The Washington Post has a story on mining for metals in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is an interesting look at an issue that will become a hot topic in Minnesota.
There are a few different proposals for mining operations along the Iron Range that would extract copper, nickel and/or other metals. I’ve even heard there may be a company soon exploring for metals along the Root River in Southeastern Minnesota. The problem is, extracting these ores exposes sulfides that react with air and water to create sulfuric acid, which can leach into our lakes and rivers, killing plants and animals or doing other bad things. More information is available from Sierra Club’s Mining Without Harm.