Burgum and Zinke in Butte Talking Russian Palladium Tariffs

Bringing back mining jobs in Montana, and reducing our dependence on China when it comes to critical minerals.

President Trump's Interior Secretary joined Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) in Butte to talk about the continued effort to enact tariffs on Russian palladium, and bring back Montana mining jobs at the Stillwater Mine. They also highlighted the role that places like Butte and Montana Tech can play in making the US less dependent on China for critical minerals.

Meanwhile, Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) started the day with Secretary Burgum and Congressman Zinke in Bozeman. He then joined Fox Business for a big story broadcasting LIVE right in front of the Stillwater Mine. (Video below)

Here's some quotes following the events in Butte: 

"Montana stands at the forefront of America's mining future, and today's visit underlines the Trump administration, Congressman Zinke and the entire Montana delegation's commitment to restoring American Mineral Dominance and advancing a bold, pro-worker agenda across the West," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "After years of burdensome restrictions under the Biden administration, that locked up our energy and mineral supply and drove up costs, President Donald J. Trump has launched a decisive resurgence in American energy and mining that is making life more affordable for Montana families - beginning with unleashing our vast domestic resources. At Interior, we will continue working hand-in-hand with our partners in Western states to restore America’s mining legacy by cutting red tape, streamlining permitting and ensuring critical minerals are produced here at home."

“President Trump and Secretary Burgum have been in lock step with the entire Montana delegation fighting for Montana mining jobs against corrupt foreign influence and manipulation,” said Congressman Ryan Zinke. “On behalf of the governor, senators and Montana miners I thank the administration for implementing a 132% tariff on Russian mineral imports which will bring good paying jobs back to Montana. In Montana, we know better than anyone that there’s appropriate places to mine and not, the men and women mining the Stillwater, Silver-Bow and other Montana mines do it right. They use the highest technology, have a strong reclamation and safety plan, and they hire brilliant Montana Tech grads. We need to be doing more mining in Montana, not less.”

"It's an honor to host the U.S. Secretary of the Interior on Montana Tech's campus in Butte, the Mining City. This university has been rising to meet America's emerging needs for 125 years, and we're well positioned for today's watershed moment involving critical materials and energy,” said Montana Tech University Chancellor Johnny MacLean. “We're grateful for Congressman Zinke for arranging this roundtable, and we’re thrilled to share the solutions with Secretary Burgum that our engineers, scientists, and industry partners are developing."

Heather McDowell, Sr Vice President and General Counsel at Sibanye-Stillwater said: "We at Sibanye-Stillwater are proud to mine and recycle critical minerals in Montana for the USA. We believe the US can and must continue to responsibly produce domestic critical minerals, like our platinum and palladium, under US standards and not be captive to foreign adversaries from unregulated regions, like Russia, who are competing in our global markets. The Trump Administration’s enforcement of US trade law in its preliminary imposition of 132% tariffs on Russian palladium imports will help level this playing field. We are especially grateful to our Montana Congressional Delegation for its unwavering commitment to our people and operations. Keeping Russian palladium out of the US market has contributed to the prices we needed to ensure that we can keep producing critical minerals for generations to come. We are fully motivated to get back to full operations, but it is not going to be this year. We're really trying to focus on the long term because we want to make sure that we get this right."