What happens when you bring together project leaders, national advocates, and boots-on-the-ground operators—all in one room—to talk about the future of mining in America?

Recorded in Duluth, Minnesota at the Better In Our Backyard Winter Dinner, this episode delivers a high-impact series of conversations with some of the most influential voices shaping today's mining landscape. From copper development in Michigan to national policy in Washington, D.C., to the front lines of permitting battles in Minnesota—this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to move mining projects forward in the United States.

We sit down with Mike Foley of Highland Copper to break down what it takes to bring a fully permitted underground copper project to life—and why infrastructure like smelting and refining remains one of the industry's biggest bottlenecks. Then, Ashley Burke of the National Mining Association joins us to unpack the policy shifts happening at the federal level, the global competition for critical minerals, and why storytelling and public understanding are more important now than ever.

Finally, we reconnect with Dean DeBeltz of Twin Metals, diving into the realities of permitting challenges, shifting goalposts, and the long fight to responsibly develop domestic resources—all while preserving the communities and environments that make these regions special.

This episode is about momentum, advocacy, and the people pushing mining forward—from the local level to the national stage. If you want to understand where the industry is headed and what's at stake, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.

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Episode Sponsors:

Walsh Reclamation Inc.

Safety First Training & Consulting

Heavy Metals Equipment & Rentals

Chapters:

01:39 Meet Mike Foley

06:58 Smelting Bottleneck Talk

13:08 Community Mining Heritage

19:37 Meet Ashley Burke NMA

21:20 Policy Shift and Strategy

25:24 Permitting Reform Messaging

31:12 Advocacy and Storytelling

39:45 Workforce Development Ideas

42:38 NMA Resources and Mine Expo

44:48 Dean Debeltz & Twin Metals Update in Duluth

50:46 Fair Permitting and Public Trust

55:39 Community Impact and Jobs Multiplier