Michigan has approved a $50 million copper mine that has sparked outrage among residents due to its close proximity to Lake Superior.
Canada-based Highland Copper is set to break ground 100 feet from the lake and start production in 2026, which the company said could produce 65 million pounds of the metal over the course of 11 years.
Controversy over the mine kicked into high gear last year when the company cleared a section of the state park’s one-billion-year-old forest, filled in the wetlands and permanently rerouted the North Country Trail’s streams.
Copper mines are labeled as the most toxic to human health because they can release chemicals like mercury, arsenic and lead that have been identified as the ‘top 10 chemicals of major…
