WASHINGTON, D.C. (KFGO) – North Dakota’s Mercer County will be the site of a new facility that processes nickel and other minerals for batteries that power electric vehicles and the electric grid. The project was announced Wednesday as part of $2.8 billion in grants the Biden Administration is awarding in an effort to shore up American supply chains, accelerate domestic battery production, and strengthen the nation’s energy independence and national security.
Minnesota-based Talon Nickel will receive $114 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and create 150 jobs to help build the $433 million ore processing and management facility in Central North Dakota. The facility will receive and process raw ore from Talon’s underground Tamarack mine in northeastern Minnesota – the only such deposit currently under development in the U.S.
Gov. Doug Burgum said the state has worked hard to create a stable tax and regulatory environment that attracts capital and talent, and today’s announcement is a testament to that.
“By increasing domestic production of nickel and other battery minerals and reducing our reliance on foreign sources, we can strengthen our economy, our communities and our national security while continuing to grow North Dakota’s status as a powerhouse for the nation,” Burgum said. “We appreciate the U.S. Department of Energy selecting Talon’s proposed facility for a $114 million cost-share grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the project, as well as Talon’s commitment to working with local communities to ensure the project has broad support.”
Talon has a workforce agreement with the United Steelworkers Union for the project and is finalizing a labor agreement with the state’s building trades unions.
Asked for his reaction to the announcement, Jason Ehlert, the president of the Building Trades Unions said “it’s a great day for North Dakota workers.”
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