Many Flambeau Mine documents are posted below for ease in access. As scans of additional Flambeau Mine documents (historic and current) become available in 2015 and beyond, they will be posted to my SUPPLEMENTAL websites, Flambeau Mine Exposed-II and Flambeau Mine Exposed-III.
I also refer you to the following:
Comprehensive Digital Collection of Flambeau Mine Documents (1969-2020+):
This collection consists of an electronic bibliography (e-Bibliography; searchable) and digital scans of over 1400 Flambeau Mine process documents, technical reports, environmental monitoring reports, legal briefs, memos/letters, diagrams, photos, and related items spanning the time period of 1969 -2020+. These materials, produced by Flambeau Mining Company and its owners (Rio Tinto/Kennecott), industry consultants, government agencies and other interested parties, were collected, cataloged and scanned by Deer Tail Scientific for educational purposes. Information regarding where to find original copies of the cataloged items is also provided.
Here is the citation: Digital Collection of Historical Flambeau Mine Technical Reports, Environmental Monitoring Data, Correspondence, Diagrams, Legal Briefs and Photos (1969 – 2020+), compiled for educational purposes by Laura J. Gauger, Deer Tail Scientific (Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.A.), 2nd Edition, 2021.
There are several different options for accessing the e-Bibliography and cataloged items:
- Deer Tail Scientific created a website (Flambeau Mine Archive) to house this collection of Flambeau Mine documents and photos. To access, go to: https://flambeauminearchive.wordpress.com/
- In addition, the e-Bibliography is available on a website hosted by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center (Madison, WI): http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/82648
- Printed copies of the bibliography include an electronic disc (e-Disc) inside the back cover with scans of all cataloged items. The print edition is available in the archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, Wisconsin), McIntyre Library (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), Dexter Library (Northland College, Ashland, WI), Jim Dan Hill Library (University of Wisconsin-Superior) and other institutions (see WorldCat listings). If you would like your own copy of the printed bibliography and e-Disc, please contact Deer Tail Scientific.
Miscellaneous Flambeau Mine documents:
The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center (UWDCC) has scanned many of the Flambeau Mine process documents generated between 1975 and 1990 and posted them to their website. For a listing of the documents in the UWDCC collection, go to:
https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AKennecott
Important Disclaimer: The 1975 and 1976 Flambeau Mine documents in the UWDCC collection do NOT pertain to the project that was permitted and executed in the 1990s. The 1975 proposal was voted down by the Rusk County Board in November 1976. Kennecott came back 12 years later (1987) with a revised proposal that was eventually permitted. If you go to Chapter 52 of The Buzzards Have Landed, you will find a side-by-side comparison of the two proposals.
Documents in UWDCC collection pertaining to the first (1975) Flambeau Mine proposal that was NOT executed:
Preliminary Environmental Report (1975) (See above disclaimer)
Environmental Impact Statement (1976) (See above disclaimer)
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (1976) (See above disclaimer)
Documents in UWDCC collection pertaining to the second (1987) Flambeau Mine proposal that was permitted and executed in the 1990s:
Scope of study for the Kennecott Flambeau project (1987)
West, R. J. Flambeau Project Pit Slope Design (1988)
Air Pollution Control Permit Application for the Kennecott Flambeau Project (1989)
Application for Water Regulatory Permits and Approvals for the Flambeau Project (1989)
Flambeau Project Final Engineering Report for Wastewater Treatment Facilities (1989)
WPDES Permit Application for the Flambeau Project (1989)
Groundwater Withdrawal Permit Application for the Flambeau Project (1989)
Chronic Toxicity Test Report (1989)
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (1989)
Environmental Impact Report for the Kennecott Flambeau Project V. I (Report Narrative) (1989)
Environmental Impact Report for the Kennecott Flambeau Project V. II (Report Narrative) (1989)
Environmental Impact Report for the Kennecott Flambeau Project V. V (Appendix 3.6-D to 3.6-H) (1989)
Groundwater Model for the Kennecott Flambeau Project: Appendices A-L (1989)
Groundwater Model for the Kennecott Flambeau Project: Appendices M-R (1989)
Mining permit application for the Flambeau Project V.I – Report Narrative (1989)
Mining permit application for the Flambeau Project V.II – Appendices (1989)
Final Environmental Impact Statement (1990)
In addition to the above reports available in the UWDCC collection, here are several more important documents:
Environmental Impact Report for the ORIGINAL (1970s) Kennecott Flambeau Project (proposed but not built) – This report apparently is in storage at the State of Wisconsin Records Center and could be retrieved through FOIA.
Excerpt from: Mining Permit Application for the ORIGINAL (1970s) Kennecott Flambeau Project (submitted but not approved), September 1976 (The document, in its entirety, can be found at the Wendt Engineering Library at University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Flambeau Project Pit Slope Design, Call & Nicholas, Inc., June 1988
Local Agreement between Rusk County, the Town of Grant, the City of Ladysmith and Kennecott Explorations (Australia), Ltd. for Development of the Kennecott Flambeau Mine, August 1988
Conditional Land Use Permit Between Rusk County and Kennecott Explorations, August 1988
Environmental Impact Report for the Kennecott Flambeau Project, 1989
- Complete report is available on-line as part of the UW-Digital Collection (see above), but for enhanced scans of certain sections of the report (including figures and maps), please click on the below links:
January 1991 Flambeau Mine Permit
May 1991 Surface Water Management Plan
July 1991 Updated Monitoring Plan
Procedure for Modifying Mining Permits and Associated Plans, WDNR internal memo, November 1992
Slurry Cutoff Wall System Preconstruction Report, Foth & Van Dyke, July 1992
Construction Documentation Report Slurry Cutoff Wall System, Foth & Van Dyke, March 1993
Proposed Modification to the Approved Mine Permit, August 1994 (regarding, among other things, groundwater quality standards for iron, manganese and TDS)
Flambeau Mine Backfill Plan Correspondence, May 1997
Map, Final Pit Wall Geology, Raymond Yost, May 29, 1997; Map appeared in the following report: Addendum to Flambeau Mine Ground Water Model, Engineering Technologies Associates, Inc., April 30, 1998
Proposed Modification to the Approved Surface Reclamation Plan for the Flambeau Mine_December 1997
Addendum to Flambeau Mine Ground Water Model, Engineering Technologies Associates, Inc., April 30, 1998
- Map, Final Pit Wall Geology, Raymond Yost, May 29, 1997
- Related map, as published in FMC 1997 Annual Report: Mine Pit Bottom, December 1997
Flambeau Industrial Outlot Action Plan, November 22, 2005
Biofilter Management Plan, January 2007
Flambeau Mine Certificate of Completion Stipulation Monitoring Plan, December 2007
Copper Park Lane Monitoring Results and Work Plan, October 2008
Copper Park Lane Work Plan Implementation Report, January 2009
Letter to WDNR regarding conceptual plan for infiltration basins, August 30, 2010
Copper Park Business and Recreation Area Work Plan_Infiltration Basins_May 2011
WDNR Approval of Chapter 30 Permit Related to Construction of Infiltration Basins, October 2011
Copper Park Maintenance and Monitoring Plan_Infiltration Basins_February 2013 (Corrected)
- Comments (March 2014) ;
- Appendix A ;
- Appendix B ;
- Appendix C ;
- Appendix D ;
- Appendix E ;
- Appendix F ;
- Appendix G ;
- Appendix H ;
- Appendix I ;
- Appendix J ;
- Appendix K ;
- Appendix L ;
- Appendix M ;
- Appendix N ;
- Appendix O ;
- Appendix P ;
- Appendix Q ;
- Appendix R ;
- Appendix S ;
- Appendix T ;
- Appendix U
Sources and Environmental Factors Controlling Manganese Distributions in Well Water of the North Carolina Piedmont, Elizabeth Gillispie, a thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Soil Science, Raleigh, North Carolina, 2014; Note: This thesis may supply clues as to why manganese levels in groundwater at the Flambeau Mine site have gone high. SAPROLITE was used to cap off the backfilled mine pit.
Pre-filed Direct Testimony in 2007 Contested Case Hearing over Flambeau Mining Company’s Application for a Certificate of Completion for Mine Reclamation. Click HERE.
Expert Reports Filed in 2009 Threatened Lawsuit Against Flambeau Mining Company (FMC) over Water Quality Issues:
- Report on Groundwater and Surface Water Contamination at the Flambeau Mine, David M. Chambers, Ph.D. and Kendra Zamzow, Ph.D., Center for Science in Public Participation, June 6, 2009
- Flambeau River Monitoring at the Flambeau Mine, Rusk County, Wisconsin: 1. FLAMBEAU RIVER SEDIMENTS – Analysis, Comments and Recommendations, Dr. Ken Parejko, April 10, 2009
- Flambeau River Monitoring at the Flambeau Mine, Rusk County, Wisconsin: 2. MACROINVERTEBRATES – Analysis, Comments and Recommendations, Dr. Ken Parejko, April 10, 2009
- Flambeau River Monitoring at the Flambeau Mine, Rusk County, Wisconsin: 3. CRAYFISH – Analysis, Comments and Recommendations, Dr. Ken Parejko, April 10, 2009
- Flambeau River Monitoring at the Flambeau Mine, Rusk County, Wisconsin: 4. WALLEYE TISSUE MONITORING – Analysis, Comments and Recommendations, Dr. Ken Parejko, April 10, 2009
- Recommendations for Changes to Groundwater, Surface Water and Biomonitoring Specified in the Stipulation Monitoring Plan at the Flambeau Mine, David M. Chambers, Ph.D., Kendra Zamzow, Ph.D. and Ken Parejko, Ph.D., June 9, 2009
Expert Reports Filed in 2012 Clean Water Act Lawsuit Against Flambeau Mining Company:
- Plaintiffs: Expert Report of Dr. David Chambers, October 10, 2011
- Plaintiffs: Supplemental Report of Dr. David Chambers (March 9, 2012)
- Plaintiffs: Expert Report of Robert J. Nauta, P.G., October 10, 2011
- Plaintiffs: Supplemental Report of Robert J. Nauta, P.G. (March 8, 2012)
- Plaintiffs: Declaration of Dr. John Coleman (November 13, 2011)
- WDNR: Surface Water Quality Assessment of the Flambeau Mine Site, Wisconsin DNR (April 2012)
- WDNR: Macroinvertebrate Sampling and Analysis at Flamvbeau Mine Site – Fall 2010 (April 2011)
- Defendant FMC: Expert Reports of Elizabeth Day and Stephen Donohue (November 2011)
- Defendant FMC: Expert Report of Stephen Donahue (March 28, 2012)
Expert Reports Filed with WDNR and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regarding Classification of Stream C at the Flambeau Mine Site as “impaired” for Copper and Zinc Toxicity Linked to the Mining Operation:
- Water quality data submission to WDNR for use in evaluating Stream C at the Flambeau Mine site for inclusion on the 2012 Wisconsin Impaired Waters List, Dr. David Chambers (on behalf of Wisconsin Resources Protection Council), December 23, 2010. To see sampling site locations click here.
- WDNR summary of public data submittals for use in drafting 2012 Wisconsin Impaired Waters List, December 2011.
- Court submission regarding WDNR recommendation to EPA that Stream C at the Flambeau Mine site be listed as impaired, December 2011.
- Excerpt from Wisconsin Water Quality Report to Congress – Year 2012, in which WDNR recommends to EPA that Stream C at the Flambeau Mine site be included on the 2012 Wisconsin Impaired Waters List, April 2012, rev August 2013.
- EPA approval of WDNR recommendation that Stream C at the Flambeau Mine site be added to the agency’s official list of impaired waters, effective April 2012 (excerpt from approval document)
- EPA approval of WDNR recommendation that Stream C at the Flambeau Mine site be added to the agency’s official list of impaired waters, effective April 2012 (approval document in its entirety)
- WDNR post regarding approved listing of Stream C as impaired for copper and zinc toxicity linked to the Flambeau Mine operation (September 2014 static image)
FMC Annual Reports:
- 1991-2008 Annual Reports, Flambeau Mining Company – As electronic versions of these reports become available, they will be posted on my ancillary website, Flambeau Mine Exposed – II. Click here.
- 2009 Annual Report, Flambeau Mining Company
- 2010 Annual Report, Flambeau Mining Company
- 2011-2012 Annual Reports, Flambeau Mining Company – As electronic versions of these reports become available, they will be posted on my ancillary website, Flambeau Mine Exposed – II. Click here.
- 2013 Annual Report, Flambeau Mining Company
- Annual Reports for 2014 and beyond – As electronic versions of these reports become available, they will be posted on my ancillary website, Flambeau Mine Exposed – II. Click here.
FMC Stipulation Monitoring Reports for Flambeau River, Streams A, B and C and soils (required per the terms of Stipulation and Order from 2007 contested case hearing) and Biofilter Monitoring Reports (required per the terms of 2007 Biofilter Management Plan):
Groundwater Data:
- To access data from monitoring wells at the Flambeau Mine site, click here.
Flambeau River Data:
- To access surface water, sediment, macroinvertebrate, crayfish and walleye data for the Flambeau River, click here.
Stream C Data:
- To access general information and monitoring data for Stream C, click here.
Infiltration Basins:
- To access general information and monitoring data for the three infiltration basins constructed between October 2011 and April 2012 at the Flambeau Mine site, click here. To read about how the basins malfunctioned, click here.
Flambeau-Related General Interest Publications and/or Presentations:
- Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits of Northern Wisconsin: A Commemorative Volume, Gene LaBerge, editor, Institute on Lake Superior Geology Proceedings, 42nd Annual Meeting, Cable, Wisconsin, Volume 42, Part 2, 1996
- Sulfide Deposits and Associated Geology in Michigan and Wisconsin, Klaus Schulz, United States Geological Survey, 2011 (Power Point)
- The Flambeau Mine, Casey and Jane Jones, Geoprime Minerals, 2013 (of interest to mineral-collecting community)
- The Flambeau Mine: A case study evaluating the effectiveness of existing federal and state mining regulations to protect drinking water reserves from adverse mining impacts, Laura Gauger, August 2013 (Power Point)
- A Story Written in Stone – The Flambeau Mine, Ladysmith, Wisconsin, Gene LaBerge, Joanne Kluessendorf and William Cordua, 2014
For additional Flambeau Mine documents (historic and current):
- Please refer to the on-line version of The Buzzards Have Landed! The book covers the time period of 1967-2006, is electronically searchable, and contains numerous hyperlinks that will take you to various documents and technical reports referenced in the text.
- See the Resource Websites page of Flambeau Mine Exposed-I.
Flambeau Mine Exposed - I 