Rio Tinto Receives State Approval for Humboldt Milling Facility

February 9, 2010

Satellite map of Rio Tinto's planned Humboldt milling facility; Photo courtesy Google Maps

One day before a hearing on the company’s proposed 22-mile haul road, Rio Tinto is announcing it has obtained all state permits for its planned Humboldt milling facility.

At a December public hearing on the mill, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community geologist, Chuck Brumleve, noted that the DEQ’s approval of the Humboldt Project was opposed by both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Reading from an EPA statement, Brumleve reported that the agency is “concerned the currently proposed project may have significant adverse impacts on the ecosystem.  We object to the issuance of a permit for this project.”

Brumleve said that the US Fish and Wildlife Service requested “that the MDEQ not issue a permit for the proposed work.” Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan, water pollution | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Marquette City Commission Opposes Water-Mining Ballot; City Endorsed Ballot Provision In Past (with Video)

December 15, 2009

After addressing pollution concerns at the former Cliffs-Dow site, the Marquette City Commission took public comment on a proposed anti-ballot initiative resolution [read Marquette City Resolution Opposing Water Mining Ballot Initiative].  The “MiWater” ballot initiative would place greater restrictions on metallic sulfide and uranium mining activities in Michigan.  Despite offering unanimous support for the resolution, commissioners presented a fairly diverse argument in their opposition to the MiWater ballot initiative.  The majority of citizens providing public comment outlined various arguments in support of the ballot effort.

New commissioner David Saint-Onge questioned why the City was considering the resolution.

“As a new guy on the commission, I’m not so sure why this issue comes before us, to be honest with you, why we’re taking the amount of time that we’ve taken to address this issue – not that it’s not important,” said Saint-Onge. “I do believe that there are some portions of the resolution that’s being offered this evening that are unnecessarily inflammatory.” Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Eagle Mine, economy, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, lake superior, Law, Michigan, uranium, water, water pollution, workers | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Marquette County Approves Public Portion of Rio Tinto’s Haul Road for Proposed Eagle Mine

October 20, 2009
Sticker distributed before meeting by Rio Tinto's Chantae Lessard

Sticker distributed before meeting by Rio Tinto's Senior Advisor for Government and Community Relations, Chantae Lessard

West Ishpeming, Michigan - Last week Rio Tinto’s head spokesperson for the proposed Eagle Mine, Deb Muchmore, informed AP that she is the new spokeswoman for a “citizen” campaign:  Citizens to Protect Michigan Jobs.  Today’s public meeting regarding Rio Tinto’s proposed haul road, for the mine, featured public comment from a number of current and potential Rio Tinto employees, many sporting pro-road stickers passed out by Chantae Lessard, Senior Advisor for Government and Community Relations for Rio Tinto.

The organizing effort paid off for the company with a large turnout in support of the project Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Eagle Mine, public land | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Water Pollution, Job Creation Concerns at DEQ Mill Hearing

March 6, 2009

Humboldt, Michigan – While a blizzard raged in the eastern part of the county, about 100 citizens attended a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) hearing on a mining application for Kennecott-Rio Tinto’s proposed Humboldt Mill project. Comments were starkly divided between those citing perceived job creation as motivation for their support of the project and those concerned about the proposed Eagle Project and potential for water pollution and fugitive dust problems at the site.

Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Déjà vu at the old Humboldt Mill

February 25, 2009

By Gabriel Caplett

Humboldt Township, MI – Callahan Mining Company purchased the Humboldt Mill facility from Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company (CCI) in the early 1980s. Callahan began milling gold ore from its Ropes Gold Mine in 1985. The company permanently closed both the mine and milling operations by 1991, citing a decline in the price of gold, mine flooding and “ground control” issues that caused serious worker safety problems. A 1989 “compliance review” found that high levels of copper, nickel and cyanide were leaving the Humboldt tailings pit and entering the local water supply.  The site is considered one of few known major sources of toxic selenium release in the Upper Peninsula.

Rio Tinto’s Humboldt Mill plans and promises have much in common, historically, with Callahan’s operation decades ago: Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Rio Tinto’s Jon Cherry Gives Humboldt Mill Presentation; Avoids Mention of Severe Pollution and Health Hazards

February 25, 2009

Humboldt Township, Michigan – Jon Cherry, Rio Tinto’s Eagle Project Manager, presented the company’s plans for the Humboldt Mill to a packed crowd at the Humboldt Township Hall on January 12, 2009, but steered away from questions about likely pollution.

Rio Tinto is a “good company that operate[s] to the same level of safety and environmental standards worldwide, regardless where we’re operating,” Cherry said.

But University of Wisconsin, La Crosse sociology professor and mining expert Al Gedicks disagrees.

“A company’s track record in other places is one of the best predictors of future behavior,” said Gedicks. “If decision-makers in Michigan choose to ignore this record, they are setting themselves up to join the long list of communities burdened with cleaning up Kennecott’s mine pollution.”

Many others also disagree with Cherry’s claims. Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Eagle Mine, human rights, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

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