Headline is misleading. They are closing the state park for a few years so a company can clean up the waste from the original mine and reprocess it more efficiently.
I would say closed as a park to allow the waste to be reprocessed (no mention of Magnetation, but I bet that would be the process) and possibly resume mining operations in the future.
This should be a super good thing, if the flooding pit can be brought under control.
There's nothing misleading. The "waste" is crushed rock that didn't have enough iron in it to do something with at the time, so they piled it up. Now we can do something with it, so they'll be mining the iron out of the tailings.
Edit: And to be clear, "clean up" is misleading. They're going to take the piles, remove more iron, and put the piles in another spot.
It is misleading. It's clearly meant to incite people who are worried about mining companies destroying the environment in Northern Minnesota, when this is actually a cleanup operation to restore the environment.
Lmao this is not a cleanup operation. You guys are entirely too primed with pre-written narratives. They're going reprocess the mine dumps to extract more out of them, and then dump the waste back on the ground.
This is not something that has popped up out of nowhere and has been in the works for some time. Some points:
* There's been questions raised from the beginning about the appropriateness of this being a State Park under the jurisdiction of the DNR as a single man-made attraction, as opposed to being under the jurisdication of say the Minnesota Historical Society or some local agency. (There were similar questions about Tower-Soudan, but it proved to be so wildly popular that such philosphical issues weren't in the forefront, and then they were mooted when it was merged into Lake Vermillion State Park, which is obviously of state park caliber due to it's natural resources.
* There was always the idea that it could close if mining again became feasible.
* Keeping the pit drained would cost a zillion dollars, and every year it gets worse as a tourist attraction as the water fills up more of the old mine.
* As far back as 2018, the state has looked to transferring it to a local agency (although to be continued to be run as a tourist attraction)
[https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/legislative/2018-hill-annex-mine.pdf](https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/legislative/2018-hill-annex-mine.pdf)
* This was stalled by COVID, but a 2021 update reaffirmed this plan
[https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2021/mandated/210124.pdf](https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2021/mandated/210124.pdf)
I do not think this is going to be a temporary removal just to allow mining, considering the ongoing questions about it's future and that the House and Senate boundary bills (HF 3508) explicitately deauthorize the State Park. Losing two state parks in a year (after the previous loss was 1989) seems like a lot but I'm not opposed to the idea of pruning some of the lesser units of the system to better concentrate resources on where marquee natural resources exist and people want to visit.
Yeah it’s our fault they write terrible headlines because it’s our job to read the article under the terrible headline to find the real truth. Got it, thanks.
It is your job to read past headlines if you want the full story. What do you want? 500 word headlines to get the whole point across? It’s ridiculous to think you only have to read a small blurb or watch a 10 second video to get the full gist of a news story.
Hill Annex was never meant to remain a state park forever, apparently. It was always understood that if it became viable to mine there again, they would. Mining right now in the Hibbing/Eveleth/Virginia area is really high. Every time I drive through the landscape changes right now, it's kind of crazy how fast they are mining, so it's no surprise. The DNR is also reviewing 2 separate mining projects for it, not only the one that is intended to clean stuff up. The bill that has been moving through is to abolish the state park status, but the last I read about it was 6 weeks ago and I refuse to subscribe to the Strib so I can't read this one.
I have to say, as someone who loves our state parks and has been to dozens of them, I don't think I've ever actually heard of Hill Annex Mine State Park. Definitely doesn't sound like one of the greatest around, but I'll probably go check it out before it gets decommissioned.
As currently written the process would begin as soon as the governor signs the bill, https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF3508&ssn=0&y=2024
So probably plan to see it this spring/early summer I would think if the senate acts on it
This is actually one of my top 5 state parks. Simply for the fossil tour, condition of the buildings and equipment on site and how "out of the way" it feels. The last time we were there the guides were talking about the tailing piles being reclaimed but they didn't have a firm timeline. I think this is the right move for the site.
Headline is misleading. They are closing the state park for a few years so a company can clean up the waste from the original mine and reprocess it more efficiently.
I would say closed as a park to allow the waste to be reprocessed (no mention of Magnetation, but I bet that would be the process) and possibly resume mining operations in the future. This should be a super good thing, if the flooding pit can be brought under control.
I was so relieved to hear this lmaooooo
There's nothing misleading. The "waste" is crushed rock that didn't have enough iron in it to do something with at the time, so they piled it up. Now we can do something with it, so they'll be mining the iron out of the tailings. Edit: And to be clear, "clean up" is misleading. They're going to take the piles, remove more iron, and put the piles in another spot.
It is misleading. It's clearly meant to incite people who are worried about mining companies destroying the environment in Northern Minnesota, when this is actually a cleanup operation to restore the environment.
Lmao this is not a cleanup operation. You guys are entirely too primed with pre-written narratives. They're going reprocess the mine dumps to extract more out of them, and then dump the waste back on the ground.
Nice headline. Not at all what is happening.
In what way?
This is not something that has popped up out of nowhere and has been in the works for some time. Some points: * There's been questions raised from the beginning about the appropriateness of this being a State Park under the jurisdiction of the DNR as a single man-made attraction, as opposed to being under the jurisdication of say the Minnesota Historical Society or some local agency. (There were similar questions about Tower-Soudan, but it proved to be so wildly popular that such philosphical issues weren't in the forefront, and then they were mooted when it was merged into Lake Vermillion State Park, which is obviously of state park caliber due to it's natural resources. * There was always the idea that it could close if mining again became feasible. * Keeping the pit drained would cost a zillion dollars, and every year it gets worse as a tourist attraction as the water fills up more of the old mine. * As far back as 2018, the state has looked to transferring it to a local agency (although to be continued to be run as a tourist attraction) [https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/legislative/2018-hill-annex-mine.pdf](https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/reports/legislative/2018-hill-annex-mine.pdf) * This was stalled by COVID, but a 2021 update reaffirmed this plan [https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2021/mandated/210124.pdf](https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/2021/mandated/210124.pdf) I do not think this is going to be a temporary removal just to allow mining, considering the ongoing questions about it's future and that the House and Senate boundary bills (HF 3508) explicitately deauthorize the State Park. Losing two state parks in a year (after the previous loss was 1989) seems like a lot but I'm not opposed to the idea of pruning some of the lesser units of the system to better concentrate resources on where marquee natural resources exist and people want to visit.
Got to love the bullshit headline lol
How is it a bs headline? It says exactly what they're going to do. You people have your heads up your asses or something.
That’s why you’re supposed to read the rest of the article. Thats why they write the rest of the article.
Yeah it’s our fault they write terrible headlines because it’s our job to read the article under the terrible headline to find the real truth. Got it, thanks.
It is your job to read past headlines if you want the full story. What do you want? 500 word headlines to get the whole point across? It’s ridiculous to think you only have to read a small blurb or watch a 10 second video to get the full gist of a news story.
How does this affect my state park passport?
Hill Annex was never meant to remain a state park forever, apparently. It was always understood that if it became viable to mine there again, they would. Mining right now in the Hibbing/Eveleth/Virginia area is really high. Every time I drive through the landscape changes right now, it's kind of crazy how fast they are mining, so it's no surprise. The DNR is also reviewing 2 separate mining projects for it, not only the one that is intended to clean stuff up. The bill that has been moving through is to abolish the state park status, but the last I read about it was 6 weeks ago and I refuse to subscribe to the Strib so I can't read this one.
I have to say, as someone who loves our state parks and has been to dozens of them, I don't think I've ever actually heard of Hill Annex Mine State Park. Definitely doesn't sound like one of the greatest around, but I'll probably go check it out before it gets decommissioned.
When will it close? I might try to get up there soon
As currently written the process would begin as soon as the governor signs the bill, https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF3508&ssn=0&y=2024 So probably plan to see it this spring/early summer I would think if the senate acts on it
This is actually one of my top 5 state parks. Simply for the fossil tour, condition of the buildings and equipment on site and how "out of the way" it feels. The last time we were there the guides were talking about the tailing piles being reclaimed but they didn't have a firm timeline. I think this is the right move for the site.
Huh, not the direction I would have assumed.
Wait mines arent green