Should Minnesota have a minerals strategy?

The New York Times recently published a story about mining in Sweden and its growing dependence on robots. That started us thinking about whether Sweden is moving toward "sustainable mining." The answer is yes, according to Sweden’s Minerals Strategy For sustainable use of Sweden’s mineral resources that creates growth throughout the country. Did it catch your eye that the strategy refers to minerals and not simply mining?

Minnesota has a mining history, national register

Photo by J. Harrington

We found it interesting that, as of the Fraser Institute's 2015 Survey of Mining Companies, Sweden ranked notably above Minnesota in its attractiveness for mining investment (13 versus 21, p9). Since we had already learned that Finland is adopting the Mining Association of Canada's Toward Sustainable Mining protocol, we checked and yes, Finland also has a "Minerals Strategy." Finland ranks 5th in the 2015 attractiveness survey. Out of curiosity, we checked to see if Quebec has a minerals strategy. It's titled Preparing the Future of Quebec's Mineral Sector. Quebec ranks 8th in the 2015 survey, between Finland and Sweden.

An internet search on the phrase Minnesota Minerals Strategy finally shows, as item 7, a 2008 report by the Governor's Committee on Minnesota's Mining Future. A quick glance at its contents indicates substantially less strategic thinking about the broader role of minerals (it's not the Governor's Committee on Minnesota's Minerals Future) than can be found in the documents by Quebec, Sweden and Finland.

We find ourselves wondering if there's any relationship between the relative attractiveness to mining investors of Minnesota, compared to Finland, Quebec and Sweden, and the approach toward mineral strategies exhibited by the four governments we've referenced today. A long time ago we learned not to confuse correlation with causation. We often balance that lesson with the old "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc."

What do you think? Does Minnesota need a minerals strategy that includes increased emphasis on sustainable mineral utilization and, as the Quebec document references among other factors:

• Strengthening the possibility of making certain areas off-limits to mineral activities, and
• ...require claim holders [of subsurface mineral rights]  to inform land owners and tenants about the issue of a claim on private land.

Mining is an international activity. Minnesota's minerals are in competition with those extracted globally, and with recycled metals. According to those in the sector, Minnesota's minerals strategy, or lack thereof,  does not seem as attractive as that of other countries, many of which are also noted for their rigorous environmental protections. Hmmm! What would Yoda say? "Behind the curve, you are. Race not to the bottom but to the top, hmm?"

What the businessman said

Allison Cobb

the business
man I shook
hands with
drinking local
whiskey at the
party Christmas
winter I mean non
religious for the
green
group where
his wife
donates her
hours bought
just bought
an old Victorian cheaper
than a Craftsman in
one of Portland’s
oldest best said
cost the cost
of doing
business one
cost of
doing
business all of
life of costs
a cost the business
man made
exercise machines
in China for
the bodies of
Americans
to sweat upon
the muscles heart
and blood vessels
the lungs he said
they never
even counted
labor
costs the labor
lives so cheap it was
the metal minerals
the plastic
parts they had
to calculate the labor
lives so
cheap they didn’t
even count

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