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The Pros And Cons Of Twin Metals

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Copper is a common material used in our daily lives. We use it for electrical generators and electrical wiring. It is used in our phones and other technology. With the increase in demand for technology, the need for copper for those products has also increased. Twin Metals is a Minnesota mining company that wants to open an underground copper mine near the boundary waters. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a Minnesota preserve in the Superior National Forest that has hiking trails and lakes for canoeing. They do not allow motorised vehicles on the preserve. The question I’m investigating is “Can Twin Metals open and safely operate a copper mine near the BWCAW?”

Twin Metals has spent more than five years conducting environmental studies that they plan to use in their Environmental Impact Statement. The copper mine will produce tailings which are waste left over from mining and extracting resources. Twin Metals plans to store half of the tailings as cemented backfill in the mine. The rest will be stored in the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). Twin Metals also conducted tests that show the tailings will not generate acid. Another pro is that they will create about 650 full time jobs and 1,300 additional jobs in industries. …show more content…

Sulfuric acid is a colorless oily liquid that is corrosive to tissue and metals. If there is a leak from the mine, because of where the mine would be located, the sulfuric acid could pollute the boundary waters. This could damage fish and waterfowl. Over 1,000 acres of wetland will be destroyed for the mine. Mining by products will put humans at higher risk for cancer and other illnesses. Almost 99% of rocks mined for copper are waste. There have been several instances of copper mines leaking. In the Coquimbo region, Los Pelambres dumped 13,000 liters into the Choapa

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