We are pleased to welcome you to the Wisconsin Mining Association. Wisconsin’s citizens, businesses and elected representatives are currently faced with unique opportunities to strengthen our state’s economy and create tens of thousands of good-paying, multi-generational jobs as we revive mining in Wisconsin and revisit our state’s mining heritage. The Wisconsin Mining Association's goal is to protect and promote those businesses that support the mining industry globally and assist those businesses intersted in creating jobs in Wisconsin through mining - from iron ore, to sand to, gold to copper - navigate through the regulatory challenges, communication needs and information-sharing opportunities during this critical juncture in our state’s history.
Legislative Focus
The Wisconsin Mining Association believes that passage of responsible ferrous mining legislation can be done in a fashion that protects the environment and allows for the creation of thousands of family supporting jobs. As such, ferrous mining legislation should be a top priority for Wisconsin’s elected officials and policy makers this year.

Wisconsin’s current mining statutes were designed to permit and regulate sulfide mines which utilize major chemicals in the extraction and processing of their minerals.

Ferrous or iron mines do not use these potentially dangerous chemicals and therefore have a much different and much smaller environmental impact. Ferrous mines instead use water and magnets in the extraction and processing of iron ore.  Economic viability and environmental sensitivity are not mutually exclusive goals when it comes to ferrous mining.

Wisconsin’s mining laws were written for sulfide mines. As a result, Wisconsin current permitting and regulatory statutes on the one hand contain language and requirements that are not appropriate to ferrous mining and on the other do not contain some language and requirements that should be part of a ferrous mining regulatory framework.

Without an appropriate, competitive ferrous mining law, Wisconsin cannot take advantage of the over $200 billion ore deposit in northern Wisconsin, create 2,800+ jobs associated with the operation of a modern green mining operation, or attract the investment capital required to develop the deposit.

The Wisconsin Mining Association believes that passage of appropriate, competitive ferrous mining legislation will significantly improve Wisconsin’s ability to attract the investment capital needed to develop the state’s valuable mineral resources.

Legislative Need
The Wisconsin Mining Association believes Wisconsin needs to enact ferrous mining legislation that would:

  • Recognize the significant differences between iron ore mining and sulfide mining
  • Recognize the reality of scientific and technologically driven environmental stewardship
  • Provide a company with a clear roadmap for the type of information necessary to submit a complete Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
  • Provide a clearly defined timeframe during which the WDNR will
    • review the EIR;
    • determine an application complete;
    • create and draft an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS);
    • hold public hearings/gather public input;
    • issue a final EIS; and
    • approve or deny a permit to operate.
  • Ensure Wisconsin’s permit process for ferrous mining is competitive with states which currently have ferrous mining legislation with defined timelines
  • Ensure the local impact of a mining operation would be adequately addressed, but again keep Wisconsin competitive with states which currently have ferrous mining legislation
  • Ensure and encourage citizen input within a timely, predictable process.
The ferrous mining legislation WMA is supportive of would not change any of Wisconsin’s current mining laws as they relate to sulfide mining, but would and should provide a more appropriate regulatory framework and make Wisconsin more competitive from a permitting point of view for ferrous mining.
The Challenge

Despite the fact that Wisconsin is home to one of the largest known iron deposits in the world, all iron mining in the United States now occurs in Minnesota and Michigan, benefitting their states and their workers to the tune of more than $12 billion a year.

In the past year, potential mining investors took a hard look at developing the massive iron ore deposits in Iron and Ashland Counties. Their research indicated that the construction and operation of a mine in the area would generate thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes for state and local governments. They also noted, however, that Wisconsin’s mining laws did not recognize the difference between ferrous and sulfide mining and have expressed concern that Wisconsin’s lack of a scientifically appropriate and economically competitive environment may make investments in Minnesota and/or Michigan a wiser choice.

 
The Opportunity

Minnesota and Michigan both recognize the difference between ferrous mining, which uses magnets and water in the mining and refining process, and sulfide mining, which uses chemicals. Both states have statutes that recognize that difference in how they regulate the permitting and oversight of ferrous mining. Wisconsin’s mining laws do not recognize the differences between ferrous and sulfide mining.

Wisconsin has a unique opportunity to promote new mining activity in our state that will create hundreds of new mining jobs, support thousands of mining related jobs, and provide a significant revenue stream for our state when we need it most. To take advantage of this opportunity, the State must develop and adopt ferrous mining legislation that will allow for responsible iron ore mining in Wisconsin.