McCollum Urges Twin Metals’ Parent Company to Reconsider Boundary Waters Mining Proposals

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) met this afternoon with executives from Antofagasta, the Chilean-based parent company of Twin Metals, regarding the company’s mining leases in the Rainy River Drainage Basin. After the meeting, Congresswoman McCollum released the following statement:

“I appreciated the opportunity to meet with executives from Antofagasta and explain my strong opposition to sulfide-ore copper mining in the Rainy River Drainage Basin. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park are federal lands that must be protected. There is no evidence that sulfide-ore copper mining can be conducted in this area without permanently damaging these national treasures.

While I hope that this Chilean company will reconsider its plans to conduct this damaging mining, I will continue to build support for my bill to protect these treasures — the National Park and Wilderness Waters Protection Forever Act — and urge the Obama administration to prevent sulfide-ore copper mining in this area.”