Controversial UP copper mine gets $50M in state grants after years of trying

The Michigan Strategic Fund voted on Tuesday to approve up to $50 million in state grants for the Copperwood copper mine, located in the western Upper Peninsula. The funding follows a multi-year effort by Toronto-based Highland Copper Inc. to secure support for the project, which was pitched in 2023 as a $425 million mining development.

The project has drawn polarized reactions, with state taxpayers now set to contribute to the financing of the controversial site. The grant approval marks a significant development for the mine after years of regulatory and financial deliberation.