Mining company moves ahead with plans to drill in northern Wisconsin

A Canadian mining firm is transferring forward with plans to drill for copper and gold in northern Wisconsin and will quickly submit plans to drill for gold close to Wausau. The event comes as some Wisconsin tribes and residents work to forestall mining and strengthen environmental protections.

GreenLight Metals, doing enterprise as GreenLight Wisconsin, desires to conduct exploratory drilling of the Bend deposit at a 40-acre web site owned by the U.S. Forest Service in Taylor County. The deposit is believed to include 4 million tons of largely copper and gold.

GreenLight submitted a discover of intent to drill detailing its plans and a wetland report back to the Wisconsin Division of Pure Sources in late September. Paperwork submitted to the DNR state GreenLight hopes to start drilling in November as soon as the bottom has frozen.

Dan Colton, president and CEO of GreenLight Metals, mentioned in an announcement that its filings with the state symbolize the primary of many steps the corporate should take earlier than drilling can start.

“As our nation works to strengthen our nationwide protection and develop important infrastructure by way of domestically sourcing clear power minerals, GreenLight seems to be ahead to the position it might play in constructing a extra sustainable, clear power financial system,” mentioned Colton.

The corporate is proposing to drill at six new websites on personal and federal land the place GreenLight is leasing mineral rights from Soo Line Railroad, in any other case often known as Canadian Pacific Railway. The corporate maintains solely two wetlands and no waterways exist throughout the drilling space.

“GreenLight Wisconsin’s advisor went out and investigated the location and evaluated the present web site circumstances and have indicated that the proposal will keep away from any regulated wetlands that exist out within the area,” mentioned Ben Callan, chief of the DNR’s integration providers part.

Even so, GreenLight notes wooden matting, that are used for short-term water crossings, could also be required over a ditch containing a wetland to entry the location. The corporate expects work to final about three months. Reclamation of the location can be accomplished inside six months of the date the corporate not wants the drill holes. GreenLight estimates it’s going to price practically $46,000 to desert 9 drill holes and restore the world.

The DNR is at the moment evaluating any permits or approvals which may be required and whether or not the company wants extra data from the corporate. State regulators have 30 days from receipt of the paperwork to approve or deny GreenLight’s plans.

Karl Welch, appearing pure assets employees officer for the Chequamegon-Nicolet Nationwide Forest, mentioned in an announcement that GreenLight acquired approval from the forest to maneuver forward with drilling as outlined by the corporate.

“GreenLight might want to get hold of all permits required by the Wisconsin Division of Pure Sources earlier than beginning their work,” Welch mentioned.

Aquila Sources most lately performed exploratory drilling of the Bend deposit in 2012, in keeping with the DNR.

GreenLight additionally submitted plans to drill on the Reef deposit close to Wausau, however these plans had been withdrawn. Callan mentioned the corporate is updating plans to do exploratory drilling of the Reef deposit earlier than the company begins its assessment. He expects them to submit revised plans quickly, however no express timeline was given.

In August, the corporate detailed its plans to start exploring the Reef deposit this winter. That deposit is roughly 12 miles east of Wausau in Marathon County close to the Dells of the Eau Claire River. The deposit is believed to include round 454,000 tons of gold reserves.

On Tuesday, Marathon County’s environmental assets committee debated a decision calling on the state Legislature to repeal a 2017 regulation that lifted the state’s sulfide mining moratorium. Residents and tribes, together with the Menominee Indian Tribe and Ho-Chunk Nation, have voiced issues the corporate’s plans would result in contamination of the area’s water assets. The Ho-Chunk Nation already handed a decision in July, opposing the corporate’s challenge.

In 2017, the Republican-controlled state Legislature repealed a provision that required corporations to show different mines operated after which had been closed for 10 years with out inflicting environmental hurt. The decision earlier than the committee requested lawmakers to go new laws that will strengthen environmental protections from sulfide exploration and mining, in addition to increase native management.

“I actually really feel that it’ll convey again your much-needed native management,” mentioned Nancy Stencil, a resident within the city of Pink Mountain.

Marathon County Board Supervisor Jean Maszk, who introduced the decision ahead, mentioned the county wants extra say over mining.

“We have to shield our water, and I don’t wish to see a mining firm coming in and pollute it in the event that they do mine,” Maszk mentioned.

Some members of the committee and county board voiced concern the decision would contradict the county’s mining ordinance and mentioned it lacked political help from lawmakers. Jacob Langenhahn, committee chair, mentioned it might be higher to handle mining issues with the state Legislature.

“I don’t see an avenue on the place the county might have a possible sway in what occurs within the Capitol. I simply don’t,” Langenhahn mentioned. “It’s politics. It’s what it’s.”

Marathon County Board Chair Kurt Gibbs pointed to the Flambeau mine for example of sulfide mining that may be accomplished responsibly.

Environmentalists disagreed and filed a lawsuit in opposition to Flambeau Mining Firm. In 2012, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported a federal choose dominated the corporate violated federal clear water legal guidelines, but in addition concluded that air pollution was minimal.

The committee did not vote on the decision. Metals like gold and copper, that are present in sulfide ore our bodies, haven’t been mined within the state for the reason that Flambeau mine shut down in 1997.