We Support Minnesota Mining Resource Library

Hello Mining Supporters!

We Support Minnesota Mining has been working for a period of time on developing a mining support website to assist in research, education and provide a resource base for relevant mining related material and selected opinion. We have attempted to provide a cross section of good information to assist you in your research. It is intended to be used on the laptop or desktop platform.

We greatly appreciate all who have contributed to this research. It was not done without a lot of assistance. Many thanks to you all!

This resource will continue to be developed and is an ongoing project. Research referrals or comment may be made by messaging the We Support Minnesota Mining Facebook page. One of the admins will take it from there.

The new site has been titled: We Support Minnesota Mining Resource Library

Link to the resource is here: http://www.frontiernet.net/~babbittcs/WSMMRL/index.html

Bookmark the link if you plan to visit.

Letter To The Editor: Joe Baltich discussing the BWCA,economy, tourism and mining.

Somebody from the Twin Cities wanted me to sign a petition banning sulfide mining. I couldn't help myself. These tourists need to know the other side of the story:

Geez, Dan. The whole town of Ely is economically collapsing. Last year (2012) 156 people were in the obituary and the New Year's Baby was born on Feb. 10. Resort bookings for May and June were substantially off and I'm pretty sure they will be down for July and August. The anecdotal estimate is that Ely business is OFF by about 25 - 30%. Boundary Waters Canoe Area use is in fairly steep decline. I should know, I've been an outfitter and resorter for my entire life in Ely. The parking lots at the entry points were rarely full, most seeing 25% occupancy for the majority of summer.

   As America ages, nobody wants to come and sleep on a rock only to be restricted to paddling a canoe. They want to jump in a boat/snomobile and go fishing without having the government breathing down their necks requiring permits, allowing dog sleds but not motors, no cans or bottles but 2 liter plastic bottles are OK. However, burning plastic is illegal. It is illegal to leave the BWCA to go shopping in Ely because it voids one's permit. These are only a smattering of the rules that the vast majority of twin cities tourists can't even get right so they laughably remain in constant violation of the laws they support so strongly. When they come from out of state, it's even harder to get them to comply.

    So, Ely is slipping. Everything is for sale and nobody's buying. A liquor store that was successful since the early 70's has been up for sale for 5 years now. Nobody is even looking at the building. Another liquor store has the same story. A restaurant has been sitting empty for years on end, rotting, because no one will buy it. Back when the mines where humming along in the 60's and 70's it, too, was a successful business.

    The first decline for Ely began in 1964 when the government closed 17 resorts under eminent domain. The mines were still running at full speed then so it was harder to notice. When the so-called "wilderness goldmine" came to be (final, most restrictive phase of the Boundary Waters law PL 95-495 in 1978), we began to witness the second decline as several resorts sold out again in a government buyout and closed their doors for good in the early 80's. With the introduction of the internet and electronic "toys" in the 90's, we began to see business drop off again. Then the economy began to really falter in the mid to late 2000's and we've lost an entire generation of young kids being brought to the woods to enjoy the outdoors. Their young parents were products of the internet and shopping malls. They didn't have the interest or the money to go and be uncomfortable in the Boundary Waters by Ely. Plus, with very aggressive advertising for the Disneylands and pampered cruises of the world to the well-connected online, we've lost some more ground. Some families simply can't afford anything and grow up like I did in Ely - rarely taking a vacation, ever.

   Now, those of us remaining in Ely today are experiencing a graduating class of 45 kids when in 1979 it was 159. Those kids aren't sticking around. The median user age in the BWCA is 55. In another 5 years, where do you think that's going to be? How long will it be (realistically) before our out-of-shape 60-year-olds decide that going to Florida and sitting on the beach is more enjoyable than schlepping a wet #4 pack and a canoe over a portage? I've heard it many times by many of our idealistic tourists that they "plan" to be paddling the BWCA until they die. Right... We all know precisely how accurate that prediction almost always winds up to be in reality. People get old, they get injured, and they stop coming.

   So, other than making a private and very temporary playground for older twin cities enthusiasts, what is your plan to see Ely survive? With Ely's average population aged 65 and older are you willing to pay substantially more in your personal taxes to keep Ely going? Will you contribute to keep the hospital operating, the roads to the entry points paved and maintained, and the schools open? How much extra are you willing to contribute to pay for law enforcement in the BWCA region? Meth use is on the rise in Ely and I'm sure, the entire region. How many more tax dollars are you willing to contribute to our area to fund dealing with this problem? Are you willing to quit your good-paying, twin cities area job as a master electrician and move to Ely to experience feast and famine personally? And how long will it be before you join the mass exodus out of town after you decide that making a living in Ely on tourism is a very difficult proposition requiring long hours and not a lot of pay, but with guaranteed uncertainty?

   So, ponder these things as you sign petitions to protect your 5 day, essentially-free, BWCA vacation, driving on roads that we pay for, while being protected by emergency services that we pay for, and stopping in stores that we pay for. Your $100 spent in Ely stores isn't going to float them through the winter, but your support of twin cities opposition to everything happening in Ely is certainly going to hurt all of us here in the long run. Maybe we should all sign a petition to have your company shut down. I hear working 3 part time jobs, like many do in Ely, is loads of fun but it significantly cuts into one's vacation time.

    Despite what the "environmental" detractors are spewing, we can have clean water and an underground mine located 3,000 to 4,000 feet underground. I bet you didn't know that it is not going to be an open pit but instead an underground mine.

    We are in the year 2013, not the Dark Ages. The locals up here actually like being here far more than you. We've committed a lifetime here while eeking out a living when we could have just as easily moved to some metro area for better pay. Your signing a petition against our support of the project says to me that you somehow know more and have greater concern for our backyard that you visit once a year. That's shortsighted on your part and rather insulting to all the people here who mined the very same rock for 88 years prior to the inception of the BWCA in 1964. Ironically, the BWCA was chosen (after 88 years of virtually unchecked-by-government mining) to be named a federally-designated wilderness due to it's pristine waters. Now, how was that even possible? The same rock?

  Hopefully, this letter will enlighten you somewhat. I'm not expecting much given the twin cities crowd and their blatant disregard of current BWCA laws while rabidly supporting something they know nothing about. It's always about their good time and ignore the rest of the world. Nonetheless, I thought I'd give it a try with you.


Joe Baltich

Northwind Lodge - Ely

Tom Rukavina, State Representative District 5A Letter on BWCA/state/federal land exchange

September 24, 2012

To the Editor:

I see one of our new immigrants to Ely, Mr. Reid Carron, is putting out more misinformation on the proposed BWCA/state/federal land exchange. Let me enlighten your readers.

First, Mr. Carron states “current law adequately provides for dealing with school trust lands, no additional legislation is necessary”. If so, I ask Mr. Carron why, after 35 years, has no exchange taken place? I’ll tell you my opinion why, because the Feds, DNR, and most environmental organizations have never wanted an exchange. It’s too big a headache for the Feds and the DNR. And, as for the environmentalists, the real truth is that they don’t want federal land to become state land because they know they’ll have a tougher time suing in state court than in federal court, over activities they don’t like, such as logging, snowmobiling, and ATV use.

Next, let’s look at Mr. Carron’s claim that school trust money is “miniscule”. Every year, the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Anoka-Hennepin School Districts get over $1 million each from that fund. Good management of the timber resources alone from this exchanged land could and should increase those figures exponentially. Maybe $1 million a year is miniscule to Mr. Carron. But to this old, tired, 3^rd generation Ranger, that’s still real money.

Now, let’s talk about this absurd statement in Mr. Carron’s letter claiming the bill is “a giveaway to multinational mining companies”. The 93,000 acres of school and University trust land in the BWCA will become federal land, and the 93,000 acres of federal land in the Mesabi Purchase portion of the Superior National Forest (that’s the unattached portion of the Superior National Forest that runs from north of Biwabik all the way to north of Hibbing) will become state trust land and will be managed in perpetuity to raise income for public education. What bogeyman do you see under your bed here, Mr. Carron? An acre for acre exchange where state land becomes federal land and federal land becomes state land will result in no net loss of public ownership. Why is this such a hard concept for the environmental community to grasp? Because, it certainly isn’t a giveaway to any mining company.

Next, let’s talk about Mr. Carron’s claim that “Ely area residents . . . will lose scores of thousands of acres of Superior National Forest land that are now available for hunting, snowmobiling, hiking, snowshoeing, and many other recreational pursuits”. While many of the “old immigrants” from the Ely and Tower area must be thinking that you’re talking about the

To the Editor

September 24, 2012

Page Two

original Boundary Waters Act, Mr. Carron, let me assure them that for you to say this about the proposed land exchange bill is an absolute lie. In fact, Ely and Tower area residents will have an easier time recreating on the new state land. But that’s really why you and other environmentalists oppose this bill, isn’t it? Because you know it will be easier to put a snowmobile trail or cut down a tree on state land than on federal land.

Mr. Carron, your letter was, to put it in Range-speak, just a bunch of BS. To imply that any member of the Iron Range Delegation is supporting this legislation because we are stoolies for “multinational mining companies” is nuts. I will never forget the way my father and grandfather were treated by the Oliver Iron Mining Company (while you on the other hand don’t even know what the Oliver Iron Mining Company is). So let me tell you, Mr. Carron, that I am always going to be on the side of the miners and our mining communities, and not your “multinational mining companies”. And while I am no economic genius, I know that without mining and mining companies we have no Iron Range.

So, Mr. Carron, as I’ve said before and I’ll say many times again, Ely, Tower, Winton, Cook, Grand Rapids, and the North Shore couldn’t exist without our taconite industry. And the ugly truth, which the Friends of the BWCA, Sierra Club, etc. fail to acknowledge is that we are currently mining and logging in the Superior National Forest, and we haven’t harmed it, have we, Mr. Carron? Minntac, Arcelor Mittal, North Shore Mining, and Mesabi Nugget are all currently operating in the Superior National Forest and it’s their taconite taxes that keep all our communities, including Duluth, alive.

So in ending, Mr. Carron, while you’re worried about the Range turning into a “Banana Republic”, I’m worrying about a bunch of hypocritical environmentalists who want to turn our proud, productive, mining-based Iron Range into a Bangladesh where we can all be “sherpas” carrying bags and canoes for tourists, and existing on their tips and leftovers!

Tom Rukavina

State Representative

District 5A

P.S. I won’t even get into your outright lie that the Iron Range Delegation killed some proposed land exchange you claimed happened in 1997 because after all, it’s just another lie.

Minnesota 8th District Politics - DFL Candidate Rick Nolan And Fuzzy Math

Does the national democratic party voting record support our economy and the funding of our schools and communities? One might argue exactly the opposite if these mining projects are not brought to fruition.

$1 million a year over the next 6 years vs. the facts below: Here is an interesting type of convoluted logic by Minnesota DFL activist Shelly Mategko:

http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?p=246

http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?page_id=67

So, how did the parties vote?

House Vote 568 - H.R.5544: On Passage

Mainly Republican For And Democratic Against.

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/2/568

Here is where the fuzzy math with Rick Nolan comes in:

Economic Impact Of Mining Which Rick Should Have A Good Handle On:

To date, Twin Metals Minnesota has invested more than $150 million in exploration and project development activities, supporting more than 160 direct and consultant/contractor jobs. Capital investment to develop and build the mine in Minnesota is anticipated to exceed $2 billion. http://ws-wr.com/twinmetals/newsletter/2012/July/article1.html

Employment data show the continuing importance of the mining sector.

Minnesota Mining Employment and Payroll, NAICS Sector 21 2007

Source: MN DEED CEW

Year Average Number of Employees Annual Wages

2000 7,204 $350,473,934

2001 5,923 $294,987,664

2002 5,517 $273,016,618

2003 5,139 $279,122,837

2004 5,219 $295,623,992

2005 5,132 $311,659,581

2006 5,147 $335,058,894

2007 5,224 $342,887,555

2008 5,611 n/a

https://lsbe.d.umn.edu/departments/bber/projects/2009MNMiningImpact.pdf

Twin Metals’ David Ulrich said that these mines will bring in around 5,000 high paying jobs. The average pay for industrial work is $46,000 he said, while the average pay for above-ground mining is $70,000. These jobs will have an average pay of $84,000.
Many of the metals that will be mined are not available in the United States. They have to be imported. This project could make the U.S. self-sufficient for many of these strategic metals.

http://northeastrange.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/twin-metals-underground-mine-plans-could-mean-thousands-of-jobs/

Do very little math and the conclusion is obvious.

Now, which party would steal millions from northeastern Minnesota residents, our economic livelihood, communities and schools if these projects don't get underway?  If one were to follow Shelley’s logic through to a normal conclusion one would be inclined to say the democratic party. They seem to be more interested in locking up state lands in the boundary waters to satisfy the environmental extremist groups.

I don’t believe one can make this type of argument for our local DFL legislators in the State Of Minnesota but one can make this argument at a national level in government. The locals get the big picture, I wish I could say the same for the rest of the national DFL.

Now then, Mr. Nolan. Would you have voted for us or against us on H.R. 5544?

A yes or no answer will do.

Senators Franken and Klobuchar: I’d really like to see successful passage of effective bills supporting the land exchange and streamlining the environmental process. Congressman Cravaack has shown the way, it is up to you to take up the lead now in the Senate.

According to Shelley: http://www.ironcountryfreepress.com/?p=270

Here is Rick’s statement: I strongly support the school trust land swap proposal passed on a bipartisan basis by the Minnesota Legislature, signed into law by Governor Dayton and supported by the entire Iron Range Legislative Delegation. I applaud this leadership. It is long overdue and will be good for increased school funding and for increased growth in the natural resources economy of our district.

I am disappointed that Rep. Cravaack tried to rush a bill through Congress to capitalize on this, however, then stood by while his tea party Republican friends took out provisions that would have provided up to $1.0 million in annual payments to Cook, Lake and St. Louis Counties. These federal payments were originally agreed to when these lands were permanently taken out of the local tax base many decades ago. Local taxpayers will suffer and it is directly due to Chip Cravaack’s actions.

Rush a bill through? Hmmm, that's a stretch in the federal government with any type of bill.

Now if only Rick Nolan had been able to do what Congressman Cravaack has already done he could have taken credit for it, at least he applauds his leadership. This won’t bode well for Rick though with the democratic environmental radicals. What would you rather have Rick, 1 million a year or a multi million dollar economic impact to our district? I have to say his statement for 1 million a year gets Rick Nolan the Fuzzy Math Award for 2012.

This is about trust and who will do right by we the people in the 8th district and who will actually do the hard work to get us there. Rick Nolan has yet to make that case in my mind and he has a big anchor attached with the Friends Of The Boundary Waters and the other extremists associated with that party. Good job Congressman Cravaack, keep up the good effort, you are doing us right.

BWCA land swap: Star Tribune Off Base Again.

Editorial By Tom Rukavina:

To say that the editorial "Scrutiny needed on BWCA swap" (July 16) was filled with inaccuracies is being kind.

BWCA land swap: Newspaper's all wet

Article Link Below: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/163781446.html?page=1&c=y#