Sulfide and Uranium Mining

The State of Michigan, federal government, and large and small mineral rights owners have been leasing their rights to private mineral exploration companies for decades.  But over the past 10 years or so, the pace of leasing has picked up, in anticipation of Michigan opening up a new metallic sulfide mining district. Instability of third world mining, and the desire of industry to establish new domestic sources, make the discoveries of Zinc, Nickel, and Copper ore deposits especially important.  Potential mining and the widespread exploration of minerals, pose a clear threat to the environment, economy, and community of the Upper Peninsula.  This type of mining is NOT our heritage!

Quick - Links

Environment

  • Unlike our iron mining heritage, metallic sulfide mining takes place in sulfide ore.
  • The risk of creating sulfuric acid (battery acid) is very high when removing the metals from this type of ore.
  • Sulfuric acid is created when water and air chemically combine with exposed sulfides in the rock.
  • Acids seep through the rock much the same way water seeps through coffee, creating a brew of toxic heavy metals (called Acid Mine Drainage, or AMD).
  • AMD can drain into nearby rivers and seep into the groundwater - killing fish, plants, and wildlife and contaminating local drinking water.

Economy

  • The Yellow Dog ore body may be worth 2.8 billion dollars. 90% of the profits will leave Michigan.
  • The proposed mine will only create temporary jobs (five to seven years), and a large number of them may not go to U.P. residents.
  • Tourism has brought over 1,400,000 people to Marquette County yearly, bringing more than $77,000,000 to the local economy.  Many of these people come to enjoy our beautiful outdoors and are directly responsible for 1,600 jobs
  • Studies show that the vast majority of mining communities, especially in the Great Lakes region, have worsened income, unemployment rates, and poverty when a mine closes

Community

  • Metallic sulfide mines will require massive development of infrastructure, destroying the rural and wild nature of the UP.
  • Mining will require processing areas, tailing ponds, electric power grids to supply the power needed for mining, paved roads replacing gravel and dirt roads, and rail lines where there were none before.
  • Fences and no trespassing signs will replace public access.

Kennecott and the Yellow Dog Plains

Salmon Trout River

Salmon Trout River
near proposed mine
Photo by Steve Garske

Kennecott Minerals Corporation is planning an underground metallic sulfide mining project on the Yellow Dog Plains (near Big Bay, MI) called The Eagle Project.  Exploration has identified several minerals, including nickel, zinc and other metals.  This proposed mine would be operated near the headwaters of two very important rivers - the Salmon Trout and the Yellow Dog.

The proposed Yellow Dog Mine endangers many important areas and resources of the Upper Peninsula: The McCormick Tract, Huron Mountains, Pinnacle Falls, Lake Independence, and, most importantly, Lake Superior.

Kennecott’s environmental track record is poor.  Their Greens Creek Mine in Alaska has violated the Clean Water Act on 391 occasions.  During operation the discharge from Wisconsin’s Flambeau Mine far exceeded groundwater standards.

Kennecott’s record in respecting workers is poor.  “. . .We can only conclude that this company has exercised targeted retaliation against union members and union-represented workers for exercising their legal and constitutional rights..." Leo Gerard, International President of the 600,000 member United Steel Workers of America.

Back Forty Project and the Menominee River

Menominee River

Menominee River
Photo by Doug Cornett

This prospective mine is owned by Mineral Processing Corporation, and found east of the town of Stephenson, MI, near the Menominee River and Shakey Lakes. It is within an important ecological area, the Shakey Lakes Savanna, which is known for its rare, endangered, and unusual plants. These lands are steeped in rich Native American history, and known to contain important remnants of past Indian settlement, that date back to prehistoric times.

Legislation

In December of 2004 Public Act 449, which creates regulations governing metallic sulfide mining, was signed by Jennifer Granholm.  Laws will be inadequate to stop pollution and the degradation of anywhere sulfide mining may take place; permits are only a license to pollute.

How You Can Help

By working together the people of Wisconsin were able to enact legislation requiring a company prove it can operate a metallic sulfide mine safely and without pollution before it is allowed to start an operation in the state. Together we can do the same!  Should we settle for any less than a guarantee of safety?
  • IT IS IMPORTANT THAT LARGE NUMBERS OF CONCERNED CITIZENS ATTEND THE DEQ MEETINGS AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
  • Go to this Action Alert page to tell your State Representative to oppose the sulfide mining in Michigan.  To find out who your Representative is go here.
  • Contact your State Representative and let him/her know how you feel.  Here is a sample letter.
  • Keep yourself informed by bookmarking this page and/or signing up for our email list updates to get the latest on metallic sulfide mining.
  • Download our brochure on Sulfide Mining in Michigan in .pdf format (if you need to download Acrobat Reader you can find it here).
  • Talk to your friends and neighbors about what is happening.
  • Visit the Yellow Dog Plains, Salmon Trout River, Menominee River and see what is at risk.
  • Consider supporting one of the organizations listed below that are working against metallic sulfide mining in Michigan. Donations and volunteers are needed.  Please check with each group or their website to see their tax deductible status.

Save the
Wild U.P.
www.savethewildup.org
P.O. Box 552
Marquette, MI 49855

Yellow Dog
Watershed Preserve
www.yellowdogwatershed.org
P.O. Box 5
Big Bay, MI 49808

Northwoods Wilderness Recovery
www.northwoodswild.org
P.O. Box 122
Marquette, MI 49855
# Article Title Author Hits
# Article Title Author Hits
1 Rio Tinto: Investing in Instability Gabriel Caplett 1199
2 Uranium Exploration in the UP Gabriel Caplett 1060
3 Coaster Brook Trout Update Gabriel Caplett 1185
4 Crandon Update Gabriel Caplett 1649
5 Flambeau Update Gabriel Caplett 1053
6 Foth & VanDyke, Contracted by MPC Gabriel Caplett 935
7 Spills at Kennecott's Green's Creek Mine Gabriel Caplett 1061
8 Metallic Sulfide Mining in Minnesota Gabriel Caplett 1303
9 Prime Meridian's Roots in Rio Gabriel Caplett 1084
10 Rio Tinto Buys Into Alaska's "Pebble" Project Gabriel Caplett 1009