Star Tribune
Opinion: Hoyt Lakes Mayor Mark Skelton; President and CEO of the Hibbing Area Chamber of Commerce Lory Fedo; and BWCA outfitter, former Ely mayor and longtime Ely-area resident Joe Baltich Jr. 

As children of mining communities and full-time residents of Iron Range communities, we agree that the BWCA is worth fighting for. So are the good-paying permanent jobs that mining brings — jobs that support families and communities, small businesses and schools. To characterize this issue as a choice between environment and jobs is a false premise. To suggest that a sustainable economy can be supported by seasonal and minimum-wage hospitality jobs is contrary to legitimate economic research and Main Street reality.

Our region already benefits from the tens of thousands of jobs and nearly $3 billion economic impact that mining and the supporting industries add to our economy each year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage for a Minnesota mining job is $83,359, more than $30,000 above the all-industries average.

We have an opportunity to double the number of overall jobs and economic benefit, and to truly sustain our region and the state for generations to come. For all Minnesota school districts, for example, the state Department of Natural Resources estimates that the royalties to the permanent school trust lands fund from all of the copper-nickel projects will generate over $2 billion. Any good economist will tell you that you do not replace the pie, you grow the pie.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/290992221.html

MPR News
Chris Arnold

As the economy continues to recover, economists are seeing stark differences between people with high school and college degrees. The unemployment rate is nearly twice as high for Americans with a high school diploma as for those with a four-year college degree or more.

But economists say that doesn’t mean everybody needs a four-year degree. In fact, millions of good-paying jobs are opening up in the trades. And some pay better than what the average college graduate makes.

Read more: http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/02/02/npr-millenial-trades

Duluth News Tribune
John Myers

Polymet is proposing Minnesota’s first-ever copper mine, an open pit project that is awaiting state and federal environmental approval. Regulators are expected to announce this spring whether the environmental review so far is enough to allow the project to move ahead.

The proposed Minnesota mine is PolyMet’s only project and, without any income, PolyMet has been burning through cash for more than a decade as it develops a mine plan, prospects for the best deposits and conducts an environmental review for the so-called NorthMet project.

“This loan facility covers our anticipated costs through 2015 as we work through completion of the final Environmental Impact Statement and subsequent issuance of permits needed to construct and operate NorthMet,” said Jon Cherry, PolyMet president and CEO, in a statement.

Read more: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/iron-range/3669521-polymet-gets-30-million-loan-glencore

Hibbing Daily Tribune
Marie Tolonen

Job seekers, many with resumes in hand, attended Mining Industry Day Friday at Minnesota Discovery Center.

Now in its third year, the event provides an opportunity for businesses in the mining and mining-related industries to meet with prospective employees.

Mesabi Daily News
Angie Riebe

Job hunters will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with mining industry employers during the 3rd Annual Mining Industry Day.

The free event, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm, will showcase mines and mining-related companies that have job openings — from entry level to highly skilled.