President Donald Trump has lifted a federal ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, clearing the way for a South American company eyeing the region's precious metals to begin applying for permits.
Environmentalists fear the move will create a precedent for wiping out other protections for public lands across the country. Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, has been looking to dig for copper, nickel and other precious metals in the Superior National Forest since 2019.
