Copper Park could be a golden opportunity at Flambeau Mine

Luke Klink

An effort is underway to turn the former Flambeau mine into a one-of-a-kind public recreation and education destination.

A conceptual vision statement has been drafted for a proposed new Copper Park Interpretive Center at the site on Wis. 27, just south of Ladysmith. The 17-page document calls for construction of a new interpretive center building and enhancements to existing trails, signage and other facilities at the former Flambeau Mine Site and surrounding property owned by the Flambeau Mining Company.

The project along the Flambeau River is a group effort of the City of Ladysmith, Flambeau Mining Company, Flambeau Riders, Ladysmith Area Trails Association, Ladysmith Community Industrial Development Corporation, Rusk County, Town of Grant and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Project supporters say the goal is to highlight the mining heritage and reclamation of the property, ensure the land will remain open for public and educational uses as opposed to its sale for private development, add a new tourist attraction for Ladysmith and Rusk County, and encourage visitors to visit other nearby natural and cultural areas.

Flambeau Mining Company environmental manager Jana Murphy called the 181-acre mine site on 2,100 total acres of land a recreational and educational jewel waiting to be discovered. She said the site has nearly unlimited potential for hiking, camping and other forms of outdoor recreation.

“We don’t want to miss the opportunity to further build on what we have here. We have a large tract of land here, and let’s step back and look at what we have before we start parceling it out,” Murphy said. “It is easier to keep it together now than bring it back together later on.”

Al Christianson, Jr., the son of Ladysmith administrator Al Christianson, helped draft the vision statement. He said on-site development would compliment other recreational facilities in the county, encouraging and promoting additional tourism in the area.

“After 40 years if there is nothing in place there would be nothing stopping the company from selling off the land to a private developer,” Christianson said. “If we develop this land the right way and develop unique things about it, then this could be a destination for tourists and a place for people to stop as they are driving through the area.”

History

The Great Lakes Exploration Company, a subsidiary of Kennecott Minerals Company, began drilling exploration drill holes into the Flambeau deposit in 1967.

Tests revealed the deposit contained more than 50 percent sulfide minerals, primarily pyrite (iron sulfide), with economic concentrations of the copper-bearing minerals chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite. In addition, the weathered upper portion of the deposit contained higher grades of copper and significant concentrations of gold.

Kennecott initiated the permitting process in 1974, eventually proposing both open pit and below ground mining. The proposal included facilities such as a mill (mineral separation and concentration facility), tailings pond and a tailings disposal site.

In late 1976, county officials indicated they did not intend to grant necessary zoning approvals due to various concerns about the project and the state’s mining laws. As a result, the permitting process was terminated and Kennecott put the project on hold due to poor economic conditions and uncertainty concerning the legal and regulatory requirements in the state.

In 1986, Kennecott reevaluated the project and determined that a redesigned, scaled back project could be viable.

An independent hearing examiner issued all necessary permits in January 1991 and construction of the project site began in July 1991. Ore shipments from the site began in May 1993 and continued for about four years. Backfilling of the pit took about 1.5 years and reclamation activities at the site were generally completed by the end of 1999.

Kennecott spent more than $20 million to reclaim the site. The site now features more than 250 native plant species, including prairie grasses, wetland plants and wildflowers. In addition, abundant and rare wildlife have been identified on the property, including more than 45 species of birds, 20 species of butterflies, several amphibian species, deer and other wildlife.

Over its life from 1993 to 1997, the mine produced 181,000 tons of copper, 3.3 million ounces of silver and 334,000 ounces of gold —one of the richest ore bodies in the world. About 70 employees worked at the mine.

The company donated $500,000 toward the construction of the Rusk County Community Library. Its other donations include playground equipment at Ladysmith and Bruce schools, greenhouse projects at Flambeau and Bruce schools, Rusk County Junior Achievement, a $55,000 fire truck to the Rural Community Fire Department outside the city and a relief fund after a tornado damaged a large part of downtown.

The mine itself is historically important to the state as it was the first mine to be approved and operated under Wisconsin’s stringent mining standards, and officials from other communities in Minnesota and Michigan have visited the Flambeau Mine to see how such a site can be reclaimed and restored to its original appearance.

Interpretive center

The proposed new highlight of the park is an interpretive center to be constructed immediately east of and overlooking the Flambeau Mining Company’s man-made wetland. It will provide access to the existing nature trails on the property and contain information on the Flambeau Mine story including the discovery of the deposit, the mining process, its reclamation and its present day uses.

There would also be information on features and uses of the surrounding property including the nearby Sister’s Farm Trails across the river, hiking trails, ski trails, mountain bike trails, equestrian trails, birding, restored wetlands, nature observation, managed forest lands, prairie habitat restoration, leased farmland, youth hunting land, sustainable technologies and the nearby DNR Service Center.

The center also would also become the site of a high-quality mineral collection and display given in memory of Maryann May, wife of retired Flambeau Mine Company geologist Edwarde May. The collection includes unique and high-quality minerals from the area and likely be the only one of its kind on display in northwestern Wisconsin.

Construction likely would be funded by the project’s main stakeholders, and possibly from business and private donations. The proposal has been presented to local officials several times this summer.

So far, the Flambeau Mining Corporation has contributed about $30,000 and the Ladysmith Community Industrial Development Corporation has paid another $23,200 up front to fund a biodiversity study to determine what plants and wildlife exist on the property. It is the first step toward building the Copper Park Interpretive Center and developing other recreational uses at the property.

The Ladysmith Community Industrial Development Corporation is currently seeking donations to offset its contribution, receiving $4,000 from the city and another $500 from the Ladysmith Area Trails Association.

The future

The site and surrounding land features about four miles of hiking trails, a total of about 10 miles of trails for horseback riders and other non-motorized activities, and an additional 11 miles of trails on the Sister’s Farm property across the river. An ambitious plan also calls for connecting the Flambeau Mining property with Sister’s Farm via a pedestrian bridge spanning the river.

The Ladysmith Common Council recently voted to contribute $4,000 to help fund a biodiversity study at the Reclaimed Flambeau Mine site. The full study is projected to cost about $46,000 with the property’s owner Flambeau Mining expected to fund half with local community contributions to cover the rest.

The study will involve searching all literature followed by an extensive field study to identify rare plants and animals on the land. It will help guide future use of the property, including construction of the proposed interpretive center. Other area organizations and individuals have already begun donating funds toward the project.

Development at the site is still years away, but the hopes of many area leaders and residents are rising as they view the property’s future potential especially after years of controversy surrounding its operation as a mine. Ongoing operational costs at the site could be funded with grants, logging revenue and grants to help stretch the local contribution, according to city administrator Al Christianson.

“I wouldn’t sit here and say it’s a done deal by any means but all the monies identified but if we work toward that there are potential sources out there to make this thing happen,” he said.