Military mines? Talon Metals signs a contract with the Department of Defense for metals prospecting
On September 12, 2023, Talon Metals secured a substantial $20 million contract with the Department of Defense (DoD) for nickel prospecting on Anishinaabe lands in the Great Lakes and Mississippi headwaters region. The stated goal? To "Strengthen the U.S. Supply Chain for Nickel Production." While this collaboration has been promoted as a vital step in the transition to electric vehicles and green technology, a closer look reveals a more complex and troubling picture.
The agreement, as detailed on the official Talon Metals website and echoed by the DoD, paints a picture of mutual benefit. The DoD seeks to secure a reliable domestic source of nickel, which they claim is essential for military and renewable energy technologies, while Talon Metals is presented as a crucial player in the transition to green technology and electric vehicles.
Talon Metals has been quick to embrace the label of a "green mine" for their proposed project in Tamarack, Minnesota. The DoD and other federal agencies including the Department of Energy have allocated millions to the project before any environmental review or tribal consultation, lauding it as a key element of a renewable energy transition. This is in part because of Talon’s relationship to another major funder of the project, Tesla, which plans to use nickel from the mine in their luxury electric vehicle batteries. (Learn more about the basics of the Talon mine here.)
However, Talon’s emerging relationship with the DoD helps call their role as a cornerstone of the energy transition into question. The DoD is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, polluting every corner of the earth with heavy machinery, shipping, and manufacturing. Talon selling the nickel from this and potential future mines for emissions-intensive military technology starts to tarnish their image as a “green mine.” If Talon is willing to sell nickel to DoD, what guarantee is there that any portion of the mined metal will be used for green technologies? And, perhaps more crucially, who is deciding what “green” technologies should be developed and for whom?
Beyond the greenwashing of the Talon mine, delving further into the DoD's press release reveals underlying geopolitical motives. The document explicitly references the aim of reducing reliance on Chinese sources of rare earth minerals, emphasizing national resource security. In the midst of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and as US tensions with China rise, this pursuit not only raises concerns about the militarization of critical minerals but also hints at a broader US strategy to assert dominance in global metals supply chains.
Another concern brought up by this agreement are threats to Freedom of Speech and protest for those opposed to projects like the proposed Talon mine in Minnesota. As the Department of Defense and the federal administration intensify their interest in critical minerals and metals we can anticipate heightened securitization of these resources. This will almost surely involve increased surveillance and violent repression of water protectors and land defenders who stand against the encroachment on Indigenous lands.
Even without the significant injection of funds from the DoD, sulfide nickel mining for battery technology on Anishinaabe lands remains a stark manifestation of green colonialism. One of the major companies behind this mine, Rio Tinto, is known for violating Indigenous rights globally. In the Great Lakes region they opened the country’s first nickel mine, the Eagle Mine, on Anishinaabe land in Michigan desecrating a sacred site known as Eagle Rock. These mining practices perpetuate historical patterns of land theft and genocide, exploiting Indigenous territories for resource extraction and profit.
The alliance between Talon Metals and the Department of Defense underscores the urgent need to address green colonialism and its multifaceted implications. While the partnership is portrayed as a stride towards sustainability and national security, we must remain vigilant in our commitment to defending Indigenous lands and stand against the encroachment of militarism, imperialism, and extractivism. It is imperative that we continue to challenge these alliances that prioritize profit over the well-being of our planet and its Indigenous communities.
To learn more about the proposed Rio Tinto - Talon Metals sulfide mine in Minnesota visit honorearth.org/talon-mine.