Episode 35 - Julie Lucas: Mining and Minnesota

Host Janet Sheriff talks to Julie Lucas, Executive Director, Mining Minnesota.

As the Executive Director of MiningMinnesota, Julie Lucas advocates for responsible mining of the mineral resources that will “keep the lights on” as our nation transitions to a future powered in greater part by renewables. She earned her mining experience serving as the Director of Water Resources for Twin Metals Minnesota, a proposed copper-nickel mine near Ely, Minnesota and as the Environmental Manager of Hibbing Taconite Company, a Cleveland-Cliffs iron ore mine in Hibbing, Minnesota. She attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth and has a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and an M.S. in Water Resources Science.

Julie is driven by commitment and engagement with her local community; being elected in March 2022 as a French Township Supervisor reflected the significant hours and energy that she has poured into organizing and volunteering for community events. She has also served on the Board of Directors for several non-profits, including the United Way of NE Minnesota, the Minnesota Section of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, the Minnesota Discovery Center, and the Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability. In addition, Julie is on the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Swenson College of Science and Engineering’s External Advisory Board. As a first-generation college graduate who has benefited from community programs and the guidance of many incredible people, she is dedicated to ensuring that others who may be similarly disadvantaged have opportunities to chase their dreams.