RE: Unemployment and Orvana It does immensely help and I agree the odds of success are in their favor over time given the disastrous economy in Michigan and is definitely one major factor why Orvana took on the challenge here however I think Copperwood is not a slam dunk yet even though on Orvana's end they have done everything perfect so far as they hired an anti activist to the White Pine mine as project coordinator so the Copperwood project will be completed in an environmentally correct manner and the project contains nonreactive rock but there has been a pesky strong opposition group from lower Michigan given the recent ballot initiative to ban all mining 2000 ft from a body of water. Just another example of the constant rift between lower and UP residents.
Of course I don't blame the company trying to win what I see as the most attractive prize of their mine portfolio and worth the 5 million spent so far on the project but in states that traditionally enforce tougher DNR standards the process to get a mine built is never easy.
I just hope they have a plan B in mind with less execution risk in the case this project is delayed.