Trans Superior Mineral Exploration
Project Name: Trans Superior Mineral Prospecting Project, "Norwich Project"
Websites: Bitterroot Resources
Project Lead: Trans Superior Resources, Inc. (Wholly-owned subsidiary of Bitterroot Resources)
Location of Project: 1842 Treaty territory in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northeast of Bergland, Ontonagon County in the Ottawa National Forest, Bergland Ranger District; located about 50 miles of the L’Anse Reservation and 25 miles from the Ontonagon Reservation; the project area encompasses approximately 720 acres near the Trap Hills and at the headwaters of the west branch of the Ontonagon River (clicks here for a bird’s eye view of the exploration area)
Metals: nickel, copper and platinum group elements
Environmental and Other Concerns:
- Sump pits and drill cuttings would be left on site, and it is undisclosed yet likely that drill cuttings will consist of metallic sulfide minerals
- Potential impacts to tribal resource harvest activities in the forest, especially if an economically viable deposit is proposed
- Potential impacts to recreational values particularly the adjacent Trap Hills hiking trail
Status:
Ongoing exploration (2020)
Notice to Proceed (NTP) and permit was issued for the Cuesta/Haystack South project. As of March 2017 no activity has taken place. An NPT is an agreement between the surface and mineral owners to commence with the proposed exploration. The Cuesta/Haystack South project is on Ottawa National Forest (ONF) surface-owned lands, but mineral rights are privately owned.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) was completed, but no permit has been issued by Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as of February 2017, for the MIES 56527 project. This project is in federally owned subsurface lands.
The State Lease Nomination 1526 project plan of operations was submitted with the Cuesta/Haystack South project. The State Lease Nomination 1526 project is in Michigan state owned subsurface lands. An NTP was granted in June 2016, but no work has taken place as of March 2017.
The State Lease Nomination 2012-10 project has not had any work started on it, as of March 2017. An NTP with geophysical work was granted December 2013.