(Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) A Canadian mining company has been cleared to begin exploratory drilling for copper and gold in northern Wisconsin.
GreenLight Metals, which does business as Green Light Wisconsin, says it wants to make the state a “premier” domestic producer of critical minerals. The company has received state and federal approvals to conduct exploratory drilling of the Bend Deposit at a site owned by the U.S. Forest Service in Taylor County.
The deposit is believed to contain 4 million tons of mostly copper and gold. The company plans to drill eight holes on six drill sites spanning less than an acre. The announcement comes as the company will go public Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. CEO Matt Filgate said becoming a public company will speed up mining exploration of the Penokean Volcanic Belt in Wisconsin.
“This access to capital markets will directly benefit our projects, allowing us to advance our drilling programs, create local employment opportunities and strengthen Wisconsin’s position in critical mineral development,” Filgate said in a statement. “As a company with deep Wisconsin roots, we’re committed to responsible exploration that respects both the environment and the communities where we operate.”
The company said it recently provided updates on its exploration plans to town board members in Westboro, as well as officials serving on the Taylor County mining committee. Filgate said GreenLight plans to engage more with local communities in the coming months as it prepares for exploratory drilling this year.
GreenLight Metals needs to provide the state with 48-hour notice prior to drilling, said Molly Gardner, metallic mining coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Gardner said the agency will be there to monitor operations when the company begins drilling, and the agency plans to conduct unannounced inspections.
“We’ll get on-site, and we’ll make sure the company is following their plan,” Gardner said. “It’s important to us. It’s important to everyone for the protection of our resources.” The company has obtained state permits to control stormwater runoff, as well as any water that leaves the site as a result of drilling.
The Forest Service has also granted approval of the company’s plan, and the agency plans to monitor operations. In late February, GreenLight Metals submitted a $50,000 bond to the state to cover the cost of abandoning drill holes.
The company also owns mineral rights for the Reef Deposit in Marathon County, which is roughly 12 miles east of Wausau and contains around 454,000 tons of gold reserves. GreenLight Metals has also expressed interest in the Lobo and Lobo East properties as part of a massive sulfide deposit 15 miles southwest of the town of Crandon, which contains zinc and copper.
It also owns rights to the Swede deposit in northern Wisconsin. In 2022, the DNR requested additional information from GreenLight Metals for its plans to explore the Reef Deposit, but Gardner said no further details have yet been provided to the agency.
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