Talon Metals, an exploration and marketing company working on behalf of Rio Tinto–Kennecott, wants to begin exploratory drilling for nickel on 400,000 acres of land in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including parcels to which the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) holds mineral rights.

That means the mineral rights are entrusted to the people of Michigan. This comment period has been rushed, denying the public adequate time to learn about the massive proposal and weigh in with our questions and concerns. We demand more time for public comments, as well as public hearings to review the proposals by Talon Metals and Rio Tinto–Kennecott.

Rio Tinto is an international mining corporation responsible for well-documented corruption, bribery, and bulldozing of Indigenous sacred sites. Rio Tinto and other profit-driven mining outfits saddle our state and communities with clean-up costs and ongoing degradation and risk.

We need to submit public comments to the DNR by 5pm ET on 5/31, asking for:

• More time for public comments

• Public meetings to engage all four affected counties

• No new mineral prospecting in the UP!

Please take a moment to personalize your comment. You don't have to live in Michigan to comment! What happens to the Great Lakes region impacts us all.

The form on this page is all you need, but you can click here for further information and further action steps, including more detailed sample comment letters! Thanks very much for your support.