Sierra Club: Mine threatens northern Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Sierra Club's Wisconsin chapter says an iron mine in far northwestern Wisconsin would threaten the Bad River watershed, American Indian wild rice harvests and public health.

Gogebic Taconite wants to construct an iron mine in Iron and Ashland counties, saying the project could create hundreds of jobs.

The Sierra Club's John Muir Chapter issued a statement Thursday officially declaring its opposition. The chapter claims the mine would pollute the Bad River watershed with dust, mercury and other heavy metals. The chapter says even small amounts of water pollution could hurt the Bad River tribe's wild rice harvests and mine dust could hurt cause health problems.

Gogebic's president says the company hasn't performed any analysis of the mine's chemical composition yet and declined comment on the Sierra Club's position.