WASHINGTON, D.C., — The federal government has awarded more than $20 million to a mine developer which is exploring for nickel deposits in Michigan and Minnesota.
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded a grant to Talon Metals, which is accelerating its hunt for nickel along a geologically unique region that includes parts of Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The mineral is critical in aerospace and electric vehicle battery manufacturing. Talon has agreed to supply automaker Tesla with 165 million pounds of nickel from its Tamarack mine, a joint venture with Rio Tinto under development in Minnesota.
Last year, Talon acquired rights to explore for nickel on 400,000 private acres in the U.P. The company is seeking a lease from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to drill on more than 23,000 public acres in Baraga, Houghton, Iron and Marquette counties. The DNR is holding a virtual public meeting on Talon’s proposed lease on Oct. 11 at 10 a.m.
For the rest of this article: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/09/pentagon-gives-mine-developer-20m-to-find-nickel-in-michigan.html