Twin Metals, a subsidiary of Chilean multinational Antofagasta, on Monday sued the US government to reclaim federal mineral leases that were cancelled by the Interior Department earlier this year.

Twin Metals turned to the District Court in Washington, DC, to reverse a “series of arbitrary and capricious actions” by federal agencies, which it said were aimed to prevent the development of its mining project in northern Minnesota.

These actions by the Department of Interior and Bureau of Land Management undercut America’s long-term priorities of securing domestic supply chains, addressing climate change by moving toward a clean energy future, and strengthening national security, the company stated.

“We are standing up for our right to a fair and consistent environmental review of our proposed mining project,” said Twin Metals director of operations Dean DeBeltz.

“Our plan is backed by decades of exploration and analysis and is rooted in the most environmentally sophisticated design, which is tailored for our project location and mineral deposit. It deserves a fair evaluation by federal regulators based on its merits.”

Based on possession of its valid mineral rights, Twin Metals has invested more than $550-million in the development of its project over the past 12 years. The extensive environmental, engineering, hydrogeological and community engagement work resulted in the submittal of the company’s formal mine plan in late 2019.

Submission of the mine plan, under the regulatory process established in law, should have kicked off the rigorous environmental review process. Instead, federal agencies executed a “coordinated and illegal attack” on the project, Twin Metals argues.

Twin Metals points out that the project is located in an area where Congress has allowed mining for more than a century.

The US Forest Service last year proposed a 20-year ban on mining in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters region, which would block the Twin Metals mine. Environmentalists have long feared mining would destroy the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a 405 000 ha preserve on the US-Canada border.

“As an Ely native and fourth-generation miner, I know first-hand how important this project is to help advance America’s clean energy goals while creating good jobs here at home,” said DeBeltz. “I’m proud to be part of a company that is so deeply committed to bringing growth back to this area and doing so in a responsible way.”

Twin Metals is advised by the premier international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton.