mine, please visit the link below: https://flambeaumine.com/

As the demand for copper surges to fuel green energy, national security, electric vehicles, advanced technologies, and AI, the United States must act decisively to bolster its domestic copper industry. Copper is poised to become the foundation of the infrastructure and innovations that will define our future. By 2035, global copper demand is projected to skyrocket to nearly 50 million metric tons annually, a sharp rise from 28 million metric tons in 2022. Yet, according to an S&P Global report, permitting a new mine in the U.S. can take an average of 30 years—a timeline that jeopardizes our ability to meet this critical need. Strategic projects like NewRange Copper Nickel's NorthMet project in Minnesota, Twin Metals Minnesota's proposed Copper-Nickel-Cobalt project, and Resolution Copper's proposed Copper mine in Arizona are essential to addressing this challenge. These initiatives not only reduce our reliance on foreign sources but also strengthen America's supply chain, enhance national security, and generate thousands of high-quality jobs that invigorate local economies. To learn more about this critical issue, visit the link below to explore the referenced Forbes article: https://lnkd.in/g_fMDjEK

Happy Thanksgiving from the Better In Our Back Yard team!

Better In Our Back Yard’s 5th Annual Winter Dinner is already just around the corner. Join us on Thursday, January 16th, at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth, MN for a great evening of celebrating industry both in Minnesota and throughout the country. We’re thrilled to welcome Keaton Turner, President and CEO of Turner Mining Group to the North Star State as our keynote speaker. Keaton is adding to a legacy of incredible speakers in past Winter Dinners like Aaron Witt with BuildWitt, Lucy Crane at Cornish Lithium Plc, and Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. With nearly 400 reservations already secured, thank you to everyone that has already reserved a spot. A special thank you to our title sponsor at Lake Country Power, and our partners at Resolution Copper, Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, NewRange Copper Nickel, and Enbridge Energy along with our 100+ members who keep the lights on at BIOBY. To reserve tickets for the dinner, please visit our website via the link below: https://lnkd.in/gETpTx4J Thank you to Kevin Jacobsen, Co-Founder at Story North Productions for the excellent work in putting this video together. To learn more about Story North, please visit their website via the link below: https://lnkd.in/gfMgAeD7 Happy Thanksgiving!

We often think about where our food comes from, but what about the products we use every day? Copper is an unrecognized hero in each of our lives. It provides the materials for cars (especially EVs!), internet connectivity, the piping in homes, and so much more. It’s also the most important mineral for wind, solar, nuclear, hydropower…and nearly every energy source. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of descending 7,000 feet underground to tour Resolution Copper — and quickly realized this project should matter to all of us. Here’s why ??: 1. Copper demand is expected to triple by 2040…and the world is on the brink of a significant copper shortage due to a lack of copper reserves. 2. Resolution’s mine will meet 25% of North America’s copper demand over the next 60 years. It’s one of the largest copper reserves in the world. 3. It’s an economic powerhouse. It will bring 3,700 jobs to the area, including for local Native tribes and the nearby town of Superior, AZ, which desperately needs economic development. Since 2016, they’ve invested millions into local education efforts, including $5+ million for STEM programs. The mine will generate $270 million in annual employee compensation and $61 billion in total economic development. 4. Unlike most mines worldwide, this operation prioritizes environmental responsibility. It consumes 7-10 times less water compared to copper mines in other nations. And through a land swap with the government, the project has safeguarded 225% more land than the total area impacted by mining activities. Since 2009, it’s uncovered, treated, and supplied 9 billion gallons of otherwise inaccessible water to local farmers…significantly contributing to alleviating Arizona's water crisis. Resolution Copper is a perfect example of the future of mining: efficient, good for local communities, environmentally responsible, and essential to powering a cleaner world. But here’s the catch: they haven’t started mining due to our flawed permitting process. The mine began development in 2008. They’re still waiting for the government’s approval. And while the U.S. government delays projects like these into eternity…our adversaries are leaping ahead with similar projects and zero care for human rights or environmental protection. We can’t continue to rely on countries like Chile, Peru, China, and Russia (the other top copper-producing nations) for minerals and energy. Resolution Copper is one (of many) examples of American ingenuity and environmental leadership at its finest. In order to secure a pro-energy and pro-environment future, we need to remove unnecessary government barriers, reform our permitting process, and finally bring projects like these to life!

Better In Our Back Yard is deeply disappointed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' decision to suspend its review of NewRange Copper Nickel's NorthMet mining permit until August 2025. This delay hinders Minnesota's ability to meet its clean energy goals by postponing?regulatory clarity for projects seeking to?access to critical minerals necessary for renewable energy technologies. It also stalls the creation of good-paying union jobs, slows economic growth on the Iron Range, and undermines Minnesota's potential to lead in strengthening national security through domestic mineral production. This decision adds to a long list of reasons as to why Minnesota must implement permitting reform on a state level to ensure timely and efficient processes that prioritize both economic and environmental goals.?

Earlier this month, the U.S. House made a significant move to bolster national security and strengthen supply chains of copper domestically by passing the bipartisan Critical Mineral Consistency Act (H.R. 8446), introduced by Congressman U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani of Arizona's 6th District. Congressman Ciscomani recently joined Better In Our Back Yard's Ryan Sistad to discuss how this groundbreaking legislation could positively impact the U.S. copper industry and advance mining projects focused on copper. “We need to keep the right policies in place that obviously protect the environment but also enhance the opportunities for our mining industry to produce the copper that we need as Americans.” Juan Ciscomani - Congressman for Arizona’s 6th District This pivotal bill aligns the definitions of critical materials set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the critical minerals defined by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), officially designating copper as essential to America’s future. By adding copper to the critical minerals list, the legislation aims to: ? Streamline regulations: Cut red tape to accelerate copper-focused mining projects. ? Incentivize development: Unlock financial backing and attract investment. ? Boost domestic production: Drive exploration and secure resources critical for renewable energy, advanced electronics, and national defense. Recognizing copper as a critical mineral is a long-overdue step. Copper is the backbone of modern infrastructure and innovation, indispensable for the clean energy transition, grid modernization, and manufacturing industries.

"Without a coherent energy policy that brings all of the Cabinet agencies together, you'll never position energy where it needs to be in the nation's philosophy. This is really, really great news for the country, and you couldn't put a better person there than Doug Burgum to oversee that coordination and collaboration." Jason Bohrer - President of the North Dakota Lignite Energy Council Read more below:

"Trump in his second presidency is unlikely to reverse the drive to metallic self-sufficiency. He may even prove to be an accelerator... The Biden administration has struggled to reconcile its desire to produce the metals needed for the green energy transition with its environmental credentials. Big copper projects such as the Pebble mine in Alaska and the Twin Metals project in Minnesota have been killed off. Trump has already promised to reverse Biden's 20-year ban on mining in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota in "about 10 to 15 minutes" of taking office." Read more below:

Empowering the next generation with opportunity and education! ???? NewRange's community and social performance manager Simon Charter sat down with KSTP-TV Channel 5 sports director, Chris Long, to spotlight our sponsorship at the MN Prep Bowl, the state high school football championships and our scholarship program. We are proud to support these athletes and their achievements. As part of our commitment to advancing the next generation, our scholarship program invests in students pursuing STEM and trade careers along with offering Tribal scholarships. We are looking forward to a bright future with these students leading the way! Learn more about our scholarship program here: https://bit.ly/3AOlBqJ