4/07/2026

GOGEBIC COUNTY - Highland Copper, and it’s Copperwood Mine Project near Wakefield, was directly credited in the Trump Administrations latest proclamation to expand U.S. mining interests.  A proclamation signed by President Trump will strengthen tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and copper. It states this is to ‘more effectively’ handle potential national security threats posed by these imports. This includes the ‘economic resilience of vital industries and the financial position of American workers.  The proclamation also makes note of the creation of new aluminum and copper smelting companies. In July last year, copper was added to the Section 232 program to have the same 50% tariff rate as steel and aluminum.  The Protect the Porkies organization continues to speak against the Copperwood project saying that the jobs will only be temporary and the project will cause irreparable damage to the Porkies and Lake Superior.