North Star Manganese presents proposed Emily mine; residents press for water testing and oversight

Rick Sandri, representing North Star Manganese (NSM), presented a Preliminary Economic Assessment to the Emily City Council on Nov. 12 outlining a conceptual underground manganese mine located roughly two miles north of Emily and a separate chemical processing plant to be sited elsewhere. Sandri said the mining portion would use underhand cut-and-fill methods, operate for about 23 years, produce roughly 1,000–1,200 tons per day (about 350,000–400,000 tons per year) and employ approximately 75–100 people. He emphasized that a PEA is an economic and technical screening tool for investors and not a mine permit or authorization to begin operations.

The PEA, Sandri reported, estimates about $1.4 billion in revenues over the modeled life, an approximate 44% rate of return, $500 million in initial capital costs plus $150 million for expansion and $276 million for sustaining and closure costs. He said metallurgical laboratory tests showed about 98% manganese extraction and about 95% recovery of the targeted battery chemical (high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate, HPMSM). Sandri said NSM currently models an ~11 million ton indicated/inferred resource at a 10% manganese cutoff, with the mineral body beginning near 350 feet depth and extending toward 800–850 feet in the northward plunge.

Sandri outlined next steps as pre-feasibility and feasibility studies in 2026, piloting of process flowsheets, water studies and baseline collection, consultations with sovereign tribal nations, outreach to state and federal agencies, union/trade engagement and talks with potential off-takers. He indicated the company paused further drilling after establishing the modeled mine life and invited questions to be emailed to Electric Metals.

During the meeting’s public forum, numerous residents and local stakeholders urged more public meetings, clear mapping of the regulatory approvals required before mining could occur, and a defensible baseline of private well results. One resident reported repeated private well tests since 2010 showing increasing manganese levels; other speakers cited concerns about dewatering, drought impacts, manganese dust, long-term reclamation and examples of legacy mine contamination elsewhere. A submitted letter argued that Minnesota’s current mining permit laws do not require health impact assessments and asked the city to request state leaders attend a town-hall meeting to explain the regulatory process.

Representatives of the Emily Mine Information Group (EMIG) reported volunteer-funded sentinel well testing (30 wells) that will continue biannually to establish a baseline; Sandri said NSM expressed willingness to review EMIG’s data and consider augmenting its sampling program. Several public speakers urged the council to require NSM-funded ongoing well testing in a defined radius and to spell out the amount of financial assurance and reclamation funding that would be set aside if a mine were permitted.

Council members and the company discussed technical and permitting limits in the region, including that the proposed chemical plant would need nearby electrical power and sulfur sources and is therefore anticipated to be sited outside central Minnesota. Sandri acknowledged the PEA is an early-stage financial and engineering study and listed water studies and pilot testing as immediate priorities.

The council did not vote on permits or approvals related to the NSM concept at the Nov. 12 meeting. The council noted that the Emily Manganese Deposit Committee will study what mining ordinances the city should develop and that a separate public meeting focused on the project will be scheduled in early 2026 to respond to community questions and next steps.