Green energy futures: Responsible mining on Minnesota’s Iron Range

Abstract

Controversial mining projects are being proposed across the U.S. in the quest for supplies of precious and rare earth elements to fuel green energy technologies, like wind turbines and electric vehicles. This new prospecting is, in part, the result of geopolitical tensions over China's export limits. While the U.S. has ample resources of rare earths, the main challenge is a lengthy permitting process that pits environmental opponents, especially native tribes, against developers who claim a "responsible" mining agenda. The article examines these tensions through a case study of Polymet's proposal for an open pit mine along Lake Superior in Minnesota. Over 80,000 public comments were submitted for and against the project, making it the most contested project in state history. The research is based on interviews, field visits, media reports and participant observation at siting hearings. The article synthesizes two emerging areas of energy social theory, the geologic turn in geography/anthropology and STS interests in responsible innovation, to reveal the new vulnerabilities and opportunities that are being coproduced with the new energy economy. I examine how stakeholders are making sense of mining's landscape and livelihood impacts, while addressing the need for just energy futures that balance short-term resource needs with long-term sustainability.