MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released a report detailing potential pollution problems with planned iron mining in northern Wisconsin, according to an article by the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.
Potential issues that could be caused by the mining include the loss of wetlands, streams and groundwater, the article reported.
Gogebic Taconite released plans to build an open-pit mine in Ashland and Iron counties in 2011; before this point DNR has largely avoided passing judgment on the potential mine as Gogebic has not formally submitted an application and plans for the project to DNR, the article noted.
Specific threats identified in the report include mercury and sulfuric acidpollution in groundwater as well as air pollution, according to the article.