Mining in Canoe Country

Written by: Marshall Black

If you have never spent time exploring the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in Northeastern Minnesota you are missing out on the time of your life. This million acre wilderness area is known for its pristine lakes, streams, rivers, and forests which are home to wolves, moose, and many other animals. The BWCAW provides some of the best fishing, canoeing, camping, and many other recreational opportunities unlike anywhere else. I was lucky enough to attend college at Vermilion Community College in Ely MN which is located near the Southwestern border of the BWCAW. Ely is a small town that caters to tourists travelling from all over the country and world to spend time in the BWCAW. Unfortunately, Metallic Sulfide Mining (MSM) operations that have been proposed to be built just miles outside of the BWCAW could put the health of this ecosystem and the economic well being of small communities like Ely in jeopardy.

Northern Minnesota has a history of mining since the late 1800’s. Around the 1900’s there were several iron ore mines which provided many jobs which attracted hundreds of thousands of people to this region. When these mines closed down most people moved away and the mine pits were left vacant or were flooded with water. Although these mining operations had negative effects on the resource, they did not create mass amounts of waste and over the years the ecosystem has recovered for the most part. This is not the case with MSM. MSM operations leave exposed sulfur ore deposits. You might be asking, why is leaving exposed sulfur ore a problem? When water (groundwater, rain etc.) comes in contact with the sulfur ore, the sulfur oxidizes which creates sulfuric acid. This sulfuric acid spreads and contaminates nearby lakes, streams, and groundwater. When the sulfuric acid spreads from the mine site it is called Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). These contaminated waters are dangerous to the health of humans (swimming, eating fish from these waters), fish, wildlife, and can destroy entire ecosystems. Since these proposed mine sites are located near extensive water systems that make up a large portion of the BWCAW, these systems could potentially become severely contaminated.

MSM sites in the southern United States have experienced devastating after affects which have contaminated thousands of water systems due to ADM. These mines were located in very arid sites which meant the potential for acid mine drainage was low, yet water still came into contact with the sulfur ore to produce sulfuric acid. Most of these mining companies refused to pay for the clean-up costs, making it a Superfund site which means that taxpayers pay for it. Considering the fact that these mines in Minnesota will be in an area surrounded by groundwater, lakes, and streams you can almost guarantee that sulfuric acid will be produced and mass amounts of AMD will occur.

There is a way to prevent this type of devastation from ever occurring. In 1997 Wisconsin passed the “Prove It First” law. This law states that before a MSM operation can open, the mining company must be able to refer to a similar mine to the one being proposed. This mine being referenced must have been operating for 10 years with no pollution and be closed for 10 years with no pollution. No company has been able to provide such an example, therefore no new mines have been proposed. If Minnesota passed a similar regulation it would essentially eliminate the chance of AMD destroying this unique ecosystem and the economic well being of the surrounding communities. To learn more on what is being done to prevent MSM in Northeastern Minnesota visit the Friends of the Boundary Waters website at http://www.friends-bwca.org/issues/sulfide-mining/.