Sustainability and Stewardship

of Mineral Resources in Minnesota

Jim MillerUniversity of

Minnesota Duluth

Terminology and Definitions

Biological Resources• renewable• recycleable• reuseable

Mineral Resources• non-renewable• recycleable• reuseable

Water Resources• unlimited• recycleable• reuseable

Wind and Solar• unlimited

“Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs” (1984, United Nations Commission)

Stewardship - “administration, management, control, including responsible use of resources” (Oxford English Dictionary Online)

Natural Resources – materials, and energy that occur naturally within the Earth’s spheres. Many are essential for our survival, while others are used for

satisfying our wants.

StuffStuff

Talk OutlineTalk Outline

Iron Ore MiningIron Ore Mining What is Iron Ore?What is Iron Ore? Why is it here?Why is it here? What is the future? – reclamation/re-use What is the future? – reclamation/re-use

Copper-Nickel-Precious Metal DepositsCopper-Nickel-Precious Metal Deposits Why are they here?Why are they here? Why does do they contain sulfur? Why does do they contain sulfur? Why do we need these metals?Why do we need these metals? How will this be mined safely?How will this be mined safely? When will this be mined? -StewardshipWhen will this be mined? -Stewardship What happens when the mines close?What happens when the mines close?

Iron Ore Mining (1884-Present)

Iron Formations of theIron Formations of theLake Superior RegionLake Superior Region

Ispheming, MI

Vermilion

Babbitt, MN

Chisolm, MN

Hematite Ore

Taconite Ore

Natural Ore

BIOGENIC ORIGIN?

STROMATOLITES(Fossilized Algal Mats) Evidence of Early Life

Shark Bay, AustraliaShark Bay, Australia Mary Ellen Mine, MNMary Ellen Mine, MN

LTV Mine, MNLTV Mine, MN

Mesabi-type Iron FormationDepositional Environment (~ 2.0 Ga) - Organically mediated deposition

at the margin of the Animikie Basin

Occurrence - Minor structural disruption in northern Minnesota

Offshore Algal Reef

Si,Fe

O

Nearshore

Archean Crust

ANIMIKIE SEA

(sand, silt, mud)(iron oxide, chert)(pelagic mud, turbidites)Detrital sediment

Biwabik Fe-Fm.

Virginia Fm.

Pokegama Qtzt.

glacial till S N

~ 1 km

Hydrothermal Fluids

Taconite Ore

Natural Ore

Surficial Waters

Magnetite Hematite Goethite/Limonite

OXIDATIONLEACHING NATURAL ORENATURAL ORETACONITE ORETACONITE ORE

Fe3O4 Fe2O3 FeO•OHFe3O4 Fe2O3 FeO•OH

Dunka Pit

Rocheleau Natural Ore PitRocheleau Natural Ore Pit

Hull Rust Taconite MineHull Rust Taconite Mine

Laurentian Vision PartnershipReclamation and Re-use of the Mesabi Range

A Looming Stewardship Question for Minnesotans:

Should we develop this

immense copper-nickel-

precious metal mineral

resource?

_______________

THE THE MIDCONTINENT MIDCONTINENT RIFTRIFT_______________An attempt at continental rifting 1.1 billion years ago

Cu-Ni-PGE Sulfide Deposits of the Duluth Gabbro Complex

S

S

Cu, Ni, PGE

The Role of Sulfur in Concentrating MetalsMost of the world’s metal comes from sulfide minerals

ChalcopyriteCuFeS2 Bornite

Cu5FeS4

CobaltiteCoAsS

SphaleriteZnS

GalenaPbS

ChalcociteCu2S

MolybdeniteMoS2

Pentlandite(Fe,Ni)9S8

CinnabarHgS

United States –The #1 consumer of mineral resources,but produces little for itself

% Mined by US % Imported for Metal vs. Total Mining US consumption

Copper 7.7% 40% (Chile (30%), US, Indonesia, Peru)

Nickel 0% 54% (Russia, Australia, Canada, Indonesia)

Cobalt 0% 78% (Congo (30%), Zambia, Australia, Canada)

Palladium 6.6% 78% (Russia (44%), South Africa (38%))

Statistics from US Geological Survey

Mineral Commodity Summaries, Jan. 2006

Cu in a Standard Car with Combustion Engine

43-55 lbs

Cu in a Prius80 lbs

COPPERCOPPER An Important Metal in a Green Economy

NW Mining Association, 2009

Data from USGS Mineral Commodity Summary

35%

US consumption from recycled Cu

2010

PGE – Platinum Group ElementsPt – Platinum, Pd – Palladium, Os – Osmium, Ru – Ruthenium, Rh – Rhodium, Ir - Iridium

Bushveld ComplexSouth Africa

Supplying the 70% of the World’s Platinum

Merensky Reef, Eastern Bushveld ComplexMerensky Reef, Amplats Mine, Rustenburg, SA

Palladium: Palladium: ““The Environmental Metal”The Environmental Metal”

PdUses

Sulfide Smelter in Monchegorsk, RussiaIn 1998, responsible for 50% of SO2

in the northern hemisphere

Noril’sk, RussiaNi-Cu-PGE Deposits

Supplies 60% of the World’s Palladium

The Stillwater Mine (Montana)Only Precious Metals Mine in the U.S.

(owned by Noril’sk Nickel)

PolyMet Mine PlanRe-Use as One Form of Sustainability

Re-Use of LTV Taconite Facilities

Tailings Basin

Rod and Ball MillsRod and Ball Mills

CrusherMill

MillMill

PrimaryPrimaryCrusherCrusher

SecondarySecondaryCrusherCrusher

THEN

NOW

Sudbury, Ont.

Hydrometallurgy

Roasting/Smelting Monchegorsk, Russia

Separating Metal from

Sulfur

The Concern and the Challenge - Acid Mine Drainage

2FeS2(s) + 7O2(g) + 2H2O(l) →

2Fe2+(aq) + 4SO42-(aq) +

4H+(aq)

Building Environmental Safeguards During Mining

Reclamation of Sulfide MinesFlambeau Mine, Ladysmith, WI

Before (~1990)

During (1993-1997)

After (2005)

Copper and Nickel Resources of the Duluth Complex

WORLD CLASS!

That will be mined....

SOMEDAY

Hulbert & Ekstrand, 2008

STEWARDSHIP: the individual’s responsibility to manage his life and property with proper regard to the rights of others

Webster’s Ninth New

Collegiate Dictionary (1987)

Responsible stewardship of mineral resources demands that we make sensible and fair choices of where, how, and when to acquire critical resources we need for today and for the future.