When I suggested that the Duluth News Tribune‘s pro-copper mining editorial from last Sunday deserved some further inspection, I further suggested that retired Range miner and participant on this blog Bob Tammen should provide an environmental perspective from an Iron Range resident’s perspective. As it turns out, in Thursday’s Duluth News Tribune, he’s done just that with a very compelling op/ed. Check it out. His concerns about PolyMet are important to check out and, so far, exploring the topic from a “value per job minus effect on the landscape” method hasn’t been part of the discourse. Certainly not in the editorials on the subject. Give this a read.
I know that nonferrous mining folks read this blog and I’d welcome a response. My contact information is in the “Contact Me” section and I’d be happy to run a guest post.
I’m with the DNT on this one.
The more I watch the environmentalist/green crowd, the more I’m convinced they’d like nothing more than for all of the mines up here to close up shop forever, economy be damned.
Sorry folks, I’d like something more for this region than $9 an hour service industry/call center jobs.
I agree with you on that last part. And I understand your point on the first part. There is an element out there that wants nothing industrial to occur anymore on the Iron Range. I don’t agree with that. That’s why I haven’t come out against the new mining projects on the Range; but have asked for more information. The only project I’ve opposed, Excelsior’s Mesaba project, has been on the grounds of economics and clean government.
That said there is something to be said for balancing our environmental and economic futures so that they work out to be relatively equal to what we’ve had here historically. I think copper mining is a different game than iron mining; and it deserves some proper consideration.