UNDATED (WSAU)  Gogebic Taconite – the firm that scrapped plans to build an iron ore mine in Wisconsin – is now exploring possible sites in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Company president Bill Williams tells Wisconsin Public Radio that his firm has done exploratory drilling in parts of the U-P, and it’s now studying those results. He said the effort is in the early stages. And Williams says the firm is running into less opposition, noting that public opinion and the political atmosphere are different across the border. Also, he says he likes the permit process in Michigan because it has definitive time-lines.

But Williams says Gogebic Taconite is still leaving the door open to a Wisconsin project. It continues to hold options to lease minerals in the Penokee Range of Ashland and Iron counties – and the largest lease does not expire for another year. Williams says Gogebic Taconite would answer a call from Wisconsin if enough leaders and people come to realize quote, “This isn’t that bad – we can have some economic development and capitalize on our resource development.”