MARQUETTE COUNTY -- Construction on Kennecott's Eagle Mine project is continuing right on schedule.
It's come a long way in nine months. From just a few steel beams in the ground to several buildings on site, projects designed for the Kennecott Eagle Mine are slowly becoming a reality.
As construction of the mine continues, there are about 50 or 60 workers on site every day. What they're working on now is the inside of the water treatment plant. They're getting ready for the installation of equipment. The water treatment plant is an essential element of the entire mining operation. It needs to be up and running before any underground development can begin.
All of the water on site will be treated at the plant.
"It is treated to better than drinking water standards, and we also have the ability to reroute the water back to the head of the plant so that it will not be discharged to the environment until it meets the standards," says Kristen Mariuzza, Environment and Permitting Manager for Kennecott.
That includes rain water and snow melt.
There have been protests in the past about environmental quality suffering once mining operations begin. Kennecott officials have heard those concerns and say they're committed to keeping the area clean and protected.
"The environment is a top priority for the company as well as the community, which is why we will not release water back into the environment until it reaches standards where the water is safe for people to drink," Mariuzza adds.
Throughout the winter months, construction efforts on the water treatment plant will continue. Once the weather warms up, more construction will take place in other outdoor areas of the mine site.
The Eagle Mine is projected to be fully operational by April of 2013.
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