The Duluth Complex in northeastern Minnesota is the world’s largest known undeveloped reserves of copper, nickel and platinum group metals.
Estimates are that the complex holds about 9.5 billion tons of metallic mineral reserves, according to Dean Peterson, chief engineer with Big Rock Exploration and former program manager for the Economic Geology Group of the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute. A minerals exploration company is planning to look a little deeper into it.
Franconia Minerals LLC has submitted a proposal plan to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to explore for metallic minerals on state land within several areas near Babbitt.
Franconia Minerals is a subsidiary of Twin Metals Minnesota.
“Twin Metals Minnesota’s submittal of a plan for an upcoming exploration program builds on our long history of successful and safe mineral exploration activities in northeast Minnesota,” Kathy Graul, Twin Metals Minnesota director, Public Affairs and Communication said. “Exploration is fundamental to mapping out the characteristics of our mineral deposits, and it helps the state of Minnesota better understand its resources. Exploration is not the same as mining; it is an exercise in gathering data about the size, scope, geometry, depth and metal content of our minerals, which lie deep underground. Twin Metals is proud to continue to invest in our local communities by bringing economic activity to the area through the contractors we hire for our exploration programs.”
The proposal calls for drilling exploratory borings at up to 19 sites and conducting down-hole geophysical surveys in the new borings, according to the DNR.
The proposed sites are about five miles east of Babbitt, the DNR said.
Exploration sites proposed by Franconia under the plan are along the St. Louis County and Lake County border near Birch Lake and further south near the former Dunka Mine, according to a DNR map of the sites.
Some of the proposed exploration activity is targeted to go hundreds to thousands of feet under the Birch Lake Reservoir from the land, according to Twin Metals Minnesota.
No drilling exploration will occur through the lake and there will be no interactivity with the water, according to Twin Metals Minnesota.
Birch Lake at its deepest is 25 feet, according to Twin Metals Minnesota.
Exploration for copper, nickel and platinum group metals has occurred within the Duluth Complex for decades. The proposed Franconia Minerals exploration area near Babbitt has been intermittently explored since 2005, according to the DNR.
Two major proposed copper, nickel, platinum group mining projects, NewRange Copper Nickel near Hoyt Lakes and Twin Metals Minnesota between Babbitt and Ely, have for more than two decades been seeking to begin production.
However, permitting, and environmental challenges along with a Twin Metals Minnesota hurdle regarding canceled mineral leases on federal land, have kept the projects in limbo.
The Franconia Minerals exploration
plan needs to meet the requirements of applicable state law and DNR approval, the DNR said.
If approved, Franconia Minerals would conduct diamond drilling at the sites.
Any exploration in wetlands would occur when the ground is frozen or while utilizing best management practices, such as mats, to minimize disturbances, the DNR said.
Franconia would also clearly post drill sites, active areas and follow Minnesota Department of Health regulations, according to the DNR. Franconia would use existing roads and trails as much as possible.
