"... So you're OK with a foreign corporation ..."  If they obey the law and pay their taxes, sure.  ;-)  The jobs they would provide and the goods and services they purchased from the local economy will far and away outstrip (no pun intended) any profit they might make.

"... thousands of acres of our forest ..."  That's the area proposed for legislative withdrawal, not the proposed area of mining.  In fact, it is not at all certain there ever would be any mining.  The proposal (according to other news reports online) is only for a permit to conduct exploratory drilling.  The impact for that is more like tens of acres, not thousands (and the company will have to reclaim the sites).  

"... leaving us with a toxic mess ..."  Not likely, at least if the geology and mineralogy is like the historical nickel mining near Riddle.

In any event, doubtful a mine would ever be permitted - too many hurdles in place with NEPA, the EIS, Clean Water Act, etc, etc.

Btw, do you use nickel?  ;-)