Duluth News Tribune
John Myers

Frank Ongaro, executive director of Mining Minnesota, the copper-nickel industry group, said he’s heard few details on the initiative.

“We’ll be watching and paying attention,” Ongaro said. “But it strikes me that if the university can fund and support research aimed at bettering the state’s mining industry, at the same time the mining industry is giving so much back to the state, that’s a good thing all around.”

Weberg said he expects the initiative to act as a problem solver for the industry as well as help allay fears of mining critics and skeptics.

“What can we do to make Minnesota mining more efficient; to reduce its footprint on the land; to reduce its energy use and carbon footprint? What can we do to reduce waste so that less raw material has to be mined?” Weberg said.

Read more: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/content/u-m-officials-seek-money-state-mining-research