Today’s column (gift link) introduces three new Minnesota industries that could relieve some of the economic chaos caused by the war in Iran.
Shortly after the first bombs of “Operation Epic Fury,” prices for anhydrous ammonia used for fertilizer, helium used in medical and tech sectors and minerals used in everything else quickly increased. Like oil and gas, the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz is roiling world markets.
Interestingly, three companies seek to produce or recover those very products in Minnesota. They all boast low environmental impact and better prices for local companies. A new plant in Blue Earth could produce ammonia using wind energy. The Pulsar Helium discovery in northeastern Minnesota appears commercially viable. And now, a new Iron Range company claims to be close to a feasible e-waste recycling facility that avoids using smelting.
The war is today’s problem, but only the first of many to come. A state that can provide for itself has more to gain from trade and less to lose from uncertainty.
Read “As war drives up prices, homegrown green tech frees Minnesota from chaos,” in the Tuesday, March 17, 2025 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
