Pillaged Porcupines
- Evan Whitfield
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
Image: Izzy Debord
Michigan’s Upper Penisula has a long mining history starting in the mid-19th century in the Keweenaw Penisula. The Keweenaw is known for its rich copper mines which still pique the interest of mining companies to this day. At the western base of the Keweenaw sits the Porcupine Mountains. This is a Wilderness State Park home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the Midwest. This spot also happens to be the prospective mining area for the Copperwood Mine for Highland Copper a Canadian-based mining company from British Columbia.
The Copperwood mine sits at the southwestern base of the Porcupine Mountains and will drill underneath the park so as to not disturb the surface. Highland Copper has proposed that this mine would yield 820 million pounds of copper and 3.2 million ounces of silver. The company has stated that the mine will have an operational life of approximately 11 years. The Copperwood mine applied for a grant of $50 million dollars with the stipulation that they had raised an additional three times that amount in funds as well. The Senate Appropriations Committee was supposed to meet on December 14th, 2024 but the meeting was cancelled. This was stirred by a large group of concerned citizens who are worried about the consequences of the mine.
Many people have spoken out on the negative effects this mine can have on the surrounding environment. The main cause for concern is that the mine is backed right up to the shores of Lake Superior. Not only will the mining naturally affect the lake and lakeshore it will also be using water from the lake to operate the mine while excavating 7,710 cubic yards of material from the lake to construct a pipeline. In addition to this, the waste from the mine will be permanently stored in a dump 320 acres uphill from Lake Superior. Furthermore, mine tailings, a combination of rock, groundwater, and chemical reagents will simply be emptied out onto the surface of the mine. The mine remains inactive in the pre-construction phase, but citizens are still very concerned about the repercussions.
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