This week, President Donald Trump signed H.J. Res. 140 into law. The resolution was led by House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.). The resolution overturns the Biden administration’s withdrawal of 225,504 acres of land in the Superior National Forest from mineral exploration and development.

“It is a great week for American mining. By unlocking the mineral-rich lands of the Duluth Complex, America may access large deposits of the minerals that power the 21^st Century. I commend Representative Stauber for his commitment over the past 4 years to overturn the Biden administration’s misguided mineral withdrawal. I also want to thank President Trump for signing this resolution to unleash domestic mining, support our mining workforce and bring mineral dominance to America.” - House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

“It’s official. The illegal mining ban put in place by former President Biden has been overturned indefinitely, ending a reckless policy that sidelined Minnesota’s miners and undermined our nation's ability to source our own materials. Never again will any Democrat President be able to unilaterally ban mining in this strategic area of the Superior National Forest. Now, proposed mining projects aimed at unlocking trillions of dollars’ worth of critical minerals can move forward through the proper state and federal environmental review and permitting process. President Trump is the most pro-mining President in American history, and I thank him for his support in championing Minnesota’s union miners and workers. As the result of our shared commitment to American mineral dominance, Minnesota’s mighty Iron Range has a strong future ahead. It’s back at the center of a powerful economic comeback with another century's worth of mining, and I'm proud to have delivered this hard-fought victory for our state and nation.” - Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.)

Background

The Duluth Complex in northern Minnesota is a world-class mineral deposit containing nearly 8 billion tons of critical minerals. If developed, this region could constitute 95 percent of America’s nickel reserves, 88 percent of America’s cobalt reserves, one-third of America’s copper reserves and 75 percent of U.S. platinum-group resources.

In January 2022, the Biden administration canceled two decades-old mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota. Public Land Order (PLO 7917), signed in January 2023 by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, withdrew 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest from federal mineral leasing for 20 years.

The Biden administration’s actions spurned years of environmental review, a pending Mine Plan of Operations and myriad comments and letters from Members of Congress, local communities, mineral developers and union workers overwhelmingly supportive of the Twin Metals project.

In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, H.J. Res. 140 will eliminate PLO 7917 and prevent any similar action in the future. Notably, rescinding the withdrawal itself would not mandate the project but would simply allow the environmental review process to run its course. The resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives on January 21, 2026, and the U.S. Senate on April 16, 2026.