Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness mining restrictions modifications

This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to modify mining restrictions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and Rainy River headwaters. It maintains a general prohibition on mining in the BWCA but adds a specific exception: mining for taconite, iron ore, sand, gravel, or granite may proceed on state lands in the Rainy River headwaters if the commissioner of natural resources determines it won't harm the BWCA. The bill requires the commissioner to investigate alternatives before approving such mining and mandates legislative approval for permits in these cases. It directly affects state land management decisions and mining operations in these specific regions.