Highland Copper Receives the Wetland Permit for the Copperwood Project, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA
Highland Copper Receives the Wetland Permit for the Copperwood Project, Upper
Peninsula, Michigan, USA
Longueuil, Canada, October 30, 2018. Highland Copper Company Inc. (TSXV: HI, OTCQB: HDRSF)
(the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its 100% held Michigan subsidiary, Copperwood Resources
Inc., has received the amended wetland, lakes and streams permit (Wetlands Permit) from the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality Water Resources Division (M DEQ,WRD) for its Copperwood
project located in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA.
Denis Miville-Deschênes, Preside nt & CEO of Highland Copper com mented: “The receipt of the
Wetlands Permit is a significant milestone in obtaining all per mits required for the development of the
Copperwood project. I want to take the opportunity to thank all stakeholders and employees involved in
the process that has led to the receipt of this important permit.”
Wetland Permit
Following the release of the updated feasibility study on the Copperwood project on June 15th, 2018, the
Company moved forward with the finalization of the permitting p rocess for its Copperwood project.
Based on the updated feasibility study the Company filed amendm ent requests, renewals or new
applications for all permits required to begin mine construction at Copperwood.
The Part 301-Inland lakes and Streams, Part 303-Wetlands Protec tion and Part 325-Great Lakes
Submerged Land applications pro cess included a public comment p eriod that ended on July 27 th
following a public hearing held in Wakefield, Michigan on July 17th. After the review of comments
received from public and tribal interests, as well as recommend ations from the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the MDEQ developed the draft permit conditions which have
been accepted by the Company. These conditions include the following mitigation requirements:
The preservation of 717 acres of high-quality wetlands and 93 a cres of forested upland in the
headwaters area of the wild and scenic Black River and the creation of 18.3 acres of forested and
emergent wetlands on-site at the Copperwood project; and
Stream mitigation by creating 13,700 feet of natural stream cha nnel on-site at the Copperwood
project and replacing a culvert on the Two Mile Creek in Ontona gon County that is blocking
brook trout passage in a tributary to the wild and scenic Cisco Branch to the Ontonagon River.
Other required permits
On October 24th, 2018 a combined final public hearing was held in Ironwood, Michigan for the Part 632
Nonferrous Metallic Mining Permit amendment and the Part 55 Air Discharge permit. This public
meeting was the last major step prior to the grant of the Part 632 and Part 55 permits. The Company
anticipates that the Part 315 Dam Safety Permit-Tailing dam draft permit will be issued shortly now that
the conditions of the Wetland Permit have been accepted by Highland. The Lake Superior Water intake
application is presently being reviewed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). A final
report was submitted by Highland to the USACE in September. To date the permitting process has
proceeded well and Company management continues to believe that all required permits for the
Copperwood project will be in hand by year-end.
Once all of the permits are received, the Company will continue to maintain at all times a high level of
environmental commitment as required by the USACE, the MDEQ, an d the State of Michigan, Native
American tribes and local communities as it advances the development of the Copperwood Project.
Financing Update
Over the last few months, the Company has held numerous discuss ions with shareholders and financial
institutions, including interna tional banks, private equity gro ups, equipment suppliers and investment
banks, to secure the capital requi red to construct the Copperwo od project. The Company continues to
evaluate all possible financing options, taking into account current market conditions, and with the help
of its advisors will look to choose the optimal financial package for all stakeholders.
About Highland
Highland Copper Company Inc. is a Canadian-based company focuse d on exploring and developing
copper projects in the Upper Peni nsula of Michigan, U.S.A. The Company has 472,933,689 common
shares issued and outstanding which are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “HI’ and
trade on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol “HDRSF”.
More information about the Company is available on the Company’ s website at
www.highlandcopper.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Please re fer to our most recently filed
Annual Financial Statements in respect of material risks relating to the Company's business and plans for
development of the Copperwood project.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains cert ain forward-looking statements w ithin the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation. Th ese forward-looking statements involve certain risks and
uncertainties, including, without limitation, being unable to complete the financing of the Copperwood
project on terms acceptable to the Company, or dela ys in the permitting process outlines above. There
can be no assurance that the Company will be succe ssful in completing the financing and obtaining all
required permits to begin mine construction at Copperwood. All forward looking statements in this press
release are based on information av ailable to the Company as of th e date hereof, and the Company
undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in
the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the ade quacy or accuracy of
this release.
For further information, please contact:
Denis Miville-Deschênes, President & CEO
David Charles, Investor relations
Tel: +1.450.677.2455
Email: [email protected]