CCI sells Republice to unknown Party!!!!!!!!!

[CAT345C]

Heres the full story copied from the Mining Journal http://www.miningjournal.net

Mystery buy
Who owns Republic Mine?

By SAM EGGLESTON, Journal Ishpeming Bureau



REPUBLIC — Gary Johnson, like everyone else, has no idea who bought the Republic Mine property from Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Thursday. But Johnson doesn’t care.


JOHNSON

The Republic Township supervisor said it doesn’t matter who purchased the property because he and the township board are willing to embrace any new owner.

“Our arms are open wide and we’re willing to work with anybody,” Johnson said. “We want to help them to get things going. We want to help them develop a business. I’m sure the board is going to be willing to sit down, talk and see how they can help get some jobs into the community. We’re going to do what we can to help the purchaser of this property.”

Having an anonymous buyer does raise a few eyebrows, however. Jon Mykkanen, owner of Quiet Sports Outfitters and a Republic resident, said he finds it odd that a property owner wouldn’t be interested in letting the community know who they are.

“I think it is really strange that a buyer wouldn’t mention who they are,” he said. “They just became a part of the community. They should be proud and happy and join in with the rest of us to make it better.”

Much of the discussion surrounding the sale has centered on the future of the dam that came with the property. The dam, located on the Michigamme River, creates much of the waterfront property in Republic Township. Questions have been raised over the dam’s future.

Mark Feldhouser, the Department of Environmental Quality’s district supervisor for the land and water management division, said any attempt to either maintain or remove the dam would first have to be approved through permits and the DEQ.

“Any major repair or removal of the dam would require permits from the DEQ,” Feldhouser said. “At that point, we would consider the environmental issues, not the social issues, before approving anything.”

As of press time, no application for permits had been filed with the DEQ, according to Feldhouser.

The township board, at its last meeting, took steps to protect landowner interests along the waterfront. It approved a contract with and retained attorney Geoffrey Harrison of Haywood and Harrison, a Lansing-based firm known for representing communities in environmental law cases.

The big questions surrounding the mine sale — who the purchaser is and what their plans for the property are — remain unanswered.

“I have to admit that it makes me just a little afraid at this point,” said Mykkanen. “Why keep your identity as a secret? Unless, maybe, they don’t need friends around here.

“Other than not knowing who the buyer is, I’m pretty happy someone has bought it. Maybe it will provide some jobs for our young people around here. Maybe it will be a positive thing, better than a defunct mine that doesn’t hire anybody.”

The township board agrees, Johnson said. The board recently authorized the collection of data needed to create an industrial-rehabilitation zone in the old mine area.

“We are finding out what we have to do to create a redevelopment zone to make it easier for a business to start up there,” Johnson said. “We want to help. We’re willing to do what it takes to get jobs here.”

[AARR]

I thought the Republic mine was closed and LS&I recently pulled their rail to it. But E&LS has rail going to it from Channing (south). Or am I thinking of some other mine?

[CAT345C]

Cleveland Cliffs still owned the property, as they were cleaning it up with the Department of Natural Resources, click the link below to see that report:

http://www.railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2790

I got a feeling the State bougth the land, and they are keeping it quite because they don't want ORVs to enter the property thinking its public.

[lemscate]

Neither this article nor the one I read a week or so ago mentions anything about the mineral rights. Those probably got sold with the land.. is there anything left to mine? Other metals that CCI wasn't interested in?

I'm not sure what someone's going to do with a filled in mine pit and abandoned mining equipment. Maybe they're going to develop the tailings piles as a ski slope or something.

You're correct, Don. The LS&I pulled rail a year and a half ago, and the E&LS still has track in place, though I'm not sure if it's in service or not. But the new owner might not be doing something that requires rail service, if it's industrial at all. But, if they just wanted land in the UP, I'm sure there are other large properties with less liability. So I'm going to guess something industrial, but no idea what.

[CAT345C]

They have been turning the area into a wild life refuge and wet lands, since the old tailings are good for making wetlands, the pit will prolly keep its fence, and it is all mined out, nothing around that area, just a mass of Iron, not like in Negaunee and Ispheming where there were a few Gold, Coal, and a Silver Mine back in the early 1900s-1930s. The mine equipment was dispmantled.

[lemscate]

Maybe Kennecott bought it in case the deal in Yellow Dog Plains goes south. They'll drive a drift from Republic to the Yellow Dog and not tell anyone ;]