Although the matter was somewhat in doubt, it now appears the bill introduced back in February by state Rep. Sara Cambensy relative to mining practices in Michigan will become law.

House Bill 4227 would create the Committee on Michigan’s Mining Future. It would be responsible for making advisory legislative and policy recommendations to strengthen and develop sustainable mining practices in Michigan.

The bill was approved by the state Senate this week — unanimously, no less — after it had passed the House, 107-1.

It now heads to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her signature following a final House vote. Whitmer, by all accounts, is expected to sign it.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers for their near-unanimous support for my mining bill,” Cambensy said in a news release distributed statewide. “This committee will serve the needs of the capital-intensive mining industry, which currently suffers from a lack of coordination and long-term planning among its many public and private stakeholders.”

One example of what the committee could do is to explore research and advancements in mining such as Michigan Tech University’s phosphorous-eating bacteria and lithium ion battery recycling center, as well as applications in high-tech medical devices and other technologies.

Cambensy, who has been ahead of the mining issue since taking office, is nicely positioned this time, too. We hope the governor signs the bill quickly.