Michigan state authorities have rescinded an earlier decision to approve the environmental plan lodged by Kennecott Eagle Minerals, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto (RTP-N, RIO-L, RIO-A), for the Eagle nickel-copper mine in Marquette Cty.
The state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) said it was withdrawing its proposed approval to allow what Eagle described as “an internal review of its administrative processes.” While state officials said they were only reconsidering the decision mechanism, a lawyer for the National Wildlife Federation told the Associated Press wire service that the “entire decision-making process on this mine has been corrupted.”
At issue appears to be outside reviews of geotechnical stability in the proposed crown pillar at Eagle, in which a consultant for the DEQ questioned the pillar’s stability and recommended further study or a mine plan that would mine upward to the crown pillar while its bearing ability was assessed.
Eagle had already stated a plan to backfill all the workings before closure.
The state did not say when a review of the decision might be complete.
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