A Crucial Copper Field Update
Two proposed western Upper Peninsula copper mines have moved a step closer to reality.
Highland Copper Company has sold two-thirds of its interest in the White Pine North Project to Kinterra Copper USA for $30 million. Highland officials say they’ll use that money to push forward their Copperwood project in Gogebic County. Officials say they hope to begin preliminary site work and environmental projects sometime next year. In addition, Kinterra will invest $30 million for permitting and feasibility studies at white pine north, in Ontonagon County.
Highland also released the results its preliminary economic study for the White Pine North Project. Recent testing has enabled the company to increase the estimated amount of available minerals to as much as 5.7 billion pounds of copper, and 93 million ounces of silver. If fully realized, the proposed mine could operate for an estimated 22 years.
The White Pine North Project will create a new mine on the nonesuch lode adjacent to the heritage white pine mine, which was the most productive in Upper Peninsula history before it closed in the mid-1990s.