Wednesday, November 19, 2008


Like the mineral bodies, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northeastern Minnesota have much in common. And now, of all things, we have sulfide mining in common. For more information, check out this site: http://www.savethewildup.org/ . The site, of all places, is the Yellow Dog Plains, an area of Jack Pine holding a population of the spruce grouse. And how do I know this? A month ago, at a half price book store ( the greatest stores ever!!), I found, from what I believe, one of the few books on this bird, a more boreal and naive species of grouse that also lives in areas of Northern Minnesota. A fascinating read combining stories and results of research. But I digress. As here, the ore is a low grade sulfide ore copper-nickel, and low grade and sulfide are key words. Low grade means tons of rock and thus, land, followed by much processing and tailings, another key word. For as pointed out, but never answered or solved, is that every sulfide mine has polluted. Every Single One. No exceptions. And despite the claims for Polymet and others, their mines will be the same...Again, with no example of any one of them having not polluted. Not one. Ever. And, for decades, this same acid mine drainage has been flowing into Dunka Creek, then into Dunka bay on Birch Lake between Ely and Babbit. The State, meaning taxpayers, has been paying to solve this for years, just as we have been paying and subsidizing most mine research, including the Taconite process, since the beginning. And we still end up with giant holes and pollution problems. And so, I am against all of this. The arguments will all be economic, and about saving communities now dying or becoming retirement communities, and the word will be jobs, ignoring the words pollution and profits. And again, locals will be suckered into a fools game...that of selling their souls and, land, air and water for jobs guaranteed to be unstable, like all mining jobs, with the community left to pick the mess yet again. If you wish to find out more..go here