Damakant Jayshi
After determining that Flambeau Mining Company has met its obligations under an approved reclamation plan, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a reclamation certificate to the company for the remainder of the mining site in Rusk County.
An assessment of Stream ‘C’, an intermittent contaminated stream in the area, will be initiated next year, DNR officials said in a press statement earlier this week.
The DNR also issued a revised mining permit to the company that will remain in force until the remaining reclamation bond is released. That will not occur for a minimum of 20 years.
Before issuing the certificate, the DNR had sought public comments on that preliminary determination as well as a draft Revised Mining Permit in June.
“After consideration of public comments, the DNR determined that Flambeau Mining Company met its obligations under the approved reclamation plan, as modified in 1998, and that the Certificate of Completion of Reclamation covering the industrial outlot portion of the mining site should be issued in accordance with applicable laws and rules,” DNR officials said.
The latest certificate relates to the 32 acres of the 181-acree mining site which was operational along the Flambeau River near Ladysmith in Rusk County. The DNR had already issued a Certificate of Completion of Reclamation for 149 acres in 2007. The open pit copper and gold mine operated 1993 to 1997. The state agency said the site reclamation, including back filling the pit, was “substantially completed” by 1999.
With this, reclamation of the entire mining site has been certified as complete.
According to information on the mining company’s website, the site was small but rich in minerals. The deposit generated a total of 181,000 tons of copper, 334,000 ounces of gold, and 3.3 million ounces of silver, company officials reported.
This mine is often cited as a success in responsible mining, but critics aren’t so sure.
That “success” is highly disputed, with reports about high levels of toxic pollutants found in water samples on the site. A lawsuit was filed against the Flambeau Mining Company for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act. And a tributary of the Flambeau River, Stream ‘C’, was described as “impaired waters.”
A group of conservation and environment organizations blasted the DNR in July over its decision to issue the certificate of completion for the industrial out lot.
“The WDNR failed to require water quality monitoring of Stream C as a condition of a revised mining permit though such monitoring would be necessary to obtain information to confirm ongoing copper concentrations in the stream,” River Alliance of Wisconsin, Sierra Club-WI Chapter and Wisconsin’s Green Fire: Voices for Conservation said in a joint statement. “This water quality information is the first step in deciding on the need for additional remediation work.:
In its statement on Tuesday, the DNR acknowledged that the issues related to Stream ‘C’ are alive.
“In response to public concerns regarding the water quality of Stream C, an intermittent stream that traverses a portion of the former mining site, DNR and Flambeau Mining Company have agreed that additional assessment of the biologic condition of Stream C is appropriate to determine whether Stream C is attaining its designated uses,” the DNR said.
State officials say the company will develop a work plan for the assessment and submit it to DNR for review and approval in early 2023. The agency expects the company to initiate assessment activities in 2023. “The DNR will determine what, if any, additional monitoring or other actions are needed once the study is completed.”
The DNR’s move comes amidst attempts by another mining company to conduct exploration drilling for gold in Reef and Bend Deposits in Marathon and Taylor Counties, respectively. Green Lights Wisconsin LLC, a subsidiary of Canada-based Green Light Metals Inc., has submitted its exploration drilling plans for both the deposits. The DNR has sought additional information for the Reef Deposit as well as a second request for additional information and clarification for the Bend Deposit from the company.
