Environmental review for PolyMet Mine released

Polymet CEO Jon Cherry
Polymet CEO Jon Cherry talks about the great condition the infrastructure inside the concentrator building is Thursday, October 10, 2013 at Polymet near Aurora, Minn.
Derek Montgomery / For MPR News

The 1,800 page environmental impact statement regarding PolyMet Mining was released today. PolyMet has spent years working to persuade state officials that an open pit copper-nickel mine would be safe for the state's Iron Range.

The statement was expected to be "a major step for PolyMet, and kick off a public discussion that could help decide if the mine is built and if so, what it looks like," according to a report from MPR News. "Mining supporters hope the journey will end with hundreds of jobs for a needy region and a spot for Minnesota on a global stage where copper is an essential part of economic progress. It's used in the electrical wiring for new cities in China, wind turbines dotting the Great Plains and new smartphones."

More on PolyMet:
A look at PolyMet's biggest investors
Economic opportunity or environmentally risky?
FAQ: Copper-nickel mining in NE Minn.
Map: Sites of proposed copper-nickel mines
Photos: Ramping up to mine copper
Timeline: PolyMet's history in Minn.

The Daily Circuit checks in with involved parties to get their expectations and reactions to the EIS.

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