• Saturday-What'sUP October 10 - 05:59 pm

E. Neil Harri sent in a couple photos from Marquette county, that he snapped at the end of September. That first one holds so much color, that it's unbelievable...you're looking toward the southeast, across Yellow Dog Plains and that's the Eagle Mining project in the distance. Then Neil snapped a shot of the mine site as he passed overhead, too. Note the lack of color surrounding this area. That's due to most of the trees being of the pine variety. This mine has been a controversial subject in eastern Marquette County, where it's opening is the largest investment in the county, since the K.I. Sawyer air base in the 50's. Colorful country, colorful subject, too.

Love the Autumn view pic!

What is the plan for the "Eagle Mining Project"?

Eagle would be a decline-accessed underground mine, primarily utilizing blast hole stopes for production. Lately, interest in the project both locally and state wide has increased due to the submission of a mining permit application for the project. The project has garnered local opposition as well as support. The opposition groups claim that the mine will produce environmental damage, while supporters and the company claim the mine will protect the environment while producing much-needed jobs.

Construction and excavation started in 2010, with production beginning in 2013. The surface plant for the mine will cover less than 100 acres (40 ha), and ore processing will be done off site at the nearby Humboldt Mill. The mine will be backfilled as mining progresses. Mining the underground orebody is projected to continue until 2023, after which the surface facilities will be removed and the site will be reclaimed.

The ore deposit contains 4.1 million metric tons of rock containing 3.6 percent nickel and 2.9 percent copper. Reserves are estimated as up to 140,000 metric tons of nickel and 91,000 metric tons of copper, as well as platinum, palladium, and cobalt

There are internet links to some very interesting articles about the Eagle Mining project, not all are favorable to it. I think I would not want to live close to it.

Nice View! I was up there right before the photo was taken!

Bright yellows on each side of the plain. The Humbolt Mill will live again. Nieghbors and friends and family and some of us will have good paying jobs and can feel proud again. Hopefully the environmental issues will be well controlled and things go as planned. The smoother things go for this project the smoother things will go for mother nature when it is done.

Lots of information on this if you google "DEQ - Kennecott Eagle Project" and "DEQ - Humboldt Mill". Sections on citizen comments and concerns raise some important points. I hope some "expert" regulars on this site will weigh in, with reassurance.

This is the first picture of this project that I have ever released.I have followed it for about 10 years since the helicopters were flying the mineral surveys of that area.I remember the day the crew came into Sawyer and were all excited and all talking on their phones.We knew they found something worth mining but they said they couldn't talk about it.
I have seen the eagle rock protests shrink in size and go away as the leared mine area grew in acrerage. That is all just the process, and perfectly legitimate concerns were raised by protestors.I am sure the enviromental issues will be well monitered by both the company and interested conservation groups.
This project is now well on its way to creating jobs for the Marquette area.
The parent company is Rio Tinto who owns Kennecott. One of the worlds largest.
I have a friend who is retiring from Lansing and trying to buy a home in Negaunee. He said he can't find a seller willing to come down to his price.This is a bright spot in Michigan's economy.

Please vote for the Pepsi challenge Copper Harbor
Ambulance Barn!! Each and every Pasty-cammer counts!
For some reason, I'm not able to post the link
today, so please either google the site or link off
of yesterday's Pasty-cam. Thank you!

Wow the colors are great...I had no idea the Kennecott site was that big...Looks like Kennecott (and the DEQ) never had any doubts that the operation was going to start no matter what. This will be great for the UP economy. I just hope and pray that all will be well...just from reading info though, This mining Co. doesnt have the best of track records in the way they treat the enviornement and the way its left after they are finished. I truley hope that its overseen by a responsible party with integrity. That's very hard to find though when $$ is involved. Only time will tell and I hope the history books will read success for all, including our UP enviornement which we all enojoy. Again LOVE the colors!

Thanks, Neil, for the mining story and the beautiful fall pic!