People opposed to mining met over the weekend in Mole Lake. It comes after word that Badger Minerals could begin exploratory testing. The company is a subsidiary of a Canadian mining company. The proposed drilling would happen in eastern Oneida County near the Wolf River.
A group in opposition to metallic sulfide mining met on Sunday afternoon for what they referred to as the “Wolf River Water Walk.”
Over 200 members of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, the Menominee Nation, and other concerned citizens listened to speakers and then walked to the site of exploratory drilling that could begin soon.
Metallic mine permitting in Wisconsin was streamlined by the passage of a 2017 law. Supporters of the law believe mines would create economic development and good paying jobs.
The speakers Sunday afternoon argued that there is no such thing as safe sulfide mining, and risks to water quality, and in particular the Wolf River, far outweigh any economic gains. The goal for this group is not only to stop this mine near the headwaters of the Wolf River but also to overturn the law that makes mining of this type easier for companies to achieve.
