Prony Resources plans for restart of nickel production in New Caledonia
The company, which operates the Goro mine and a plant producing battery-grade nickel, returned workers to facilities on Monday.
The Columbus Republic reports opponents of a planned nickel and copper mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are asking a judge to put a state-issued permit for the project on hold ahead of initial blasting expected later this month.
Four organizations have asked a judge to issue a stay while considering an appeal of the Department of Environmental Quality’s 2007 decision to grant Kennecott Eagle Minerals, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, a permit. Kennecott Eagle is targeting an underground ore deposit that would be the only US mine where nickel is the primary mineral generated instead of a byproduct. The mine could yield up to 300 million pounds of nickel and about 200 million pounds of copper.
The Columbus Republic quotes Susan LaFerniere, a member of the Keweenaw tribe and one of the organisations taking legal action: “My people have prayed and held ceremonies at Eagle Rock since time immemorial No one should be allowed to blast it apart. I hope the judge grants this request.”
Image is of Miner’s Castle in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior.
3 Comments
Steven Rohrbach
I’m a private exploration geologist in Oregon,USA, where there is most of the the nickel deposits in the form of laterites. Most have been mined out, the larger ones any way. There is a crucial demand for nickel the strategic element, and any shortage will downgrade the economy. SWteven Rohrbach
Applevalleywoodworker
Mining is a basic industry that has been under attack continually by the eco-terrorists in this country. Yet, everybody wants their cars[steel, copper, alumina, magnesium, chromium], jewelry[gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, rubies], computers [rare-earth minerals, copper, silver], homes [gravel, sand, cement, limestone, granite, gypsum, copper, iron ore] appliances [iron, copper, titanium, nickle], televisions [rare-earth minerals, boron, copper, alumina, silica sand].
Then there is coal, oil shale, sand tars on the energy side. Taken together, their are thousands of high paying jobs that go by the way side because of these people. Wake up America. Don’t let them destroy our economy by limiting mining. We need to push back against these people.
Why don’t the eco terrorists want these minerals mined? They want there fancy cars, high priced homes, big screen TV’s, Mac Book Pros [yes even Mr. Steve Jobs needs mining to keep Apple going, just shocking], fancy bobbles and diamond earrings, rings, high end appliances.
So why don’t they want any mining? I say as my now closed mining engineering school once advocated: “Let the bastards freeze in the dark” I guess they need to quit buying anything that comes from mining.
Alan Rowley
David Stewart
The problem is the paradox of morally bankrupt politicians doing the biding of “politically correct” groups so they can earn some righteousness. The Native Americans have a valid objection from their perspective of spiritual essence over technical advancement or lifestyle. The rest are misguided fanatics trying to find some purpose outside of themselves because they cannot handle or understand reality.