GOGEBIC COUNTY, MI— A movement called Protect the Porkies has created a petition opposed to construction of the Copperwood Mine in Gogebic County.
In March, the state approved a $50 million grant for Canadian company Copperwood Resources to build the mine. Wakefield Township resident and petition writer Tom Grotewohl says the mine would be a threat to the environment, public recreation, and the local economy.
He says most of what would be mined wouldn’t actually be copper.
“Because only 1.45 percent of what comes out of the ground is copper and the remaining 98.55 percent is toxic waste, which contains at least 15 constituents of environmental health concern, including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, lead.”
Grotewohl says the project would create short-term construction jobs and a handful of long-term mining jobs, but most employment would be at the ore processing facility in Canada.
He notes Protect the Porkies isn’t asking people to oppose mining in general but to look at this specific mine, which would be next door to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and on the shores of Lake Superior.
More information is at www.protecttheporkies.com.
