When you think of the state of Maine, you probably think of lobsters or lighthouses. The last thing you would think of is metallic mineral mining, and that is for good reason. According to the Maine Geological Survey’s website, “no metals have been mined in Maine since 1977.” Moreover, Maine’s metallic mineral mining laws and rules, which were last rewritten in 1991, have effectively made mining in the Pine Tree State impossible. Statutory changes enacted in 2012, however, put Maine on a path to make metallic mineral mining part of the local economy in the near future.
