Iron Ore Mine in Northern Wisconin

And let's not forget the other things that iron mining can bring, like good paying jobs, good benefits for employees, huge positive impact to the local economy. People being able to buy and build homes, cars, and improvements. People able to pay for education and provide a good life for their family. Just being able to support one's family. Iron mining is not sulfide mining! It can be done in a safe, practicable, and profitable manner.

I at least partially agree with some of what you wrote Joel. The things that do trouble me is the deregulation of safeguards surrounding the ore mining, so yeah  It can be done in a safe, practicable, and profitable manner. -- without regulations that turns into "it can be done in a profitable manner." So some folks can get decent jobs for a few years at the cost of unregulated potential damage lasting several decades at minimal.

Other, more general problem is mining is a very volatile industry. there are any number of ghost-towns, or gutted towns scattered throughout the upper Midwest that relied on mining. It's not a terribly great industry to grow communities around. It's very prone to boom and bust cycles. More so than many industries.

Given that that Gogebic Taconite has already hired essential paramilitary forces from Arizona as security in response to some vandalism and minor theft rather then using the police department does little to bolster Gogebic Taconite's image as something concerned with the well being of the area.

Don't forget about the livelihoods of the Bad River tribe. And jobs related to tourism, which depend on unspoiled land. Economic activity in Ashland County almost tripled between 1994 and 2007, and much of that is due to tourism. And, lastly, preserving the land and the public health trumps a few hundred jobs and big profits for a very few.

I just look at the cool surrounding towns and imagine them transforming into the Iron Range.

We never learn ... ever!
 
A few quick bucks for some and the promise of good, clean mining. You only need to drive to Colorado to see what can be when mining is allowed to run unregulated. How much has GTEC donated to Mr. Walker?  Madison couldn't care less about anybody above Highway 8 unless there is a buck in it for them.

The Duluth-Superior Quakers oppose the Gogebic Taconite mine in a letter to the Duluth News Tribune, yesterday.