how can you tour a mine that doesn’t exist?
Last Friday, we officially launched Talon Mine Tours with a pop-up mine tour & picnic in Tamarack.
You might be wondering, “If there is no Talon Mine, how can a company offer Talon Mine Tours?”
That’s a great question! Our tour brought visitors past Rio Tinto & Talon Metals’ headquarters in Tamarack, located just off of Highway 210 in rural Aitkin County, Minnesota.
Although Talon Metals & Rio Tinto engage in exploratory drilling & mine marketing activities here, they are not actually a U.S.-based mining company.
They are based in the British Virgin Islands & are led by South African investors — some of whom have a documented history of “flipping” development projects like this to the highest bidder once important permits have been obtained.
Talon Metals is not a local company, and they have no experience with actual mining.
In contrast, Talon Mine Tours is based in Aitkin County, and several of our tour guides are former miners and mine engineers.
We offer free educational tours of the proposed Talon Mine site, which includes nearby lakes, rivers, and other sites of cultural and community significance.
Many topics were discussed with those who showed up for our launch tour!
Conversation was framed by questions posed by members of our community. Significant places & concerns were introduced through photographs & personal testimonies.
Everyone, regardless of their experience or opinion, was invited into the circle to talk about what is at stake for their families, communities and home places.
Prompted by personal stories & reflections, residents of Tamarack & nearby communities shared their own experiences with mining giant Rio Tinto, Talon Metals, and other companies that are seeking permits here in Minnesota’s water-rich northland.
We ended the pop-up tour at the Talon Mine site — where former mining engineers & labor union members spoke with nearby neighbors about the realities of exploratory drilling, mine marketing, jobs and prosperity in our rural region, and the meaning of safety & risk.
One local resident shared about the impact that 24/7 exploratory drilling has had on her home, which is very near the proposed mine site, as well as the impact of Rio Tinto’s local land purchases & small grant programs, many of which have benefited just a few local families & businesses.
Recent image from Talon Metals’ drilling operations in Tamarack.
We’ll be posting video clips from the tour in the coming weeks as we prepare for our next public pop-up.
Follow us on Instagram for regular updates & other information.
You can see upcoming events here, or reach out about booking a custom tour for your group.
* Talon Mine Tours is a small business led by local artists, organizers and educators. We are not affiliated with Talon Metals, Rio Tinto, Tau Capital Partners or Tesla.
