Boundary Waters under attack


sweeper54

sweeper54

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The recent Senate vote has overturned a 20-year ban on mining near the Boundary Waters, allowing Twin Metals to pursue a copper mine in the area, which has raised significant environmental concerns. Critics argue that this mining could lead to severe pollution and harm to the unique ecosystem of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

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It won't happen for a while, just a heads up.
 
sweeper54 said:
Critics argue that this mining could lead to severe pollution and harm to the unique ecosystem of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
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If there is a mine, it will pollute the waters downstream…

Lots of folk really unhappy about this, and many have suggested, henceforth, calling the campsite “convenience” a Stauber… This won’t protect the BWCA, but will help us remember who might have helped protect this area…
 
When one paddles through the BWCAW and Quetico, you become very aware of the massive amount of water flowing north through the area... just lake after lake after lake of slowly moving water. No copper mine should be anywhere near that.
 
The Senate vote was 50-49. All 50 votes were Republicans.

Senate Republicans introduced the resolution under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, which allows the reversal of recent federal regulations with a simple majority vote.

Chilean mining giant Antofagasta and its subsidiary, Twin Metals Minnesota, seek to build a controversial copper and nickel mine near the wilderness area previously blocked by the Biden administration.
 
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I wonder how prominent copper is near the Boundary Waters. I’ve never seen copper in the rock around there.
Obviously there have been core samples showing promising. I remember the coring crews boring holes years ago. It’s been a while since being in Ely but I’ve been all around that area hundreds of times.
 
Tangotag said:
I wonder how prominent copper is near the Boundary Waters. I’ve never seen copper in the rock around there.
Obviously there have been core samples showing promising. I remember the coring crews boring holes years ago. It’s been a while since being in Ely but I’ve been all around that area hundreds of times.
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Google the ‘Duluth Complex.’ There’s a lot.
 
I wonder if it's the same deposit that shows up in Keweenaw? The Lake Superior depression put a huge Bend in the Earth's layers. Maybe it pops up on the other side of the lake too?
 
Yep mining is known to cause environmental impacts. I hope it is minimal for this area. There are so few places that aren't effected negatively by humans.

On the flip side, if people weren't pushing so hard for renewable energy we wouldn't need as much copper, nickel, lithium, and cobalt for batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

The idea that electric cars will save the planet is a fallacy. They require so much resources for metals and minerals that drive these mining operations.
 
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On average, an electric vehicle contains 25 to 50 grams of silver, along with significant amounts of other minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, totaling about 207 kilograms of various minerals needed for the entire vehicle.
 
Have you ever looked at aerial imagery of a lithium mine? They’re giant scars on the face of the earth. Some of these elements are called “rare earth elements” or REEs for short. Hanging out future on replacing the internal combustion engine with battery powered vehicles is impossible with current tech. The thing is, there’s no “magic bullet” to replace fossil fuels so any future solution is going to have to be diverse. Part of that solution has to be an overall reduction in energy use, but just as we know nitrate pollution in our waters come from toilets, golf courses, and agriculture, we aren’t slowing any of that down either.
 
Greebe said:
On average, an electric vehicle contains 25 to 50 grams of silver, along with significant amounts of other minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, totaling about 207 kilograms of various minerals needed for the entire vehicle.
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Why, in your opinion, did the measure pass unanimously by Republicans? I thought they weren’t so much for EV’s.
 
Woodpuppy said:
Have you ever looked at aerial imagery of a lithium mine? They’re giant scars on the face of the earth. Some of these elements are called “rare earth elements” or REEs for short. Hanging out future on replacing the internal combustion engine with battery powered vehicles is impossible with current tech. The thing is, there’s no “magic bullet” to replace fossil fuels so any future solution is going to have to be diverse. Part of that solution has to be an overall reduction in energy use, but just as we know nitrate pollution in our waters come from toilets, golf courses, and agriculture, we aren’t slowing any of that down either.
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Toilets, golf courses and agriculture, if we ban the first and third eventually the second will go away as well...
 
The Principal said:
Why, in your opinion, did the measure pass unanimously by Republicans? I thought they weren’t so much for EV’s.
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Those same resources are used in the tools of war as well as peace. And profits for everyone! Wonder why both sides in congress retire as millionaires? Left wing, right wing, same bird.
 
Woodpuppy said:
Those same resources are used in the tools of war as well as peace. And profits for everyone! Wonder why both sides in congress retire as millionaires? Left wing, right wing, same bird.
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No doubt that if you follow the money, one will realize what motivates politicians’ choices. It’s foolish to get caught up in the performative arguments that distract the public from this reality.
 
I’m trying to understand the process of getting the copper and nickel out of the ore. Is that using sulfuric acid or is that a byproduct of the process? I sure wouldn’t want to have the waterways be contaminated with traces or tanker loads of sulfuric acid. The world probably has enough sulfuric acid to go around already.
 
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