ALERT — At the request of concerned citizens and environmental groups. the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has agreed to hold a Public Meeting on December 4th to discuss controversial mineral leases requested by UPX Minerals, Inc. (UPX).
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Minerals Management will hold an informational public meeting next month in Marquette on a metallic minerals lease request by UPX Minerals Inc., a division of Highland Copper.
The meeting is set for 6-8 p.m. eastern time, Tuesday, Dec. 4 in the Charcoal Room at the University Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette.
“We will give a brief overview of the metallic mineral lease request submitted by UPX Minerals, Inc.,” said Julie Manson, manager of the Lease Management Unit of the DNR’s Office of Minerals Management. “We will also be providing attendees with an opportunity to ask questions, and we will answer them as time allows.”
UPX Minerals Inc. initially submitted a lease request to the DNR for state-owned metallic mineral rights on 6,655.69 acres in Iron and Marquette counties. UPX has since withdrawn over 4,000 acres from its application and is now requesting to lease 2,500.80 acres of the originally requested acres.
All the acreage initially nominated for leasing in Iron County has been withdrawn from the request by UPX.
Should this request be approved by DNR, issuance of a lease to UPX would give them the exclusive right to explore for the presence of metallic minerals in these areas. A lease alone does not grant a lessee a right to mine.
The recommended lease classification is development with restriction, which means there are other specific restrictions in the lease in addition to the standard lease provisions. The lease would allow surface use for metallic minerals exploration or development after all necessary permissions have been obtained.
Concerned citizens, including impacted homeowners in the Marquette area who submitted public comments opposing the proposed leasing of minerals under their homes, camps, and forests, were NOT notified of the hearing – they learned about the decision only after the DNR issued a press release dated November 4th.
“The DNR’s failure to directly contact concerned landowners and other environmental stakeholders reflects poorly on the Minerals office,” said Kathleen Heideman of the UPEC Mining Action Group. “When folks take the time to educate themselves about a complex issue, write informed comments, and submit them in a timely manner to the State of Michigan, I really feel they should be treated with more respect.”
UPX is seeking to lease thousands of acres of State-owned minerals in Marquette County. These mineral properties are underneath private property, homes, camps, rivers and streams, lakes, wetlands – even nature reserves and the DNR’s own Rocking Chair Lakes, located 25 miles northwest of Marquette. The Rocking Chair Lakes are considered one of the “jewels of the state forest system… a natural area in a rugged and nearly inaccessible part of Marquette County. Managed for trout, these lakes offer a wilderness fishing experience.”
Comments opposing the UPX mineral lease requests were jointly submitted to the DNR by UPEC’s Mining Action Group, the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition, the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, the Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Trust, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK), Freshwater Future, Concerned Citizens of Big Bay, the Michigan Environmental Council, and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
“We urge everyone to attend the DNR’s public meeting on December 4th. This is the public’s chance to ask questions and get answers,” said Horst Schmidt, president of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC).
CONCERNED CITIZENS MEETING
Landowners who are impacted by the UPX mineral lease requests may contact miningactiongroupUPEC@gmail.
UPDATED MAPS
Are you impacted by UPX Mineral’s plans for mineral exploration in Marquette County? Check these detail maps showing the UPX mineral lease requests:
LEARN MORE
- UPX is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Highland Copper, a Canadian exploration-stage company with no active mines.
- Landowners Alarmed by UPX Mineral Lease Request
- Who’s Digging Under Your Camp? UPX Minerals!
- Action Alert – Petition the Michigan DNR to DENY Mineral Lease Requests by UPX
- Environmental Groups to Michigan DNR: Deny UPX Mineral Lease Requests
- Environmentalists to DNR: Protect the Rocking Chair Lakes!
- See the DNR website to learn more about State of Michigan metallic minerals leasing.