Senate vote 50-49 repealed a moratorium on 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest, clearing the way for mining upstream of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The decision delivered a win for Twin Metals Minnesota, the Antofagasta subsidiary planning a copper‑nickel mine five miles southwest of the wilderness. The House had already passed the measure, and President Trump is expected to sign it.

Environmental groups and Native tribes warn that heavy‑metal runoff could poison lakes, trout and the wild‑rice beds that sustain local economies. A Harvard study linked such contamination to a drop in tourism revenue, while the area produces roughly $1.2 billion annually from recreation. The proposed site sits atop an estimated four billion tons of ore, one of the world’s largest undeveloped deposits, and the Biden administration had barred mining until 2043.

Republicans invoked the Congressional Review Act to overturn the ban, arguing the moratorium was not a regulation. Two GOP senators broke ranks and Senator Hawley abstained. Twin Metals says it will meet Minnesota’s water standards and stresses the need for domestic critical minerals for EVs and defense. The project still faces significant near‑term legal challenges and lease approvals, but the Senate action removes a major political obstacle.