PolyMet mine in Minnesota becomes NewRange Copper Nickel

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — PolyMet Mining and Teck Resources have finalized a joint venture to complete the copper-nickel mine that PolyMet has been developing in northeastern Minnesota. The partnership hopes to eventually build a separate mine next door in an even larger ore body that Teck controls. The PolyMet mine near Babbitt now will be known as NewRange Copper Nickel. Combined, the joint venture’s mineral resources are more than quadruple what PolyMet had. Environmentalists opposed to PolyMet raised concerns when initial plans for the joint venture were announced last summer, fearing it could lead to even bigger threats to the water-rich region.