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Environmental Groups Oppose Possible Boundary Waters Mining

pixabay.com

Mining returned to the news in Wisconsin recently with an effort authored by state Senator Tom Tiffany and Representative Rob Hutton to repeal Wisconsin's Mining Moratorium Law. But in nearby Minnesota, environmental groups are raising alarm bells about proposed mining near the 1.1 million acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Wilderness Watch Conservation Director is  Kevin Proescholdt in Minneapolis. He says there's a band of copper and nickel that arc toward and go into the Boundary waters. A Canadian company called Poly-Met is proposing a large open pit mine not far from the Boundary Waters. He says the St. Louis Rivershed would be affected by that operation. The second proposal is by Twin Metals which would be closer to the Boundary Waters. That would be a large underground mine...

"...the water flowage comes out of the Boundary Waters, past this area of mineralization and then goes back into the Boundary Waters. So any of the acid mine drainage and mobilization of heavy metals that could flow back into the Boundary Waters, even along the international boundary going further north to Voyageurs National Park...."

Proescholdt says a chief concern is a potential for a thousand years worth of potential pollution, as reported in on mining company's environmental report. He says a large coalition of anti-mining causes have been working against the proposed mines. He says Poly-Met is applying for needed permit and is working on a large land exchange. Twin Metals land leases have expired.

Proescholdt says there is also a effort by federal agencies to do a two-year study about the minerals within the Boundary Waters. He says more information is at their website Wilderness Watch.org / Boundary Waters.

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