Lasting Benefits
Lundin Mining’s operations contribute to economic development and prosperity in regions where we operate. Beyond wages and salaries paid to employees and contractors, and taxes, royalties and fees paid to governments, we focus our major community investments on initiatives that advance sustainable development. These investments include education and skills training, economic diversification, infrastructure, business incubators and building local capacity for economic empowerment.
Fast Facts
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Community Initiatives
$945,000 invested in 2020 community initiatives in the Upper Peninsula
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Marquette City Roads
$700,000 per year to Marquette City for upgrades and safety improvements
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Site Cleanup
$4,000,000 invested to clean up the historic Humboldt Mill
Proactive Engagement
Eagle maintains a focus on engagement and continues to receive positive feedback from the community, elected officials and regulators in response to transparent public engagement. Our key activities include semi-annual community forums and continued implementation of the Community Complaints Procedure. Community perception and annual employee engagement surveys aim to improve awareness of concerns and reinforce messaging regarding Eagle’s values and practices.
Eagle Mine is committed to continuing constructive engagement with local indigenous peoples throughout the mine’s operation. Through regular dialogue, Eagle seeks to learn from local tribes to identify common interests and understand how mining operations impact the cultural heritage and future of tribal communities.
Strategic Initiatives
Supporting Local Entrepreneurs
Accelerate UP (AUP) is a non-profit organization offering free business coaching in Marquette County. The program was launched in 2013 as a collaboration between the community and Eagle Mine with the aim of ensuring sustainable, economic diversification, both during mining and upon closure. The program supports local entrepreneurs, in particular female entrepreneurs, to expand and maintain their business ventures.
AUP has 40 active clients, has assisted 23 businesses, created 49 new jobs and helped retain 11 jobs with a cumulative capital investment of $2.4 million through 2017. Since its inception, the program has supported the creation / expansion of more than 400 businesses in Marquette County. In 2019, Eagle supported the development of a three-year strategic plan. Eagle supported a mental health services program in 2020 which offers services to those currently without access.
Enabling Local Start-Ups and Businesses
Eagle Emerging Entrepreneurs Fund, a partnership between the Lundin Foundation, Eagle Mine and Northern Initiatives, aims to improve the accessibility and affordability of loans and technical assistance to micro- and small enterprises in Marquette County.
Since inception, EEEF has enabled 37 entrepreneurs to access over US$1.2 million in financing, with a repayment rate greater than 95%, and has created more than 60 jobs.
In 2020, EEEF allocated $60,000 to support economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transparent Approach
to Environmental Monitoring
The Community Environmental Monitoring Project (CEMP) is a progressive approach to transparency in monitoring environmental performance and reporting back to the community.
The program is implemented by Eagle Mine and two trusted community-based organizations – the Superior Watershed Partnership and the Community Foundation of Marquette County – and is defined and governed by formal agreements between these organizations. The CEMP began prior to construction in 2012.
Strengthening the Workforce
The Marquette Alger Technical Middle College (MATMC) is a public, tuition-free, early college program that enables students from throughout Marquette and Alger Counties to earn a high school diploma, a significant number of college credits and a Technical Certificate from Northern Michigan University (NMU) at little-to-no cost to the students or their families. In 2020, Eagle provided an additional grant that maintained an essential student resource support staff position threatened by budget reductions.
This program, created by the partnering of Eagle Mine, Marquette-Alger RESA, local school districts and NMU, will increase the technical skills that are currently in demand in Marquette County and create jobs for local people.
Fostering Interest in Mining Education
In 2019, Eagle Mine hosted a tour and showcase of the mine and mill for Michigan Tech’s Field Geology class. Students were prepared with many questions and Eagle employees were eager to share their knowledge. The initiative was one of several university and local partnerships with Eagle meant to foster interest in mining education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Supporting Children in Need
Lundin Mining believes that all people, including the vulnerable and infants, should have access to safe, nutritious food. In December 2019, Eagle Mine employees participated in a food drive in support of Public-Michigamme School District’s “Hot Packs” lunch program. They collected hundreds of canned and other food items and personally donated over US$1,000; all donations were matched by the mine.
