BEULAH, N.D. -- A retired North Dakota coal mine is set to become the new home of a nickel processing plant.

Minnesota-based Talon Metals and Westmoreland Mining Co. signed an agreement Wednesday that gives Talon the sole rights to purchase 256 acres of the Beulah Mine along with 7 miles of a nearby rail line. The company hopes to have the facility operational by late 2028.

The 9,000-acre Beulah Mine was shut down by Westmoreland a few years ago after the company filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Today, the area is still home to numerous coal plants and mines, but the closure of Westmoreland and a few power plants has fueled anxiety among officials about the future of the region.

Thanks to an allocated $115 million from the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a huge planned private

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