This report summarizes a Natural Resources Research Institute supported
study (Zanko, 1988) in which the tax and royalty policies of Minnesota, Michigan,
South Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and the Canadian province of Ontario were
examined and their impact on the cost of mining evaluated. The evaluation was
accomplished by applying the policies of each state and province to three
hypothetical non-ferrous mining operations and performing an after tax economic
analysis.
The analysis demonstrated that such policies have a profound effect on
mining costs, and also showed that policy differences between each state and
Ontario are potentially significant enough to influence mineral exploration and
mineral investment decisions. However, and perhaps most importantly, the
analysis also revealed that Minnesota is no longer a high tax state with regard
to non-ferrous mining activity, and in fact compares very well with states
recognized for their lower tax burdens.Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, 5013 Miller Trunk Highway, Duluth, MN 55811-144
