Over 20 per cent of the world's surface freshwater supply and approximately 85 per cent of North America's surface freshwater supply are found in the Great Lakes region. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and also contains roughly 10 per cent of all easily available freshwater for the entire planet. Although Lake Superior is of great ecological importance, there has been controversy in recent years over a certain, potentially harmful practice—mining.
During the mid-1840’s copper mining started to become very popular in Ontonagon, Houghton, and Keweenaw counties, which became known as Copper Country. As the Upper Peninsula’s copper mining flourished, the Michigan Copper Country was the country's top producer of copper from 1845 until 1887. In 1869, the state produced more than 95 per cent of the nation's copper. However, by 1970 the copper boom had ended, after generating more than 11 billion pounds of copper. The decline of the industry had substantial negative effects on the economy. The environmental impacts on the of the area were harmful, but nothing that caused significant public concern. The controversy surrounding modern-day copper mining is the destruction that comes along with our current mining practices.
Large mines are being proposed or are now operating within the Lake Superior watershed in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s UP. The motivation behind the mining initiatives lies underneath the surface—an estimated 4 billion tons copper-nickel ore, worth almost $1 trillion. However, the primary concern with mining proposals for Lake Superior is most definitely the water quality. Water is, without a doubt, the main issue with today's mining initiatives within the Lake Superior watershed. This ecosystem is characterized by its exceptional wetlands, lakes, rivers, and streams. The environmental concerns associated with copper mining practices can have a huge negative impact on the surrounding areas. Mine drainage causes a number of issues, such as contaminated drinking water, decreased aquatic plant and animal growth, and acid corrosion of bridges and other pieces of infrastructure.
However, many view the situation as a chance for opportunity. The demand for precious metals has skyrocketed alongside the development of technology, especially since the push for electric vehicles has increased in recent years. Supporters and developers believe that opening a mine would bring prosperity and opportunity by creating hundreds of jobs. Even Michigan’s President and CEO of MI Economic Development Corporation assures these projects are critical to emboldening Michigan’s supply chain and creating jobs across the state. As of last year, the state projects that these mining communities could see in increase of millions of dollars in state tax revenue, which some see crucial for maintaining and developing their communities.
People who oppose the construction of the mines typically have two primary concerns; environmental degradation and economic failure. Many people are attached to the land and do not want to risk any kind of environmental hazard, especially in such an economically vital area. Many also speculate that after 10-15 years of production that the mine will be depleted and no longer be profitable, leading to yet another economic decline.
As time progresses there is more and more controversy surrounding the topic and there
is still much uncertainty revolving around both the legality and investor status for various copper mining proposals. Only time will tell if the southern shoreline of Lake Superior will once again prosper from its abundant copper deposits.
