At a recent meeting in Ely, Minnesota a mining company actively exploring the state for metallic sulfide ore bodies expressed opposition to a project that would allow residents to better understand water quality in the area. If the mining industry can’t stop it, the project would represent a significant investment for remote Lake County and could help ensure that the area’s lucrative tourism industry remains intact for years to come.
Bob and Pat Tammen Canoe on Birch Lake; Photo courtesy Lori Andresen
On November 19, the White Iron Chain of Lakes Association (WICOLA) outlined plans before the Lake County Board for an extensive water testing effort of the Kawishiwi River watershed in order to locate pollution sources and prevent future pollution. The project would be funded with $500,000 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and could possibly attract matching funds.
WICOLA, which has not taken a stance on the metallic sulfide mining controversy, has been conducting water testing for years. The $500,000 investment in remote Lake County would be much more comprehensive than previous efforts.
Franconia Minerals Exploration Barge on Birch Lake; Photo courtesy Lori Andresen
Although companies actively pursuing projects in northeastern Minnesota between the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Lake Superior claim that future mining operations would be “sustainable” and have few, if any negative affects on the surrounding environment, Duluth Metals seems concerned with an extensive testing regime that would establish baseline water conditions, allowing future pollution to be readily detected. Duluth Metals and Franconia Minerals are both conducting extensive exploration at Birch Lake, which feeds into the White Iron Chain of Lakes and, ultimately, the Boundary Waters and Hudson’s Bay. Franconia is exploring directly underneath Birch Lake.
Claiming to represent the mining industry, David Oliver, project manager for Duluth Metal’s Nokomis Project, expressed opposition to the proposal and warned WICOLA that they should only be affiliated with metallic sulfide mine supporters.
“The reputation you have is not based on loose associations or casual associations, it comes from newsletters written by Brad Sagen, Carla Arneson, Bob Tammen and we even have a new film star here tonight, Steve (Koschak) in a new anti-mining film,” said Oliver.
Bob Tammen is a retired iron worker from the Minnesota Iron Range and has worked in other area iron mines. Steve Koschak owns a successful family resort on the edge of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
A paranoid Oliver claimed that “half of this crowd isn’t part of WICOLA… which leads me to believe the crew tonight was hand-picked. . . You have members who have written in their own newsletters very shortly after the last meeting… that they’re going to form a watershed plan to stop whatever they’re against.”
Duluth Metals has located what is called the Nokomis Project, in northeastern Minnesota. The company was recently nominated by the Mining Journal for its success in locating the deposit, considered to be possibly one of the world’s largest copper, nickel, platinum, palladium and gold deposits.
LSMN
Eve Divine
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