North Dakota loses nickel processing to Michigan

A Minnesota nickel mining company has chosen a processing site in Michigan over a site in western North Dakota.

Talon Metals announced Thursday it will use a processing site in Marquette County, Michigan, and will not use a former coal mine site at Beulah in Mercer County. 

State and local officials gathered in Beulah last year when Talon Metals announced that it would invest $365 million to process nickel and other critical minerals at the former Beulah Mine site.  

Granville “Beaver” Brinkman, the economic development director for Beulah, said Friday he was disappointed in the Talon decision. 

“We would have loved to have Talon here in Mercer County,” Brinkman said. 

He said work continues to find a new use for the former Westmoreland mine, which stopped producing coal in 2022. He said there could be an announcement in the next few months.

Fertilizer from coal a key part of North Dakota critical minerals processing plans

“We have a lot of interest in Mercer County from a lot of different industries, and we’ll keep trying to pursue each and every one of them,” Brinkman said. 

Talon in January acquired the Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill in Michigan, which gave the company ownership of an operating U.S. nickel-copper processing facility, an experienced workforce, and technical and operating expertise, the company said in a news release. 

Talon said that gave the Michigan site an edge over building a new processing facility in North Dakota. 

The nickel would come from the Tamarack mine in northern Minnesota. 

Talon officials said construction of the mine in Minnesota would begin in late 2028 or early 2029; with processing in 2030.

That timeline largely hinges on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources environmental impact study, which includes a public comment period that ends this week. Additional permitting will follow depending on the results of the report.

Plans for North Dakota nickel processing unclear as company also evaluates Michigan site

A Talon Metals press release in July referred to both a Beulah and a Michigan processing facility but whether it would operate both was in doubt. 

Talon was awarded nearly $115 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the Beulah nickel processing facility. The company said it is working with the agency to determine the future of the funding award with the decision to locate in Michigan.

In Thursday’s announcement, Talon said it appreciated working with officials in North Dakota. 

Talon “is grateful for the relationships built over the past several years and for the time, engagement, and support provided by those who contributed to the project.”

Reach North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach at [email protected]