A mining threat returns to the nation’s most visited wilderness

Congress voted to remove protections from mining in the watershed of the treasured Boundary Waters wilderness.

Photos & Video by Brad Zweerink

A mining threat returns to the nation’s most visited wilderness

Congress voted to remove protections from mining in the watershed of the treasured Boundary Waters wilderness.

Photos & Video by Brad Zweerink

Boundary Waters guide Dave Hicks paddles through the wilderness area.

Boundary Waters guide Dave Hicks paddling his canoe through the wilderness area.
The sun peeks out over the top of the forest, illuminating a camp in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
An aurora lights up the starry night sky in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Alex Falconer

Northern Lights dance across the night sky in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Two people in a canoe on still waters during twilight in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota.

Nate Ptacek

Take Action

A vast network of more than 1,000 lakes and pristine forests, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of our nation’s most treasured landscapes.

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Pristine Water
Waters in this wilderness have remained so clean and free of contaminants that visitors can drink directly from many lakes and streams.

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Far-sighted Vision
Since the 1900s, a diverse cast — politicians, local businesses, recreationists, and yes, even lawyers — recognized the need to protect this wilderness.

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A Dark Sky Sanctuary
Spectacular views of the night sky that have been lost to light pollution in many places in the world are still visible from the Boundary Waters.

Navigating through the hundreds of miles of hiking trails and thousands of designated campsites that dot the wilderness.

Two people lean over a map of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, pointing to a compass on the map.
Two canoes paddle through large rapids on a wide river surrounded by green forest.

The Boundary Waters is part of the Superior National Forest. Together, they contain 20% of all the freshwater in the entire U.S. National Forest System

Two people reach for supplies in a kayak pulled close to shore in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Dave Freeman

Embers leap out from a metal grate over a campfire as darkness descends in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Three dogs on a line pull a sled through heavy snow in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as a person runs alongside the sled.

Nate Ptacek

The Boundary Waters is a pristine refuge and popular recreation destination through all seasons of the year.

A backlit person stands on a rocky outcropping, surrounded by icy water and framed against the twilight in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Dave Freeman

Take Action
Map showing the location of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota.

Each year, 150,000 people travel to the Boundary Waters in northeastern Minnesota to canoe, camp, and hike in the summer and dogsled, snowshoe, and ice fish in the winter.

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Interconnected Ecosystem

The Boundary Waters’ interconnected network of islands, lakes, and rivers is an irreplaceable ecosystem that has survived into the modern world.

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Economic Powerhouse

Businesses and outdoor recreation in the Boundary Waters contribute to the 17,000 jobs and $1.1 billion tourism economy of northeastern Minnesota.

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A Wilderness Paradise

The largest designated wilderness area east of the Rockies and north of the Everglades, the Boundary Waters encompasses more than one million acres.

From the mournful yodels of tuxedo-clad loons, to the echoing howls of wolf packs, the Boundary Waters is home to hundreds of species.

A small frog in the water of Birch Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, near the proposed Twin Metals mine site outside of Ely, Minn.
Lily pads in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Wild rice, a culturally significant food source for Indigenous peoples, growing in Birch Lake.

A turtle basks in the sun in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Wild rice growing in Birch Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Take Action

The Twin Metals Mine — a proposed sulfide-ore copper mine sited at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters — threatens to permanently destroy this thriving biodiverse ecosystem.

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Unprecedented Risk

Sulfide-ore mining has never been done before in Minnesota — and it has never been done safely anywhere.

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Permanent Damage

Sulfide-ore mining is inherently dangerous because it produces sulfuric acid, which can irreversibly contaminate the rivers and streams flowing into the Boundary Waters.

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Superfund Sites

“Sulfide mining is risky on its own,” explains Adam Ratchenski, attorney in Earthjustice’s Midwest Office. “There are Superfund sites all around the country to show that.”

The Twin Metals Mine site lays on the edge of the Boundary Waters wilderness.

The Twin Metals Mine site is located on the edge of the Boundary Waters wilderness.

Ely, a gateway to the Boundary Waters, is known as one of the world’s best towns for outdoor enthusiasts.

Save the Boundary Waters sign outside of Piragis Northwoods Co., a large outfitter in Ely, Minnesota.
Brightly lit storefronts in downtown Ely, Minnesota, in the early hours of the evening.

The historic Pioneer Mine in Ely, which produced iron ore until 1967, is now a museum.

Though Ely has a long history of mining — even helping Minnesota supply the bulk of iron to the U.S. in World War II — sulfide mining has never before been allowed in the state.

The historic Pioneer Mine in Ely, Minn., produced iron ore until 1967. Today, it is a museum.

Residents, business leaders, Tribes, and many more have worked for years to protect the Boundary Waters.

More than 50 paddlers show their solidarity for the Boundary Waters in a flotilla day of action organized by Save the Boundary Waters in 2021 on Minneapolis’ Bde Maka Ska Lake.

Many people in kayaks float near the shore in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Some hold signs opposing the Twin Metals mine.

Ari Lindquist

As climate change accelerates and reduces access to clean water, we cannot afford to lose the Boundary Waters.

Two people in front of a map of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. One points to a location on the map. while the other holds an open hand against the border line with Canada.
Aerial view of lakes and islands of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Jim Brandenburg / Minden Pictures

Take Action

Time and time again, advocates for the Boundary Waters have successfully thwarted sulfide-ore mining threats.

Now, the U.S. Senate has voted to revoke a 20-year mining ban that protects the Boundary Waters from permanent and irreparable mining pollution.

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The Legal Fight

On behalf of our clients, Earthjustice is in court defending the Boundary Waters, continuing a years-long fight for this irreplaceable ecosystem.

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Our Clients

We represent the Center for Biological Diversity, The Wilderness Society, and Izaak Walton League of America.

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What’s Happening Now

In April, the U.S. Senate voted along partisan lines to revoke a 20-year mineral withdrawal protecting the Boundary Waters.

“Congressmembers who voted to allow mining on the doorstep of the Boundary Waters have betrayed the millions of Americans who treasure this unparalleled wilderness,” said Julie Goodwin, senior attorney at Earthjustice.

“And they did so using a backdoor maneuver that’s unprecedented and legally questionable.”

“This fight is far from over. Every option is on the table to preserve this special wilderness for future generations to enjoy.”

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Twilight as a fog envelopes the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The Boundary Waters

Fog settles around the still waters of the wilderness.

A gentle mist settles on Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Boundary Waters guide Dave Hicks paddles his canoe through the wilderness area. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
An aurora lights up the starry night sky in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. (Alex Falconer)
Twilight in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota. (Nate Ptacek)
A loon spreads its wings in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Navigating through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Canoeing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Dave Freeman)
The night descends on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Dog sledding in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Nate Ptacek)
A quiet winter twilight in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Dave Freeman)
Paddling through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
A small frog in the water of Birch Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, near the proposed Twin Metals mine site outside of Ely, Minn. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Lily pads in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
A turtle basks in the sun in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Wild rice growing in Birch Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Save the Boundary Waters sign outside of Piragis Northwoods Co., a large outfitter in Ely, Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Downtown Ely, Minn., near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
The historic Pioneer Mine in Ely, Minn., produced iron ore until 1967. Today, it is a museum. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
More than 50 paddlers show their solidarity for the Boundary Waters in a flotilla day of action on Minneapolis’ Bde Maka Ska Lake organized by Save the Boundary Waters in 2021. (Ari Lindquist)
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is located in Northern Minnesota. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)
Aerial view of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Jim Brandenburg / Minden Pictures)
Twilight as a fog envelopes the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. (Brad Zweerink / Earthjustice)