The event was held to facilitate public comments on a tentative Michigan Department of Environmental Quality decision to approve a permit amendment allowing Eagle Mine to mine the Eagle East mineral resource.

“Based on the information available, the DEQ has determined that the application meets the requirements for approval under part 632,” the proposed decision document states.

Several attendees expressed safety, environmental, economic and political concerns related to the expansion.

Steve Casey, District Coordinator Water Resources Division for the DEQ Upper Peninsula District Office, said the hearing will be followed by a 28-day public comment period during which the DEQ will accept written comments on the proposed decision to grant the request.

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community member Jeff Loman, expresses concern about the long-term effect that the Eagle Mine expansion may have on the environment during a public hearing at the Westwood High School Auditorium on Monday. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

“The department will consider the comments received today along with those received during the written comment period before making a final decision,” Casey said. “This hearing is only one portion of the information that must be considered and before all of the information is received and considered, a final decision cannot be made.”

Joe Maki, spokesman for Upper Peninsula district office for the MDEQ’s Oil, Gas and Minerals Division, told attendees that the initial permit amendment was submitted in March with a proposed decision issued by the DEQ on Aug. 17.

The Eagle East ore body is located about 1.2 miles east of Eagle Mine in Michigamme Township at a depth of about 3,000 feet beneath the surface. Site plans include a proposed access ramp from the Eagle Mine to Eagle East — existing surface facilities at Eagle Mine will continue to be utilized to support the proposed operations, MDEQ officials said.

Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Member Jeff Loman said the tribe is concerned about how the increased amount of rock being placed in the Humboldt tailings pit will cause long-term contamination from sulfide. Loman asked whether granting the permits would prevent legal claims for damage to natural resources in the future.

“We are very concerned about the water quality now that will change in the Humboldt pit, and the potential for damages to natural resources,” Loman said. “We’d like the state of Michigan to take a close, careful look at this — as trustees for natural resources, and make sure that there is no bar to making claims for damages because these releases are permitted.”

Maki said Eagle East will be subject to the same water protection requirements as Eagle Mine

Considerable concentrations of pyrrhotite and pyrite had been detected, Maki said, which can contribute to what he called acid mine drainage.

“Pyrrhotite probably being a most reactive iron sulfide that is available out there, so yes it is known that it has the potential to react if it is exposed to oxygen and flushes of water this will oxidize and generate acid,” Maki said. “Again, you can’t bring rock out to the surface and put it out on the ground, it’s going to have to be managed as a waste management route. That is required of Eagle Mine.”

Mining Action Group member Horst Schmidt expressed concern about mine safety, citing a significant fall of ground incident on Aug. 5, 2016.

During the incident, an underground vertical column of ore, also called a stope, gave way and fell unexpectedly while routine blasting occurred at another part of the mine.

Maki said the company adhered to safety requirements and alerted the Mine Safety and Health Administration as soon as practical to the incident, and no environmental monitoring data indicated the fall of ground went beyond the immediate area of the fall.

Maki said the collection of data regarding a number of factors is required to continue to evaluate rock stability for the overlying level or levels.

“The approved mining method was reviewed by two independent rock mechanics experts and both concluded the method follows best industry standards,” Maki said. “As they are mining, they will continue to follow the same safety patterns and processes as they are for Eagle.”

Written comments on the permit will be accepted by the DEQ until Oct. 23.

Send written comments to: MDEQ Eagle East Permit Amendment, Office of Oil, Gas and Minerals, 1504 W. Washington St., Marquette, 49855; or via email to DEQ-Mining-Comments@michigan.gov, including “Eagle East Proposed Decision” as the subject.

The Mining Permit Application Amendment, proposed decision and other pertinent documents may be accessed online at www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3311_18442-359902–,00.html.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.