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Chemical spill at Marquette County mine cleaned up

MICHIGAMME TOWNSHIP, MI--   A leak of about 100 gallons of hydrochloric acid has been contained at the Kennecott Eagle mine in Marquette County. 

The Mining Journal reports the spill happened around 5 Saturday morning in an isolated storage area of the water treatment plant.  Officials say the acid flowed into a containment area, was neutralized by another chemical, and will return to the water treatment system.  Cleanup was completed by around 1 p.m. 

About 15 people were evacuated from underground areas and the plant itself.  The leak was completely contained and no injuries or environmental damage were reported. 

Officials with Kennecott say because the leak was small and happened in an area designed to capture leaks they aren’t required to report it to the Department of Environmental Quality, but will do so anyway. 

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.