Michigan approves $50 million state aid for controversial Upper Peninsula copper project
The Michigan Strategic Fund authorized up to $50 million in state grants for the Copperwood copper mine, a project long opposed by environmental groups.
After years of seeking public money, Toronto-based Highland Copper Inc. received a $45 million grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund for the Copperwood mine, plus a $5 million road-improvement award to the Gogebic County Road Commission in Wakefield Township. The money comes from the defunct SOAR Fund and required no further legislative approval. Proponents argue the mine, the first in the Upper Peninsula since 1955, will generate 380 well-paying jobs and revitalize a region that has lost employers and tax revenue.
Critics, including local nature photographer Brian Mitchell, voiced concerns about potential damage to Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountains. The grant covers about 10 % of the project's original cost estimate, though the company plans to revise its feasibility study and may consider a smaller, less power-intensive facility. Highland Copper must demonstrate $150 million in additional financing by spring 2028 and meet job-creation and infrastructure milestones through 2033.
Why it matters
State funding could jump-start a major mining venture, reshaping the Upper Peninsula's economy and environment.
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