Gogebic Taconite: Former Mining Proposal
Location: Iron and Ashland counties
The Gogebic Iron Range is an 80-mile-long belt of distinctive Precambrian bedrock in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It stretches east to west, roughly from Lake Gogebic in Michigan to Lake Namekagon in Wisconsin.
The Gogebic Deposit generally refers to a 21-mile-long segment of the Gogebic Iron Range between the community of Upson and Mineral Lake in Wisconsin. The deposit contains 20-30% iron in the form of magnetite. Because the iron ore is of lower grade than the natural hematitic ores mined previously in northern Wisconsin, the ore must be concentrated and processed into taconite pellets prior to shipping to a steel mill.
Gogebic Taconite: Exploration
From 2011 through 2015, Gogebic Taconite, LLC, an iron exploration subsidiary of Cline Group, considered development of a ferrous mining project along a four-mile stretch east of the Town of Mellen in both Iron and Ashland Counties. The surface and mineral rights for the project area were optioned for potential development to Gogebic Taconite by the property owners, LaPointe Iron Company and RGGS Land & Minerals, Ltd.
In 2011, the DNR issued Gogebic Taconite an exploration license and storm water permit for drilling scheduled that summer, but the company suspended all exploration activities, and the boreholes were not drilled in summer 2013.
In 2013, Gogebic Taconite submitted a mining permit preapplication notice to the DNR followed by two revised exploration license applications and a Notice of Intent for exploration drilling. The DNR issued two separate exploration licenses with subsequent renewals in 2014. DNR also issued storm water permits for the proposed site activities.
Following the DNR approval of the exploration plans, Gogebic Taconite completed the drilling of 14 boreholes in summer 2013 and winter 2014. The company conducted bulk sampling at 3 certified sites and completed the sampling in compliance with the DNR approved plans in 2014.
Gogebic Taconite: Withdrawal
In 2015, the DNR received a preapplication withdrawal letter from Gogebic Taconite. The letter followed the closing of the company's Hurley office.
Following the withdrawal, all Managed Forest Law land that was temporarily closed to public access was reopened to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing and cross-country skiing.
Gogebic Taconite maintained the project site in accordance with the state statute and continued restoration efforts until DNR issued Certificates of Completion for both exploration licenses in 2017 and 2023.