Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 --- 11:55 a.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker said Friday he still holds out hope for an iron mine in northern Wisconsin.

Walker says he's asked former Bucyrus International CEO Tim Sullivan to bring mining experts and conservation leaders together to see if there's a way to get the mine near Ashland approved. He predicts modified legislation could be considered by the end of the year.

Legislation to streamline mine permitting and clear the way for a $1.5 billion Gogebic Taconite mine failed in the Senate in March. After that, a frustrated Gogebic president Bill Williams said the company was leaving Wisconsin.

The mine could bring as many as 700 jobs to an area that strongly needs employment. The Journal Sentinel (http://bit.ly/JcEHow ) reports Walker believes the mining bill failed because of recall-driven politics.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.