May 18, 2023 at 2:22 p.m.
New mineral exploration eyed in the Upper-Wolf River Watershed
During the 1980s I conducted independent research on the mineral exploration patterns in Northern Wisconsin. The most perplexing patterns were drillings conducted by Noranda at what was at the time called the "Stockley Creek Site" in the Upper-Wolf River Watershed and the northeastern portion of the Town of Schoepke. This exploration site would eventually become known as the Wolf River Deposit but is really comprised of three poorly known deposits referred to as "Rabbit", "Duckblind", and "Lobo".
Recently, a mining-related company, "Badger Minerals", drilled a small number of exploration drill holes at these deposits. Badger acquired rights to the Lobo Deposit on private property but declined to acquire "Rabbit" and "Duckblind" when they terminated their drilling program.
According to reporting at that time, "the results of the drilling program weren't worth pursuing further and the company will not be purchasing the land that the drilling was conducted on."
Rabbit and Duckblind are part of the second phase of the Pelican River Forest, but the Lobo Deposit is not. At this time a related company called Greenlight Metals controls the Lobo Deposit and what they call "Lobo East", aka the "Black Property", north and west of Lucille Lake, which lies between Meister Lane and Lake River Road in the Town of Schoepke.
The protection of the watershed of the Upper-Wolf River is of critical importance to the Town of Schoepke, Oneida County, multiple downstream counties, and is of regional and national significance.
In 2018 our county government approved a new mining ordinance that sets the county up "to host a regional mill & tailings facility" receiving sulfide wastes from across the North, and that removes an important local control from much of the county, including the Upper-Wolf River Watershed.
Stay tuned for further details.
Karl A. Fate
Rhinelander
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