MARQUETTE — UPX Minerals is seeking access to the mineral rights on 40 acres in Republic from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

This is the most recent request from UPX — a subsidiary of Highland Copper following a bid filed in April for approximately 3,591 acres in Marquette and Iron counties. The deadline for public input on both requests is June 11.

The public comment period for the request filed in April was extended and over 300 acres in areas of Marquette County were removed from consideration according to an April 23 DNR notice.

The 40 acre parcel in Republic Township is located on the southwest corner of section 35 between River Road and Trout Falls Creek, according to the DNR map.

The leases, if granted, would allow surface use for metallic mineral exploration or development after all necessary permissions, including those from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have been obtained.

Mineral rights in Michigan, in and of themselves, are considered property rights separate from those rights held by the surface landowner, the DEQ website states, and are defined as the right to extract a mineral from the earth and receive payment in the form of royalty for the extraction of the mineral.

“Mineral rights are distinct from surface rights, or the right to use the surface of the land for residential, agricultural, recreational, commercial or other purposes,” a DEQ fact sheet states. “Mineral rights may be sold or retained separately from the surface rights, in which case the mineral rights are said to be severed.”

The DNR manages mineral rights for the nearly 3.8 million acres of combined state-owned surface and mineral rights and an additional 2.1 million acres of state-owned mineral rights only, any mining activity is regulated by the MDEQ’s Oil, Gas and Minerals Division.

While the surface property owner for the parcel in Republic has not come forward, the Mining Action Group of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition has collected 137 signatures on a petition asking the DNR to deny the April 23 request.

The petition states that granting the mineral leases will: pollute the air, quiet forests, groundwater and watersheds to Lake Superior; damage the use and enjoyment of surface rights on land of many private homeowners; damage the natural environment on public land; and damage the “Pure Michigan” ethic of a growing multimillion dollar recreation economy in the U.P.

Revenue from the leasing and sale of state-owned mineral rights provides funding for the acquisition, development, and maintenance of local and state parks and other recreational areas, resulting in a wide range of recreational opportunities and access to Michigan’s forests, trails, waterways, and beaches, the DNR website states.

Mark Sweatman, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Minerals Management said the duration of the proposed UPX leases would be ten years with a $3 rental per acre for the first five years and a $6 rental per acre for the second five years.

“Should mining occur a royalty, in addition to the rental payment, would be due to the state,” Sweatman said. “Royalty rates vary by type of material mined.”

The leases, if granted, would add to mineral properties covering approximately 447,842 acres in the Upper Peninsula acquired by Highland Copper from the Kennecott Exploration Company and Rio Tinto Nickel Company in May 2017. UPX has cited exploration potential of nickel-copper massive sulfides, orogenic gold, seiment-hosted copper/zinc deposits in those areas.

The public can submit written comments expressing their concerns and providing additional information regarding the mineral rights lease request by June 11 to DNR, Office of Minerals Management, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing MI 48909, or via email to DNR-Minerals@michigan.gov.

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