It was just last week that Kennecott Eagle Minerals, a mining company developing a nickel and copper mine near Marquette,
received the final go-ahead from a judge to begin underground construction.
This week, another U.P. mining project made its official application to go through the state mine permitting process, as
Orvana Minerals seeks approval for its Copperwood project.
Orvana has been exploring the Copperwood project for copper mining in Gogebic County in the western U.P. for a few years now, and has said the resources there also include silver.
For the underground, room-and-pillar style mine to be built, 13 Michigan permits have to be given, going through a review process expected to take about seven months, says Orvana USA president Bill Williams. The first permit, an overall environmental permit, was submitted this week; following applications are being made for a wetlands fill permit, a wastewater discharge permit, and an air discharge permit. The various permits are granted by either the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality or the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
"We look forward to this permit review process and are optimistic about a positive outcome," says Williams. "The effort exerted by Orvana's Copperwood team to compile all the data collected, integrate the contributions of the consultants and contractors involved, and organize this 6,000-page document was extraordinary. This effort will continue as we march forward towards an operating mine."
Toronto-based Orvana has established offices in the western U.P. as part of its enterprise. The company estimates 798 million pounds of copper and 3.5 million ounces of silver are contained in deposits throughout the area. It also plans to process the extracted ore on-site.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Bill Williams, Orvana USA
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