Michigan approves 'extremely toxic' copper mine just 100ft from Lake Superior

Release time：2024-04-30 05:54:19 Source：Global Gazetteer news portal

Michigan has approved a $50 million copper mine that has sparked outrage among residents due to its close proximity to Lake Superior.

Canada-based Highland Copper is set to break ground 100 feet from the lake and start production in 2026, which the company said could produce 65 million pounds of the metal over the course of 11 years.

Controversy over the mine kicked into high gear last year when the company cleared a section of the state park's one-billion-year-old forest, filled in the wetlands and permanently rerouted the North Country Trail's streams. 

Copper mines are labeled as the most toxic to human health because they can release chemicals like mercury, arsenic and lead that have been identified as the 'top 10 chemicals of major public health concern' by the World Health Organization.

The copper mine will be located only 100 feet from Lake Superior, making it the closest metallic sulfide site and raising concerns that the mining waste will harm the environment

Copperwood Resources has already cleared a section of the one-billion-year-old forest, permanently re-routed streams and filled in the wetlands

Lake Superior sees 3.5 million visitors annually, meaning the lake's exposure to mining waste could not only pollute marine wildlife, but could also pose a harm to public health

Copper is an essential material used for heat, electricity, and renewable energy mediums like solar and wind power.

The element is also used to create the batteries, wiring and charging stations for electric vehicles which are becoming essential as the US pushes for more EVs and demands for renewable energy grows.

The Copperwood Mine will be located in the foothills of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, which has been ranked as the most beautiful state park in the US.

It will also be adjacent to the North Country Trail - the longest hiking trail in the country - which is drawn out across a 4,800-mile expanse from North Dakota to Vermont.

Highland Copper confirmed the project will be an underground mine that uses the room-and-pillar mining method to process nearly 7,500 tons of copper per day.

This method requires workers to extract copper by digging out cave-like sections while leaving pillars of dirt to support the roof of the mine. 

The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park has been ranked the most beautiful national park in the US and includes the North Country Trail, which is the longest in the country

Copperwood Resources started excavating the site last year, but first conducted exploratory drilling in 2018 when it received a $25,000 fine for damaging the wetlands and discharging muddy water

Quentin L. Messer, Jr., head of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said: 'The economic impact of this project – with high wage direct jobs and countless community-supporting indirect jobs – cannot be overstated, as it translates to greater economic stability and prosperity for families, small businesses, and the local community. 

'Copperwood Mine is another example of a company leveraging Michigan assets to ensure our continued leadership in sustainability and mobility innovation. 

'We will continue working to win projects, invest in places and attract people as we encourage businesses of all sizes to 'Make it in Michigan.'

However, hundreds of locals have exhibited an opposite opinion about the project including petitioners and environmentalists who are fighting to stop the Copperwood Mine, saying it will harm the area.

Wakefield Township resident and petition writer Tom Grotewohl told local WNMU-FM that the mine would be a threat to the environment, public recreation, and the local economy.

Grotewohl also noted that most of what is set to be mined would not actually be copper. 

The Copper Mine will be open for 11 years and the company said it will process 7,500 tons of copper per day

'Because only 1.45 percent of what comes out of the ground is copper and the remaining 98.55 percent is toxic waste, which contains at least 15 constituents of environmental health concern, including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, lead.'

John Coleman, with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, said the commission has raised concerns about the project for more than a decade.

'We have concerns about the tailings basin, the long term stability, and have asked [the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy] to include the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in review of the final design,' he said.

Highland Copper has previously stated that the company is prepared to minimize and mitigate pollution, and have secured nearly all required permits from Michigan’s environmental regulatory agency. 

A Change.org petition that's been signed by more than 19,700 people, argued that for every ton of ore extracted, 29 pounds will be copper while the remaining 1,971 pounds will consist of waste.

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 The Sibelco mine is located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina and is the top producer of the world's high-purity quartz

Mining waste could expose people to potentially harmful levels of toxic substances like arsenic, mercury and cadmium - a white metal found in zinc ores.

Copper mines have a poor track record for containing waste, according to Earthworks an environmental protection organization, which found that 100 percent of copper mines had pipeline spills and 92 percent didn't adequately control mine wastewater.

Earthworks also reported that 28 percent of copper mines failed to impound its tailings which polluted marine wildlife, drinking water, wildlife habitat, and threatened the public's health. 

Highland Copper, parent company of Copperwood Resources, also has a questionable track record.

In 2018, the company was fined $25,000 for damaging the wetlands and discharging muddy water while conducting exploratory drilling under Porcupine Mountains State Park.

The petitioners referenced the fine as one of the reasons they don't want the mine nearby but added that the negative impact it will have on the wildlife makes it essential that Copperwood stops production.

They said the signees 'are not calling for a moratorium on all mining, nor are we stating that the industry is inherently evil. 

'We are merely exercising what is called common sense.'

They added: 'Just as we would not allow a maximum security prison next door to a pre-school, we should not entertain a metallic sulfide mine at the juncture of a historic hiking trail, a designated Wilderness Area, and a freshwater sea. This is not a controversial view.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to Copperwood Resources for comment. 

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