Project plans to resubmit a new Clean Water Act Section 404 application later this year
Hoyt Lakes, Minn. – NewRange Copper Nickel, home to one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and nickel resources, today announced that the federal government’s National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) designated NewRange’s NorthMet Project as a Transparency Project in recognition of its importance to national and energy security.
NewRange is poised to meaningfully support the United States’ global competitiveness by creating a domestic supply chain for multiple critical minerals – all while limiting new environmental impacts and cleaning up a former mine site.
The Transparency Project designation, utilized by a recent executive order aimed at expanding domestic production of critical minerals like copper and nickel, signals that the NorthMet Project is a priority for federal permitting, consistent with applicable law.
“From the copper essential for grid transmission, data centers, AI advancements and medical devices to the nickel needed for consumer electronic batteries, the minerals found at NewRange are the backbone of America’s 21st century economy,” said Tannice McCoy, NewRange President & General Manager.
She continued, “NewRange’s inclusion on the federal Transparency List recognizes the urgency of bringing domestic projects like ours into operation, while ensuring responsible development that meets the highest environmental performance and sustainable design standards to safeguard our water quality for generations to come. We look forward to engaging all our permitting partners at the federal, state, Tribal and local levels to complete a rigorous review process and deliver a world-class mine design that represents the future of the Iron Range.”
Permitting Status
The transparency designation does not automatically grant federal permits for mining projects. NewRange must still complete all applicable state and federal environmental review processes, including at the federal level the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act.
NewRange has already completed much of the rigorous state permitting process and currently holds 21 of 24 permits required to begin NorthMet operation. The company looks forward to securing the remaining state and federal permits efficiently.
Submitting an Updated Section 404 Clean Water Act Application
As part of the permitting Transparency List designation, NewRange announced its intention to submit an updated Clean Water Act Section 404 permit application for the NorthMet Project to the Army Corps of Engineers later this year.
The application will reflect project-wide studies and design improvements, including new mining technology and sustainability practices that further enhance environmental safeguards and project performance.
Once submitted, the updated application will undergo the same level of rigorous review as the original.
Because 70% of the NorthMet Project is located on a former mining site, NewRange has a unique opportunity to lead in responsible mining by utilizing existing infrastructure and minimizing new environmental impacts.
Even before mining operations begin, NewRange has already initiated water quality improvement programs and will continue innovating to protect water quality for generations. These efforts include advanced water treatment technology that removes 1,500 metric tons of sulfate from local water systems annually and meets the state’s “wild rice standard.”
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About NewRange Copper Nickel
NewRange Copper Nickel is a 50:50 joint venture of subsidiaries of Teck Resources Limited and Glencore AG, holding the NorthMet and Sunrise deposits – two large, distinct, and well-defined copper-nickel PGM resources in the established Iron Range mining region of Minnesota. The stand-alone company is working to unlock two new domestic supplies of critical minerals for the low-carbon transition through responsible mining, and delivering significant, multi-generational economic and other benefits to the region and beyond. The company is based in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. For more information about NewRange and job opportunities, visit our website.
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