To the editor:

What is the motive for the Daily Mining Gazette seemingly going out of its way to discredit mining development in the Ontonagon County region?

On March 29, the Gazette ran a story which stated, “Highland Copper Co. expects to employ up to 320 people within a few years to mine copper in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State park for the next 15 years or more.”

On March 30, the Gazette ran another story which stated, “Copper prices are going up, which is a primary reason why Highland Copper is preparing to open a mine operation in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.”

On April 1, the Gazette strikes again: HEADLINE; “NO PARK DRILLING YET”

The latest installment of yellow journalism from the Gazette was on April 5 with large, bold headlines proclaiming, “BIG MUDDY  DRILLING IMPACTS PORKIES SP.” The accompanying article included pictures  provided by the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition allegedly showing damage to the park attributed to exploratory drilling operations.

Anyone who has spent any time in the woods in the springtime will recognize the soupy conditions of old logging roads. The photos were clearly taken along older roads and not in the forested areas.  Furthermore, the  recent  exploratory drilling was just that, exploratory; that is, to define the extent of the ore body related to the Copperwood Mine Project. This exploratory work was allowed under two permits issued by MDNR which required working on frozen ground. The drilling was stopped over a month ago due to the warm temperatures. Highland Copper has complied with the conditions of the  permits. The photos in the Gazette, taken recently, show spring breakup conditions. The use of inflamatory headlines and photos  such as this seem to have one purpose — to stir up opposition to copper mining development in places  other than the so-called “Copper Country.”

Highland intends to open a mine in the extreme northeast corner of Gogebic County to mine the chalcocite copper-bearing ore there.

We have to question why the Gazette seems to be going out of its way to discourage mining in an area that, according to their traditional definition, is not part of the Copper Country. It has been overlooked by many that the copper rush began and continues in the Ontonagon County region.

Bruce H. Johanson

Ontonagon