BISMARCK – Gov. Doug Burgum has released the following statement after Talon Metals announced plans to build a facility in central North Dakota to process nickel and other minerals for batteries from raw ore mined in Minnesota, expanding domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and the electrical grid.
“We’ve worked hard in North Dakota to create a stable tax and regulatory environment that attracts capital and talent, and today’s announcement that Talon Metals plans to create 150 jobs and invest more than $400 million in a battery minerals processing facility sends a strong signal that North Dakota is open for business,” Burgum said. “By increasing domestic production of nickel and other battery minerals and reducing our reliance on foreign sources, we can strengthen our economy, our communities and our national security while continuing to grow North Dakota’s status as a powerhouse for the nation. We appreciate the U.S. Department of Energy selecting Talon’s proposed facility for a $114 million cost-share grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the project, as well as Talon’s commitment to working with local communities to ensure the project has broad support.”
The project represents a nearly $433 million investment, including the $114 million DOE grant (27% of total project cost) which is subject to final negotiation between the company and DOE.
Talon is the majority owner and operator of the Tamarack Nickel Project in central Minnesota, currently the only high-grade nickel-copper-iron-cobalt deposit under development in the United States. Pending environmental reviews and permitting in both Minnesota and North Dakota, Talon Nickel (USA) LLC plans to transport raw ore from the Tamarack mine by rail to the proposed Battery Minerals Processing Facility in Mercer County.
Ultimately, the project aims to leverage an existing industrial brownfields site to support clean energy development and North Dakota’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, which Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford continued to promote with a focus on innovation over regulation to advance energy development and environmental stewardship.
