Abstract
Objectives
Summary

Project Motivation
Yesterday
Today

Coastal Environment
Maps
Photos
Satellite Imagery

Approaches

Results

Conclusions

References

The Keweenaw Peninsula is known as the “Copper Country” due to its rich copper mining history.  This small area of land was one of the world’s largest copper producing areas from the mid-1800’s to 1968 when the last copper mine was closed.  This industry fueled the regional economy during the operation of the more than 200 mine shafts, drawing a population of  more than 100,000 people to this rugged area.  More than 10 billion pounds of copper were produced in the years of mining operation as well as millions of tons of stamp stand, a residual from the crushing of ores.  Because most of the steam-driven stamping mills were dependent on water, they were located on water bodies.  As a result, this residual waste was deposited in many locations along the Keweenaw Waterway, Portage Lake, Torch Lake as well as the shores of Lake Superior.

Today

The copper mining industry no longer fuels the economy of the Keweenaw Peninsula.  Instead, people of the area have become dependent on tourism throughout the year.  The population of the entire peninsula has dropped below 40,000.  Although mining activities have ceased, the stamps sands deposited decades ago have now become the focus of much attention, especially from the environmental community.  These materials have slowly been transported to locations further from their original placement due to wave action and lake currents and is now posing a huge ecological threat, especially to the near shore ecosystems.  These toxic sediments have increased the heavy metal loading to the waters of the Portage Canal, Torch Lake, and Lake Superior and have had a negative impact on the biological activity, more specifically the benthic communities and fisheries, and chemistry in the water.  Torch Lake is currently listed as an EPA Superfund site and clean-up of the mine tailing waste has begun which has included dredging and capping as proposed solutions.  In Lake Superior, the mine tailing situation has yet to be addressed and the stamp sands are continuing to be transported by wind-wave and current action. 

Quincy Mine-Hancock, MI