Is there platinum under Decorah? It will take years to find out

Possible platinum and precious metals are located near the Decorah crater

Is there platinum and other valuable metal buried deep below Decorah?  Retired U.S. Geological Survey official Dr. Ray Anderson on Monday told the Winneshiek Board of Supervisors and members of the public that it will take years to get a definitive answer to that question.

Anderson told a crowd of nearly 100 people that the potential exists for metallic mineral mining in NE Iowa.  That's because the Decorah area contains numerous geological similarities to the Duluth area, where possible deposits of copper, nickel, platinum, magnesium and iron could be worth one trillion dollars.  Anderson said the Duluth area might sit on top of "the world's largest untapped resource."

Researchers have drawn that conclusion based on airplane flights that have studied gravity densities in Duluth--and in Decorah.  Gravity levels are slightly higher in the two towns, which is a sign that precious metals may lie underneath.

But Dr. Anderson says the only way to get a definitive answer to the question is by doing exploratory drilling--with hundreds and hundreds of exploratory drills being required.  That takes a lot of time and a lot of money.  Some exploratory drilling has been done in the Duluth area, but none in the Decorah area.  Anderson told the audience that any discussion of possible mining is "premature" now.  "The chances are there will never be mining here, but who knows?" concluded Anderson.