See our right-hand column for announcements and news briefs. Scroll down the right-hand column to access the Archives -- links to articles posted in the main column since 2007. See details about our site, including a way to comment, in the yellow text above the Archives.

Saturday, July 05, 2014

Gratiot Lake Conservancy to sponsor Keweenaw summer events

Kayakers on Gratiot Lake. The Gratiot Lake Conservancy will sponsor a Guided Kayak Tour of Gratiot Lake on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014. The tour is one of several events sponsored the conservancy this summer. (Photo courtesy Gratiot Lake Conservancy)

GRATIOT LAKE -- Gratiot Lake Conservancy (GLC) in Keweenaw County has announced several summer events, including their Annual Members Meeting, a Guided Kayak Tour of Gratiot Lake, a  Mini Open House at Noblet Field Station, a Freshwater Mussels Workshop, a Wetland Plant ID Workshop (already fully enrolled, but you can email to be waitlisted), a Walk at Bammert Farm, and a Shoreline Clean-up at Gratiot Lake.

Little Brown Bat affected by Whitenose syndrome. Wildlife Biologist Bill Scullon will present a slide talk about Keweenaw bats at the Gratiot Lake Conservancy's Annual Members Meeting on July 24 at the Eagle Harbor Community Building. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo courtesy Gratiot Lake Conservancy)

GLC's Annual Members Meeting will take place on Thursday, July 24, at the Eagle Harbor Community Building. The event begins with a Meet and Greet at 6:45 p.m., followed by the Business Meeting at 7 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. refreshments will be served. At 8 p.m. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Biologist Bill Scullon will present a slide talk about bats within the Keweenaw ecosystem, threats to their survival, and how we can protect them.

UPDATE: The GLC meeting is open to members and others interested in learning about the work GLC does. The Bat presentation is open to the public. Those interested in attending only that portion should arrive at 7:45 p.m. for the 8 p.m. presentation.

A Freshwater Mussels Workshop with Joe Rathbun, an environmental scientist with the Michigan Deptartment of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in Lansing, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Noblet Field Station and Gratiot Lake.

MDEQ scientist Joe Rathbun clamming at Gratiot Lake. (Photo courtesy Gina Nicholas)

This one-day workshop will cover the identification of mussels found in inland lakes and rivers in the Keweenaw Peninsula and nearby counties. A slide talk and short mussel identification practice session at the conservancy’s Noblet Field Station will be followed by a hands-on mini-survey at Gratiot Lake. The importance of mussels to the ecology of lakes and streams, tips on identifying mussels, and the usefulness of mussel surveys in helping to determine the health of aquatic systems will be discussed.

Pyganodon grandis filtering. (Photo courtesy Joe Rathbun)

Cost of the workshop is $35 ($25 for GLC members). This workshop is suitable for anyone with an interest in biology and ecology -- professionals and students in the fields of biology and ecology as well as lay people interested in learning more about life in Keweenaw lakes and how to protect aquatic ecosystems. Class size is limited and advance enrollment is required. Click here for details.

The Wetland Plant Identification Workshop with botanist Janet Marr will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23-24, 2014, near Eagle Harbor on the Keweenaw Peninsula. This workshop is fully enrolled and has a wait list.

Workshop activities will take place mostly out-of-doors. Visits will be made to local wetlands including swamp forests, shrub thickets, and more open community types such as marshes and fens. Native wetland plant species, including more difficult groups (sedges, grasses, rushes, aster relatives), will be identified. Selected non-native invasive wetland species will also be identified. Characteristics of selected plant families will be discussed, botanical terms will be defined, dichotomous keys will be used when appropriate, and wetland community types will be described.

The fee for this 2-day workshop is $80 ($60 for Gratiot Lake Conservancy members). Fee includes a field notebook. Janet Avery Scholarships are available. If you are a MICHIGAN K-12 TEACHER with a professional certificate you can earn 12 SCECHS (pending) when you participate in this workshop. Email Bonnie Hay at belh@verizon.net if you wish to be put on the waitlist. Click here for details.

A Mini Open House at Noblet Field Station and a Guided Kayak Tour of Gratiot Lake will be held on Sunday, Aug. 3, weather permitting.

The Kayak Tour will be led by nature educator Brian Rajdl, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the public boat launch. The group will make a stop at Noblet Field Station for lunch (bring a bag lunch and water -- there will be additional water and light refreshments) and an optional walk on the trails. At 1 p.m. they will continue paddling from the Noblet Field Station past the Gratiot Lake Preserve on the south shore and on to visit the new GLC sanctuary on the west end of the lake. They will return to the boat launch at 3:30 p.m.

The Mini Open House will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Noblet Field Station. See the Noblet cabin and walk the Bear Paw Path. There will be light snacks and beverages available. Click here for details.

Fritellary on Black-eyed-susan. Explore details of nature like this on the Walk at Bammert Farm Aug. 30. (Photo courtesy Gratiot Lake Conservancy)

A Walk at Bammert Farm will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 30. Join botanist Janet Marr and GLC director Bonnie Hay to explore red pine plantation and mixed hardwood forest and wetlands in this 466-acre parcel which is not often open to the public. Click here for details. Call Bonnie at 337-5476 to reserve your space.

A Shoreline Clean-up at Gratiot Lake will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 20.

For more information about the Gratiot Lake Conservancy and more photos of their work, visit their Web site.

Street Sweepers band to entertain TONIGHT, July 5, at Orpheum Theater in Hancock

HANCOCK -- Tonight (Saturday, July 5) the Street Sweepers, aka Matt Bradley, Josh Mortti, Tony Laux and Steve Loukus -- all well known from previous local bands -- will be performing for their first time at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock.

Grungeadelic jams will abound! Only $5 for all. Show starts around 8:30 p.m.

The Orpheum Theater is at 426 Quincy St. in downtown Hancock. For more information call 906-482-5100.

Friday, July 04, 2014

Visit Seven Mile Point this weekend; free one-day family pass available

Enjoy this beautiful Lake Superior beach at Seven Mile Point -- open this weekend; free one-day family pass available. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

CALUMET, AHMEEK -- Seven Mile Point (SMP) is open today, Friday, July 4, and will be open Saturday,and Sunday this weekend, from Noon - Sunset each day. For this weekend, one-day free passes/flyers are available at the North Woods Conservancy (NWC) Visitor Center, located in the Ahmeek Streetcar Station, downstairs next to the ice cream window.

The pass is just what it says -- a one day pass, to be presented to the SMP Host, who will write the day's date on the sheet and hand it back. It can't be re-used, and limit is one pass per family.

Click here if you wish to sign up to host on weekends at either the Visitor Center or Seven Mile Point.

You can join NWC or renew your membership by clicking here.

Help NWC protect Seven Mile Point and other great Keweenaw natural areas -- $10/month or whatever you can give; your support is needed in July. 

Lastly, a great big Smile for the Amazon Smile program, which gives 0.5 percent of sales to the charity of your choice. The North Woods Conservancy is a registered charity on Amazon now, so next time you shop online, go to smile.amazon.com, search for the North Woods Conservancy, choose NWC, and Amazon will donate each time you shop. Such a win - win.

July Visitor Center Hours: Noon - 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. most week days.

To learn more about NWC, click here.

First Friday in Calumet: Galleries feature July 4 art openings, new exhibits

CALUMET -- First Friday in Calumet -- July 4 -- will offer new exhibits and opening receptions in the galleries.

Calumet Art Center quilt exhibit

Quilt from the collection of the late Geraldine Pennington -- one of 50 quilts from this collection on display at the Calumet Art Center. (Photo courtesy Calumet Art Center)

The Calumet Art Center will be open on July 4. Currently on display at the Center are 50 quilts from the collection of the late Geraldine Pennington. These quilts were inherited by her daughter Harriett White, and granddaughter-in-law, Kirsten White, who wished to share them with the public this summer. Some of the quilts were made by family members, and many of the quilts were purchased from auctions in the northern Indiana area from the 1970s through the 1990s. Many patterns and sizes are represented.

These quilts will be on display through the month of August. Visit the Calumet Art Center to learn about the history of this collection and to appreciate all the hard work and creativity that went into making these beautiful quilts!

Paige Wiard Gallery: Nature Photography of Jim Hay

 Photo of loon by Jim Hay. (Photo courtesy Paige Wiard Gallery)

An opening reception for an exhibit of nature photography by Jim Hay will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 4, at the Paige Wiard Gallery.

Bald Eagle and eaglet by Jim Hay. (Photo courtesy Paige Wiard Gallery)

After being introduced to the Upper Peninsula in the late 60s Jim Hay turned his photography from a hobby into a passion. Over the years Jim and his wife, Bonnie Hay,  have been spending their summers in the Copper Country experiencing the natural wonders of the area. This has given Jim an opportunity to capture amazing photographs of native bird species and the surrounding area. His works of nature photography will be on display at the gallery through July 31.

For more information call 906-337-5970 or email paigewiardgallery@gmail.com.

Galerie Bohème: Four artists

For July Galerie Bohème is proud to show many types of prints -- woodcuts, lithos, mono prints, intaglio, and silkscreens from four internationally recognized and collected artists.

Tiger Stadium, by Jerome Ferretti. (Photo courtesy Galerie Bohème)

Jerome Ferretti is a Detroit artist known for his murals, brick sculpture, drawings, paintings and prints. He is also a movie star in the academy award winning Searching for Sugarman.

Art by Martin Moreno. (Photo courtesy Galerie Bohème)

Martin Moreno of Michigan lives and works in Arizona. He is a muralist, sculptor, painter, printmaker, educator. Martin is the recipient of many grants and honors and the 2012 Arizona Governor's Art Award.

Tom and Margo McCafferty Rudd of Calumet make a lot of artworks including prints. McCafferty and Rudd will show a few previously unpublished prints.

An opening reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on First Friday, July 4. After the reception you will still have time for a leisurely drive to Eagle River or Copper Harbor to view their outstanding fireworks and festivities.

"So be cool and do both," says Tom Rudd.

This show runs from July 4 through July 31. For more information call 906-369-4087 or email galerieboheme@gmail.com.

Copper Country Associated Artists: "American Pride"

The Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA Gallery) will hold an opening for their "American Pride" Exhibit from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m, on Friday, July 4. The show runs from July 4 to July 19.

Hahn Hammered Copper: Vintage photographs

Stop by Hahn Hammered Copper this First Friday! As well as celebrating the Fourth, they'll be celebrating 5 years in business. Visitors will have a chance to win a Pendleton Dance Shawl -- a $200 value -- or one of two $50 gift certificates.

Their July exhibit is "Copper Country Time Travel" -- vintage photographs brought to new life as gallery-wrapped canvas prints -- the idea of local historian and author Richard Buchko.

Cross Country Sports: Photography by Joe Kirkish

Cross Country Sports will feature photography by Joe Kirkish through the month of July. A retrospective of architectural photographs taken over the years, these black and white and color images capture buildings and landscapes with Joe's eloquent sense of artistic composition. Even in stages of decomposition and abandonment, buildings serve as a cultural expression of place and time -- a remembrance of human activity. Many of these "ghosts of place" exist now only in photographs or in the collective memory of the community.

Stop by the shop at 507 Oak Street. Hours: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed on July 4.)

Thursday, July 03, 2014

17th Annual Horsetail Scramble to be at Marsin Center July 4; optional paddle across Portage Waterway before event

Runners and walkers cross the finish line at the 2013 July 4th Horsetail Scramble. This year the event has a new location -- the Marsin Nature Retreat. An optional paddle across the Portage Waterway will take place before the event. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HOUGHTON -- The 17th Annual Horsetail Scramble, sponsored by the Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT), will have a new location -- the Marsin Nature Retreat -- this Friday, July 4, 2014. The new course will lead runners and walkers around the roads of the Oskar area. Take part in the 5k fitness walk, the 10k run, or just stop by for friendly company and a delicious potluck feast. (Times are earlier. See schedule below.)

An optional paddle across the Portage Waterway from Churning Rapids will take place -- at your own risk -- before the event. Suggested donation (for participating in these events) is $15 for a pair of colorful KLT socks. The Scramble is open to the public -- all ages welcome.

The Marsin Nature Retreat Center, located on the Portage Waterway near Oskar, adjoins the 40-acre Marsin Preserve established in 1999. The late Mary Sinish, who grew up in the Keweenaw, bequeathed these properties to the Keweenaw Land Trust. Her vision was to establish a nature center for those with limited access to the serenity of the outdoors, including the elderly and disadvantaged. This year's Horsetail Scramble will be held here. (Keweenaw Now file photo courtesy Keweenaw Land Trust)

Here is the schedule:

9 a.m. -- Paddle launch site near Churning Rapids opens
9:30 a.m. -- Paddle flotilla departs on Portage crossing
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. -- Race registration at the Marsin Nature Retreat
11 a.m. -- 10k race and 5k fitness walk start
12:30 p.m. -- Race results and Heart and Hands Award Ceremony
12:45 p.m. -- Potluck feast! Bring a tasty dish to share and your own tableware.

Directions to the Marsin Nature Retreat: Take Houghton Canal Road off M-26 for 6.4 miles before turning right onto Red Brick Road. The Marsin Nature Retreat will be on the left after o.8 miles.

Optional paddle access: Park on Christensen Road or M203. We have permission to use the launch location at 53019 M203 from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Be ready to join the flotilla at 9:30 a.m. or paddle across at your leisure.

Public invited to ride Agassiz research vessel for free scientific excursions July 4 in Lake Linden

HOUGHTON -- "How do scientists assess the health of Torch Lake?" is the focus of FREE scientific excursions to be offered at the 4th of July festivities in Lake Linden Village Park  and Marina. The public is invited to sign up for FREE 30-minute scientific excursions aboard Michigan Tech's research vessel Agassiz by calling the Center for Science, Math and Environmental Education  at 487-3341 or coming to the Lake Linden Marina dock between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.on Friday, July 4th.

Spaces go quickly. On-site sign-ups begin at 11:30 a.m. with first excursion departing at noon, and at 45-minute intervals until 3 p.m. (noon, 12:45, 1:30, 2:15, 3 p.m.) Spaces are on first-come basis. The Agassiz capacity is 14 participants.

On each scientific excursion, Dr. Noel Urban, a Michigan Tech Great Lakes scientist, will demonstrate the use of sampling equipment to collect plankton, sediment, and other water quality information in order to learn about the health of the lake.

Microscopes will be available on land for participants to view the aquatic organisms. Participants will investigate the connection between land uses and the health of the Great Lakes. Participants must be at least 7 years of age and accompanied by an adult. Life jackets are available for all passengers and required for those under 90 pounds.

Amy Keranen, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Remediation and Redevelopment Division, will be on hand to answer any questions about the work being conducted by MDEQ and Michigan Tech on and adjacent to Torch Lake in Lake Linden, Hubbell, and Tamarack City.

"Copper Country residents and visitors are invited to learn how scientists study Torch Lake and what factors contribute to a healthy lake," explains Joan Chadde, education program director. "These scientific excursions for the public have been offered at the Chassell Strawberry Festival since 2006 and have been extremely popular. Youth and adults enjoy the opportunity to interact with Great Lakes scientists and ask questions. We wanted to make this available to Lake Linden residents, too."

The event is coordinated by the Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education (http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/) and Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center (http://greatlakes.mtu.edu/). This year, the program is funded by the GM Ride the Waves Program putting more than 500 Copper Country youth and adults on the water to learn about the Great Lakes, along with support from the Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society.

To sign up for an excursion, call (906) 487-3341.  

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Highland Copper finalizes purchase of Copperwood mining project, hopes to process ore at White Pine

By Michele Bourdieu

This map from the Jan. 16, 2014, Highland Copper Co. presentation in Houghton shows the Copperwood ore deposit at left and the former White Pine Mine. Highland has acquired parts of the White Pine property and, most recently, the Copperwood Project. Highland is also doing exploration at sites in Keweenaw County. (Photo by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON, CALUMET -- Highland Copper Company Inc. announced on June 17, 2014, that they have completed their acquisition of the Copperwood Project -- located near the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and the town of Wakefield in Gogebic County -- from Orvana Minerals Corporation.*

Highland Copper, a Canadian company, also recently acquired parts of the former White Pine mine site, which they hope to develop for new mining, chiefly copper, for processing and possibly eventually for refining. Conceptual plans would include using the infrastructure (existing and potential) to process ore from White Pine and from other mining projects -- which now may include copper ore to be transported to White Pine from the Copperwood site.

In January 2014, shortly after their purchase of the north end of White Pine for a new mine, Ross Grunwald, Highland Copper vice president for exploration, and Carlos Bertoni, Highland Copper White Pine manager (at that time), spoke at several local community meetings about their concept of making White Pine a "center of gravity" for processing ore from projected mines in the Western Upper Peninsula. At that time Highland had not yet completed the Copperwood purchase, but Grunwald mentioned it as part of a larger deposit (shown in the map above and the video clip below).

In this video clip from Highland Copper's presentation in Calumet on Jan. 15, 2014, Ross Grunwald, Highland Copper vice president for exploration, points out several copper deposits on the Keweenaw Peninsula and nearby that are of interest to his company for copper mining potential -- including sites in Keweenaw County, White Pine and Copperwood. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

At the June 4, 2014, meeting of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) in Houghton, Grunwald spoke to KEDA members about Highland's imminent purchase of Copperwood.

Since Highland's plans for White Pine include building a mill to process ore not only from a new White Pine mine but also from other projected mines in the area, ore mined at Copperwood, which is about 18 miles southwest of White Pine, could be transported -- possibly by rail or truck or both -- for processing, thus potentially eliminating a projected tall tailings pile at Copperwood.

"If you do that, you take away a lot of environmental impact," Grunwald said at the KEDA meeting.

The projected tailings pile at Copperwood, despite Department of Environmental Quality permits received by former owner Orvana, has raised many questions among environmental groups, and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC).**

According to Jessica Koski, KBIC mining technical assistant, "The current permits for Copperwood allow for the development of a very large permanent surface tailings dump that would store approximately 32.2 million tons of mine tailings and destroy over 16,000 feet of existing streams (despite the company initially predicting less than 6,000 feet of stream impact in order to obtain their initial mining permit) and about 60 acres of wetlands."

Copperwood, Koski explained, is situated within KBIC's 1842 treaty territory homeland, in which Anishinaabe bands retain rights to hunt, fish and gather -- including Lake Superior fishing rights.

The tailings site, as planned by Orvana, would reach about 14 stories high towards the end of the mine's projected 14-year life span and could possibly be visible from the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. KBIC has expressed concern that the tailings could release heavy metals and other contaminants into the area environment -- including wetlands, streams and Lake Superior.

Highland's concept would eliminate the need for a mill and tailings disposal at the Copperwood site, thus reducing the environmental footprint considerably.

Grunwald notes, however, that changes to the mining plan for Copperwood are still in the conceptual stage.

"What I say today is conceptual in nature and doesn't reflect any definite plans," he told KEDA members.

Highland Copper is now embarking on feasibility studies for both White Pine and Copperwood as an integrated operation, Grunwald told Keweenaw Now on June 30.

Carlos Bertoni, now project manager for the combined White Pine and Copperwood operation, is coordinating the pre-feasibility study for that project, Grunwald said. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. The actual feasibility study will then begin in 2015 and hopefully be completed by the end of 2015, he added.

This map of the White Pine site shows the North Deposit, where Highland hopes to construct a new mine. It already contains 100 drill holes of exploration. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"The first step is to come up with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which is based on historical information at White Pine," Grunwald told Keweenaw Now recently.

The feasibility studies are based on the EIS. These must be done before Highland can apply for permits or amendments to existing permits.

Steve Casey, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Upper Peninsula District Supervisor, Water Resources Division, told Keweenaw Now recently that while Highland has talked to MDEQ officials, the company hasn't brought any specific proposals to MDEQ.

"They don't know what they're going to do yet," Casey said. "They can always use the existing permits (for Copperwood) and do less; for example, the wetland permits."

The Copperwood permits include impacts from the tailings, which could be eliminated if the ore is transported to White Pine. Casey noted the present tailings ponds at White Pine have more room in them. The old mine contains water that could be used for processing and space that might be used to contain some of the tailings, he explained.

"As long as they stay within the existing permitted footprint, they can go forward," Casey added. "It would make sense that they would be doing less (at Copperwood) -- (it would be) less problematic for the environment -- but until we have a specific proposal we can't judge that."

Copperwood's MDEQ Water Resources Permit for Wetlands and Inland Lakes and Streams, issued Feb. 22, 2013, authorized Orvana, the former owner, to do the following: "Excavate approximately76,973 cubic yards of materialfrom 3.40 acres of wetlands and place approximately 7,314,277 cubic yards of fill in 54.71 acres of wetlands impacting a total of 58.11 acres of wetland to construct the Copperwood underground mine and appurtenant facilities. Construction will include an access road, a tailings disposal facility, mill and mine entrance."

In addition, as Jessica Koski noted, construction of the tailings disposal facility at Copperwood would eliminate 16, 557 lineal feet of stream and require both stream and wetland mitigation.***

This map shows the area of the projected Copperwood Project and nearby Lake Superior and streams. Should ore be transported to White Pine for processing, the TDF (Tailings Disposal Facility -- purple area near center) would not be needed nor would the projected mill. (Keweenaw Now file map courtesy Jessica Koski)

Koski and KBIC have also expressed concern about contaminants that could leach into the water from the tailings.

"The tailings disposal site is predicted to leach 24-62 million gallons per year which will release heavy metals and other contaminants into the area environment and Lake Superior," Koski says. "Substantial amounts of partially treated mine waste water discharges would flow directly into the surface waters of Nabeminag Creek, which empties into Lake Superior."

Grunwald noted conditions on the permits received by Orvana would probably carry over to Highland -- if they don't apply to the tailings or the mill, which would not be needed if the ore is transported to White Pine.

Highland would need to construct a water treatment plant at both Copperwood and White Pine, though the plant at Copperwood would be smaller if the mill and tailings are eliminated from the plan.

"We will be pumping material which has to be treated before it is discharged," Grunwald said.

He said the transportation of the ore would also need permitting.

"All of the impacts of that transportation have to be evaluated and mitigated," Grunwald added.

This photo shows the location of infrastructure and buildings that were used in the old White Pine mining operation. The smelter and process plant (mill) no longer exist. The power plant and refinery are presently owned by Traxys. A new water treatment plant would need to be constructed for the mining operations. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

Joe Maki, MDEQ geologist, will be working with Highland on the Part 632 mining permit and related issues.

Maki told Keweenaw Now recently that if Highland decides to do combined processing of ore from both White Pine and Copperwood and/or other potential mines in the region, they would need a new Part 632 permit for White Pine that includes the ore from the other mine(s).

If ore from Copperwood is transported to White Pine for processing, "there would probably be no need for a tailings pile (at Copperwood)," Maki said.

For the permits Orvana received for Copperwood from MDEQ all rock they proposed to handle had to have geo-chemical testing, he explained.

"If there's any material that has to be put on the ground, they would still have to follow Part 632 rules," Maki noted.****

Regulations for transporting the ore would be under the State of Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the U.S. Department of Transportation rather than the MDEQ. However, MDEQ would require covers on vehicles or train cars transporting mine materials in order to prevent fugitive dust problems, Maki explained.

Dave Anderson, who was Copperwood director of health, safety and environment under Orvana's ownership, now holds that same position with Highland Copper. He told Keweenaw Now he is optimistic about the future of Copperwood and the concept of transporting the ore for processing at White Pine -- which would eliminate the tailings pile at Copperwood.

"We're obviously excited to be working with Highland Copper," Anderson said. "If these two projects move forward, there's an opportunity to have a much smaller imprint for Copperwood. "

Anderson said he anticipated future public meetings on the project.

"As we move through the transition there will be more community involvement," he noted. "We need to hear from people. I expect to get a lot of input -- share ideas and concerns -- before we go to the drawing board."

As for transporting the ore, Anderson said his goal would be to see a transportation solution that would have the smallest carbon footprint.

At the KEDA meeting Grunwald noted Highland has "whole-hearted government support at the present time."

He said a strict permitting process provides for bonding that must extend 20 years after the mine stops producing and a severance tax based on production and revenue. The full concept -- with a skilled work force and technical assistance from Michigan Tech University -- could employ hundreds of workers, Grunwald told the KEDA members.

"It's going to be a substantial work force," Grunwald said. "Our objective is to use local employees as much as possible."

At Highland's Jan. 15, 2014, community information meeting and presentation in Calumet, residents asked questions related to local employment and skills needed for modern mines.


Following the Jan. 15, 2014, presentation by Highland Copper Co. in Calumet a local resident asks a question on skill levels required of present-day miners who might be employed by Highland Copper Co. (Video by Keweenaw Now)

Grunwald told Keweenaw Now that construction of a mill at White Pine could take from a year to 18 months after engineering is completed. He estimated mining at Copperwood and the new mining at the north end of White Pine would be happening at the same time; however, developing the new White Pine site for mining would take more preparation. The fact that Copperwood is already permitted is an advantage for Highland.

Grunwald noted Orvana spent $20 million on Copperwood and 8 or 9 million of that was for environmental studies and permitting.

"It would take more time to develop the White Pine site for mining," Grunwald said. "It's a huge area."

Mining the north end of White Pine would require driving a decline several miles underground and (possibly) raising shafts from below, he explained. The ore is 2000 to 3000 feet deep.

During Highland's January meetings in Calumet and Houghton, Carlos Bertoni, presently Highland Copper's manager for the combined White Pine and Copperwood project, described the concept of developing White Pine as a "center of gravity" for processing ore from multiple mines and potentially refining it into metal.

During Highland Copper's Jan. 16, 2014, presentation in Houghton, Mich., Carlos Bertoni, then White Pine project manager (now manager for the combined White Pine and Copperwood project), explains concepts of potential development at White Pine so it could be a center of gravity for processing ore from White Pine and from other potential mines in the region, such as Copperwood. He also describes new technology -- a Staged Flotation Reactor -- that would replace a smelter and could result in a smaller footprint and ultimately a way to feed the existing refinery at White Pine to produce copper metal. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Grunwald said Highland, through its subsidiary Keweenaw Copper Co., will continue its exploration of Keweenaw sites 543S near Gratiot Lake and G-2 near Bete Grise; but at least two years of baseline studies are needed before they can plan to mine these.

"We haven't started any detailed environmental studies for the Keweenaw sites since the focus is on White Pine and Copperwood," he explained.

If the Keweenaw sites were to be mined in the future, Grunwald noted, it would make good economic sense to transport that ore to White Pine for milling. However, at more than one of Highland's informational meetings, the question of how to transport ore from the Keweenaw has come up.

Residents' questions, comments

At Highland's Jan. 16, 2014, community meeting in Houghton, some local residents asked questions about Highland/Keweenaw Copper's Keweenaw sites, including questions about potential transport:

During the question period following Highland's Jan. 16 presentation in Houghton, Chuck Brumleve, a geologist for KBIC, asks about feasibility studies for the 543S and G-2 sites in Keweenaw County and about mining methods. A resident who worked at the former White Pine mine comments on Michigan Tech's involvement in methods used at that mine. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)


During the Jan. 16 Highland meeting in Houghton, Mich., Linda Rulison, President of FOLK (Friends of the Land of Keweenaw), asks about transportation of ore from projected Keweenaw mining sites to White Pine for processing. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Anne Newcombe, a concerned resident at the Houghton meeting, commented on her experience with company-community relations and local environmental concerns in Marquette and Big Bay during events preceding and following the construction of the Eagle Mine. Here she challenges Highland staff to do what they say they will to protect the environment:

During the Jan. 16 presentation by Highland Copper Co. in Houghton, local resident Anne Newcombe expresses her love for the outdoor recreational value and beauty of the local area and states her hope that Highland can mine as safely as possible without impacting a pristine environment. (Video by Allan Baker for Keweenaw Now)

Grunwald has said at the community meetings and at his presentation to KEDA that he welcomes communication with citizens who have concerns about the potential mining and hopes to clear up any misconceptions people might have so that Highland can focus on the real problems.

"We have to date whole-hearted community support," he told the KEDA audience at their June 4 meeting.

Bruce Woody, chair and CEO of Blue Harbor Energy, who attended the KEDA meeting, had a positive reaction to Highland's potential for creating jobs with the combined Copperwood-White Pine project.

"It looks like it's a project that will bring some jobs to the Upper Peninsula (and) revitalize areas near Ontonagon that have a very high unemployment rate," Woody said.

KEDA member Steve Karpiak, who also attended the June 4 meeting, noting Highland's projects are still at the exploration stage, told Keweenaw Now he believes these projects will depend on the international price of copper.

"This is all exploratory," Karpiak said. "This is something they might hang on to for decades (until the price of copper is high enough)."

He said he believes the environmental impact of new mining will be less than it was in the past since the state and federal governments have more rules and regulations now and mining uses modern technology. Because of this technology, mining jobs will be fewer -- high tech and more skilled.

Karpiak also said he thinks that if manufacturing becomes part of the project it will be high tech as well, possibly with the use of robotics. Some local Smart Zone businesses are an example of how manufacturing has changed radically because of new technology, he added.

During the KEDA meeting, Karpiak asked whether the 543S site near Gratiot Lake would likely be an underground or a surface mine.

Grunwald told Keweenaw Now that 543S would require some surface mining for ore that is near the surface, but 90 percent would be underground at that site if it is mined.

"You want to reduce the surface impact as much as possible," Grunwald said.

As with any mining project, especially with these sites located so close to Lake Superior, many residents are still concerned about environmental issues.

One of these is Ellen Campbell, a KEDA member, vice president of The Nitrate Elimination Company, Inc, a biotechnology business in Lake Linden. Although Campbell was not able to attend Highland's recent presentation to KEDA, she told Keweenaw Now in an email message that she would not want to see this area become dependent on resource extraction companies who take the wealth and leave a mess behind.

"Appalachian coal mines? Copper in Colorado open pit mines? Why would we want be like that?" Campbell asks. "When my husband and I moved here in 1985 the area was in decline from the last of the mine closures. Everyone has worked hard to bring it back to life. The SmartZone, more parks and trails, Pine Mountain Music Festival, First Fridays in Calumet, Tech gaining national credit. And then there's the Lake. Water will always be precious, and someday soon it will also have economic value. Who's planning for that?"

Grunwald said he is aware of concerns about the water.

"That's the number-one concern. It's always about the water," Grunwald said. "We're very concerned about maintaining the current high water quality."

Campbell adds, "If there's enough value in the raw materials to make it worth their while to extract them, then it's worth while to do it right. Safely, and with long term planning for waste removal and habitat protection -- and I include habitat that pleases resident humans -- built in."

Grunwald said Highland plans to hold more community meetings in the near future.

However, his own position with the company will be changing soon.

"I'm going to be cutting back to one-fourth time after the end of July," Grunwald told Keweenaw Now on June 30. "It's my personal choice."

He said he wants to be able to spend more time with his family in California.

Grunwald noted he will still be involved with the Highland Copper project and will still be back in Michigan from time to time.

Notes:

* The financial details of Highland's purchase of Copperwood from Orvana are available in a press release dated June 17, 2014, on their Web site. See also a Keweenaw Now guest article by Steve Garske, who attended Highland's Jan. 9, 2014, community meeting in Ironwood and comments on several of the company's investors.

** See our two-part article on the June 28, 2012, public hearing on Copperwood's water and air permits held by the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality. In addition to statements of support, MDEQ heard many questions and challenges raised by the public concerning the project as planned by Orvana. See: MDEQ hearing on Orvana Copperwood air, water quality permits: Part 1, Questions and MDEQ public hearing on Orvana Copperwood mine: Part 2.

*** Click here to read the MDEQ Wetlands, Inland Lakes and Streams permit for Copperwood.

**** Click here for our January 2013 video clip of Joe Maki's comments in answer to a question on Orvana's Copperwood project during a presentation he made to the Keweenaw Land Trust.

Monday, June 30, 2014

New slide show: Celebrating Arts in the Keweenaw June 2014

At the Calumet Art Center on First Friday, June 6, 2014, Native American (Odawa) artist Arnold Shawanoo Walker of Petoskey, Mich. (now living in the Keweenaw) explains his porcupine quill art to visitor Elvia Wilk of Bloomington, Ind., who works in Berlin, Germany, and is now doing an art residency on Rabbit Island. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HANCOCK -- Keweenaw Now has posted a new slide show: Celebrating Arts in the Keweenaw June 2014.

The slide show includes photos taken at First Friday in Calumet (June 6), the opening reception for "Recent Work by Lindsey Heiden and Kenyon Hansen" at the Copper Country Community Arts Center (June 13), the Houghton Art and Music Festival (June 21), the Portage Lake District Library Summer Reading Program opening and Friends of the Portage Lake District Library Used Book Sale (June 21).

Volunteering at the Houghton Art and Music Festival Extreme Bake Sale, at the Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC) booth, are, from left, Cynthia Coté, CCCAC executive director; Jane Hiltunen of Dollar Bay; and Harriet King of Houghton. At far right is the Fifth and Elm Coffee House snack booth. The festival is a fundraiser for the Community Arts Center in Hancock.

You can access the slide show at the top right corner of this page or at this direct link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/keweenawnew/CelebratingArtsInTheKeweenawJune2014# 

Be sure to read the captions, some of which have links to artists' Web sites so you can see more of their work.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Photos: Gromit the Trail Mutt reports recent adventures on her blog

Gromit the Trail Mutt enjoys a run on Calumet's Swedetown Trails on June 28, 2014. (Photos courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson. Reprinted with permission.)

HANCOCK -- Gromit the Trail Mutt has shared her recent adventures on her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports. On Saturday, June 28, she braved the heat and mosquitoes to follow her biking family along Swedetown Trails in Calumet.

Sandy Aronson and Gromit pause for a water stop on Swedetown Trails.

On Friday Gromit enjoyed a social event and some folk music by "Trio Bibliothèque" at Music on the Menu outside the Portage Lake District Library.

On Friday, June 27, Gromit enjoys a variety of folk music by "Trio Bibliothèque" at Music on the Menu -- a free, outdoor lunchtime concert outside the Portage Library. Musicians are, from left, Ana Gowboy, Libby Meyer and Oren Tikkanen.

In the audience Gromit finds a puppy to socialize with ...

On the dock outside the library Gromit has fun chasing a stick ...

Gromit had more adventures and bike trips in North and South Dakota earlier last week. Visit her blog, The Trail Mutt Reports, for more photos.