Lands and Minerals releases information to the public regarding many subjects including but not limited to:
state land sales
nonferrous metallic minerals lease sales
exploration plans for nonferrous metallic minerals leases
helium/hydrogen gas production rulemaking
construction aggregate maps
data releases
This webpage provides a home for Lands and Minerals related news releases. If you would like to be notified of these news releases please sign up below with your email address. This does not cover PolyMet related news releases. If you would like to be notified of PolyMet related news releases please visit the PolyMet website.
December 2025
Dec. 22, 2025 - DNR 2025 land auction was a great success
2025 public land sale results
DNR land auctions are essential to manage the state’s public lands
Land sales are a vital part of the DNR’s efforts to strategically and regularly improve Minnesota’s public land offerings so that the land meets our conservation and recreation needs. It’s similar to how a farmer might sell land that isn’t suitable for crops to a neighbor, allowing for better use. At the DNR, we periodically sell surplus lands to invest in higher-quality lands for the benefit of all Minnesotans.
2025 land auction season at a glance
In Carlton County, a small, isolated 2.57-acre property near Wrenshall, MN, was sold at auction for $75,250. The proceeds from this sale may be reinvested to help the DNR acquire higher-quality state lands for recreational, environmental, or economic benefits.
In Clearwater and Wadena counties, bids on three landlocked properties resulted in the sale of 120 acres out of 188 acres of school trust lands, generating about $130,000 for the state’s Permanent School Fund, which supports 850,000 K-12 students in Minnesota.
The 67-acre school trust land parcel in St. Louis County did not sell and may be available for purchase at a future public auction.
December auction results
| Sale # | County | Parcel name | Acres | Minimum bid | Final bid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09274 | Carlton | Silver Brook Twp. Hwy 23 | 2.57 | $5,000 | $75,250 |
| 15052 | Clearwater | Popple Twp. S15 | 40 | $30,000 | $54,000 |
| 15053 | Clearwater | Popple Twp. S11 | 40 | $30,000 | $50,350 |
| 69060 | St. Louis | Fredenberg Twp #2 | 67.90 | $210,000 | No bids |
| 80247 | Wadena | Orton Twp. S12-2 | 40 | $23,000 | $41,000 |
DNR land auctions in the news
The 2025 land auction was featured on KSTP Channel 5. Watch the news story to hear more about how this land sale helped the DNR improve public land and contribute to Minnesota’s high quality of life—and public education.
DNR auctioning 188 acres to boost Minnesota schools - KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News
Future land auctions
Information about 2026 public land auctions will be posted on the DNR land sale webpage. Questions? Please call 651-259-5432, 888-646-6367 or email DNR Land Sales
November 2025
Nov. 18, 2025 - Online auction announced for the Minnesota DNR's December land sale
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has state lands for sale in Carlton, Clearwater, St. Louis, and Wadena counties. Several rural properties for sale provide numerous recreational opportunities.
To ensure that Minnesota has the best public land offerings, the DNR sells land that no longer meets the state’s conservation, recreation, or economic needs. This December’s sale will also help the DNR meet its fiduciary responsibility to K-12 public education. This December, 188 of the 190 acres for sale are school trust lands. One of the trust parcels for sale in Fredenberg Township offers 67 acres of recreational space near Island Lake Reservoir, located northwest of Duluth.
School trust lands were granted to the state by the federal government to generate a continual source of income for public education. The DNR is selling four parcels of school trust land that no longer meet the state’s management needs and have limited opportunities to generate income. Revenue from the trust land sales will go into the Permanent School Fund, which supports 850,000 students in K-12 public education by distributing revenue to every public and charter school in the state.
Visit the DNR land sale webpage for more information about the December online public land auction, preview lands for sale, and learn how to register for an account to bid on properties.
The auction
Properties will be available for bidding Tuesday, Dec. 2 through Tuesday, Dec. 16.
The December online public land auction partners with the Minnesota Department of Administration at MNBid , Minnesota’s Surplus Services online auction website.
Register to bid
Anyone interested in bidding on a property needs to register for an account on MNBid prior to participating in the auction. Visit the DNR land sale webpage to obtain property data sheets, terms and conditions of sale, and instructions for participating in the MNBid system.
Contact us
Call 651-259-5432, 888-646-6367 or email with questions about a specific property.
Nov. 14, 2025 - Plan submitted to explore on state nonferrous metallic minerals leases
Franconia Minerals (US) LLC (Franconia), a subsidiary of Twin Metals Minnesota LLC (Twin Metals), proposes to continue exploration for metallic minerals in St. Louis County in an area approximately five (5) miles east of Babbitt, MN. The plan proposes drilling exploratory borings and conducting down-hole geophysical surveys. This area has been explored intermittently since 2005.
If the proposal meets the requirements of applicable state laws and is approved by the DNR, Franconia will have the right to explore the specified state lands under a nonferrous metallic mineral lease consistent with the exploration plan, any conditions, and applicable laws and rules.
Find a summary report and associated map of the proposed exploration related activities at the DNR's exploration plan webpage.
July 2025
July 22, 2025 - Aggregate Resource Potential Map for Yellow Medicine County published by DNR’s Aggregate Resource Mapping Program
Geologists in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Aggregate Resource Mapping Program (ARMP) have completed a new natural resource map showing the potential for sand and gravel deposits and crushed stone resources in Yellow Medicine County.
These maps are a vital tool for identifying materials needed to build the roads, bridges, and buildings that support our communities.
The full dataset for Yellow Medicine County, including digital maps of aggregate resources and a countywide gravel pit survey, is now publicly available on the Aggregate Resources Mapping Program webpage.
The public, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and industry can download the digital map plates (PDF format) and related geospatial data. Paper copy maps are available upon request.
The sand and gravel maps are the most recent products from the ARMP, providing field-researched information to locate sand, gravel, and crushed stone resources and characterize the quality of a deposit. DNR geologists in the ARMP are working towards creating detailed aggregate maps for every county statewide.
The Minnesota Legislature established the ARMP in 1984. Today, 30 Minnesota counties have access to completed aggregate resource maps. A three-year grant from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, provided funding for mapping aggregate resources in Yellow Medicine County.
For more information, visit the Aggregate Mapping Methodology webpage. Contact DNR geologist Heather Arends to request maps and to inquire about aggregate resource maps for your county.
March 2025
March 20, 2025 - Plan submitted to explore on state nonferrous metallic minerals leases
Minnesota DNR received an exploration plan from Talon Nickel (USA) LLC (Talon) on March 13, 2025. Talon proposes to continue nonferrous mineral exploration on state leases in Aitkin and Carlton counties. The plan covers an area extending from 6.5 miles north to 8 miles southeast of Tamarack, MN. The plan proposes drilling exploratory borings and conducting various down-hole and ground geophysical surveys. This exploration plan is nearly identical to Talon exploration plans submitted in March of 2023 and March of 2024, which were both authorized by the DNR. DNR exploration plan authorizations typically have a one-year duration and only authorize activities on state lands.
Kennecott holds the state leases and designated Talon as the operator for the proposed exploration activity. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved the operating agreement between Kennecott and Talon.
If the proposal meets the requirements of applicable state laws and is approved by the DNR, Talon will have the right to explore the specified state lands under a nonferrous metallic mineral lease consistent with the exploration plan, any conditions, and applicable laws and rules.
Find a summary report and associated map of the proposed exploration related activities at the DNR's exploration plan webpage.
January 2025
Jan. 23, 2025 - Plan submitted to explore on state nonferrous metallic minerals leases
Metallic mineral exploration is proposed in St. Louis County in an area four miles southeast of Babbitt, Minnesota. Encampment Minerals Inc. (Encampment) proposes drilling exploratory borings and conducting down-hole geophysical surveys. Encampment has explored this area intermittently since 2011.
If the proposal meets the requirements of applicable state laws and is approved by the DNR, Encampment will have the right to explore the specified state lands under a nonferrous metallic mineral lease consistent with the exploration plan, any conditions, and applicable laws and rules.
Find a summary report and associated map of the proposed exploration related activities at the DNR's exploration plan webpage.
Jan. 16, 2025 - DNR submits legislative report with draft recommendations for a temporary regulatory framework for gas resource development in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), on behalf of the state’s Gas Resources Technical Advisory Committee (GTAC), has submitted a report to the State Legislature. The report includes recommendations and draft legislative language for a temporary framework to regulate the development of gas resources such as hydrogen and helium in Minnesota. The legislative report includes recommended best practices for regulating gas production which were prepared by a team of permitting and legal specialists with expertise in gas regulations from other U.S. states. The full report is available for download on the state’s Regulatory Framework for Developing Gas Resources in Minnesota website.
In November 2024, GTAC completed a set of draft recommendations and statutory language for a temporary regulatory framework. The committee shared these draft recommendations with Tribes in Minnesota, held public in-person meetings, and conducted a public input period in December to gather feedback. GTAC considered all feedback as it finalized the recommendations and the draft legislative language for a temporary regulatory framework for gas resource development.
The Minnesota Legislature will review GTAC's recommendations and draft legislative language for a temporary regulatory framework. If the legislature accepts these recommendations and approves the temporary framework, it will govern the permitting of gas production projects while agencies complete a comprehensive rulemaking process related to this sector. However, if the legislature does not enact legislation for permitting gas development projects during the rulemaking period, the 2024 moratorium on oil and gas production will remain in effect, and the state will not consider applications for permits for gas production projects until the rulemaking process is completed in 2026.
For more information, visit the state’s Regulatory Framework for Developing Gas Resources in Minnesota website.