St. Louis County board approves $187,500 Tom Rookavina mineral royalty scholarship; adds label noting funds are "mining money"

St. Louis County commissioners on Tuesday approved distribution of the 2025 Tom Rookavina Mineral Royalty Scholarship funds totaling $187,500, including a newly authorized $37,500 category for building trades and construction scholarships.

The scholarship distribution matters because St. Louis County uses mineral royalty revenues from local iron-ore mining to fund the program; commissioners said the new category aims to expand training and credentialing pathways for construction and building-trades apprentices in the county.

County administration told the board that the county typically distributes $150,000 to two-year colleges under the scholarship and, following legislative changes championed by Commissioner Musa and others, added $37,500 for building-trades scholarships for apprentices and…