Goldgroup Mining Inc. (formerly Gold Resource Corp.) wants to establish a gold mine called the “Back Forty” on the east bank of the Menominee River about 65 miles north of Green Bay, Wisconsin.   The river feeds directly into the Great Lakes and provides drinking water for thousands of people downstream.

As proposed, the open pit and underground mine would be just 67 yards from the river.

Before Goldgroup came along, a different company, Aquila Resources Inc., spent 20 years and $100 million trying to start up the mine, but failed.

Now the new mine owner is attempting to resurrect the project. 

Environmental protection, sustainability and respect for Native American archaeological resources are among the key values expressed by mine opponents.

They say the Back Forty project would threaten a world-class sport fishery and spawning ground for lake sturgeon, endanger the area’s water aquifers, introduce air, noise and light pollution into an unspoiled corner of the Upper Peninsula, encroach on cultural sites of vital importance to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and endanger the area’s multi-million dollar tourism industry by despoiling the natural environment. For the past several years, they’ve mounted a grass-roots campaign to stop the mine, working in collaboration with the Menominee Tribe – meeting, marching and calling on public officials to oppose the project.  

Goldgroup says it’s committed to designing a mine with minimal environmental impact, in compliance with Michigan permitting requirements, that avoids impacts to cultural resources.

Its predecessor, Aquila Resources, commissioned a study by the University of Minnesota which concluded that the Back Forty mine would produce a variety of economic benefits:

• 210-254 construction-related jobs over a two-year period;
• 150 jobs at the mine once it’s fully operational, averaging $55-65k annually including benefits;
• 109 additional (full or part-time) jobs by other employers in a four-county zone around the mine;
• $9 million in federal taxes and $11.6 million in state and local taxes per year during the 16-year life of the mine.