686:, and Frank's business associate, James Corrigan, to buy into the Franklin Iron Mine Company, which operated in the Mesabi Range. By late 1896 or early 1897, John D. took Corrigan's shares due to failure to repay loans. Frank and Carrigan were forced to sell the company. The market for ore from the Mesabi range was almost non-existent at this time because American steel furnaces were not built to deal with its powdery nature and steelmakers believed it to be poor ore. John D. invested $ 40 million to build up the Mesabi ore and transportation business. To reach the steelmakers in Pittsburgh, the ore had to travel across the
622:
658:
713:
640:
111:
71:
368:. In the early years of mining from the late 19th century until the 1950s, mining focus was on high grade ore that could be processed into steel without much change. However, when that supply dried up, focus shifted to lower-grade ore (taconite) which requires extensive processing at large mining-processing facilities before moving to port. The mined ore is then transported, primarily by the
63:
227:. Over billions of years, geological forces left behind ore deposits of varied quality and concentrations – differences that would determine how the ore was mined from place to place. On the Mesabi Range, stretching 100 miles (160 km) from Grand Rapids to Babbitt, soft ore lay close to the surface, where it could be scooped from open pit mines.
614:
which did not mine its own material, but produced high-iron content nuggets from purchased iron ore concentrate. Magnetation, Inc. formerly produced iron ore concentrate reclaimed from tailings with company-designed high-power magnetic separators to produce concentrate to sell and ship throughout the
699:
of
Pittsburgh whereby they agreed not to go into the ore field or transportation business, and John D. agreed not to go into the steel business. The steelmakers adapted their mills to process the ore from the Mesabi range. Oliver broke with the agreement, and in response, John D. procured a monopoly
690:
to
Cleveland. He invested $ 2 million into a railroad to transport the ore from the Mesabi range to Duluth on Lake Superior. By 1896, he controlled the Lake Superior Consolidated Iron Mines Company, which was a holding company of the Merritt brothers. He built a fleet of ore ships. In December 1896,
403:
Dormant and exhausted open pit mines are a common feature along the Iron Range. Some of these sites have been redeveloped for other uses. For instance, the
Virginia Pilot is a project which focuses on redeveloping the grounds adjacent to the old mines into low- to moderate-income residential space.
326:
in St. Louis County. Heights vary from 200–400 feet (61–122 m). The highest point, at 1,940 feet (590 m), is roughly 1.9 miles (3.1 km) west of the unincorporated community of
Hinsdale, near the former Erie Mining Company's pits and taconite processing plant.
343:. The range was defined by 1900. Initially underground mines were employed but these gave way to open pits so that by 1902, half the operations were conducted this way. The last underground mine closed in 1960. Natural ores eventually gave way to iron-ore concentrates from
735:
quickly supported the strike for better pay and shorter hours. In
September 1916, the workers voted to resume work, assuming a failed strike. However, shortly after returning to work a 10% raise in wages was issued for workers throughout the Range.
145:
counties. It has been extensively worked since 1892, and has seen a transition from high-grade direct shipping ores through gravity concentrates to the current industry exclusively producing iron ore (
621:
149:) pellets. Production has been dominantly controlled by vertically integrated steelmakers since 1901, and therefore is dictated largely by US ironmaking capacity and demand.
1318:
360:
Much of the softer ore was formed close to the surface, allowing mining operations to be conducted via open pit mines. The world's largest open pit iron ore mine is the
298:
The Mesabi Range is 110 miles (180 km) long. Heights vary from 200–500 feet (61–152 m). The highest point, located about 5.6 miles (9.0 km) northeast of
1255:
1313:
361:
114:
1239:
A history of a
Swedish-Finnish immigrant family from the Mesabi Iron Range, which details the social (and socialist) conditions of the area during its heyday.
319:
1343:
1151:
1125:
728:
for, among other demands, an eight-hour work day and a pay raise. The strike lasted two months and resulted in thousands of workers being blacklisted.
1017:
1192:
770:
731:
On June 25, 1916, a miner left his shift after being paid less than the contracted rate. His action led to the Mesabi range strike of 1916. The
1293:
560:. Hibbing Taconite is majority owned and managed by ArcelorMittal USA, with minority stakes held by Cleveland-Cliffs and United States Steel.
947:
854:
137:
of
Minnesota. First described in 1866, it is the chief iron ore mining district in the United States. The district is located largely in
1277:
1084:
1053:
785:
657:
813:. Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society (Minnesota Historical Society: St. Paul, 1920), page 504. Available in fulltext at
1109:
842:
720:
Several large-scale strikes took place on the Mesabi Iron Range during the early 1900s. The first began on July 20, 1907 after the
1188:
732:
817:
1323:
32:
1338:
721:
335:
Iron-bearing rocks were noted by the
Minnesota State Geologist Henry H. Eames in 1866. Iron ore was discovered north of
318:
The
Embarrass Mountains are a small subrange of the Mesabi Range, spanning about 9 miles (14 km) through northern
790:
556:
respectively. The last facility is
Hibbing Taconite which operates a mine and plant between the cities of Hibbing and
192:
142:
639:
520:
266:
zones. Natural ores have an iron content of 51 to 57 per cent while the taconites are 30 to 35 percent iron, and are
302:, is Pike Mountain at 1,950 feet (590 m). The range trends from the northeast to the southwest, extending from
1333:
765:
725:
582:
489:
454:
405:
1308:
369:
745:
553:
412:
and offers tours to visitors who wish to learn about mine operations. Tours are guided by former mine workers.
336:
138:
199:. Most of the world's iron ore, including that contained in northern Minnesota, was formed during the middle
388:. At Duluth, trains of up to eighty 100-ton open cars are moved out on massive ore docks to be dumped into "
307:
95:
1014:
1201:"The Iron Mines That Give Us Leadership: The Most Extraordinary Deposits in the World in the Mesabi Range"
373:
1180:
611:
424:
416:
323:
220:
883:
Marsden, R.W.; Emanuelson, J.W.; Owens, J.S.; Walker, N.E.; Werner, R.F. (1968). John D. Ridge (ed.).
1328:
775:
259:
1200:
679:
568:
557:
549:
483:
448:
385:
299:
247:
103:
887:. The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. pp. 520–521.
1025:
444:
440:
428:
420:
365:
303:
212:
99:
944:
858:
1273:
1244:
1163:
1137:
1105:
1080:
1049:
838:
683:
432:
377:
83:
1076:
1070:
1045:
1039:
885:
The Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota, in Volume 1 of Ore Deposits of the United States, 1933–1967
340:
1021:
951:
905:. Office of the Commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. p. 8,38.
821:
696:
692:
354:
235:
87:
1205:
903:
The Mineralogy and Geology of the Taconites and Iron Ores of the Mesabi Range, Minnesota
700:
of ore ship transportation on the Great Lakes. John D. sold his western ore holdings to
898:
780:
760:
712:
572:
436:
389:
224:
196:
415:
Currently, there are six mining-processing facilities in operation on the Iron Range.
133:. It is the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the
110:
1302:
1156:
1130:
755:
267:
263:
258:
layer 340–750 feet (100–230 m) thick. The natural ores are located in elongated
79:
1267:
920:
989:
750:
701:
381:
283:
208:
188:
91:
70:
814:
687:
564:
243:
216:
203:. During this period, erosion leveled mountains. This erosion released iron and
200:
17:
704:
for $ 90,900,000 soon after Morgan bought Carnegie's steel interests in 1901.
576:
409:
270:
to pellets contain 60 to 67 per cent. The natural ores are mainly mixtures of
134:
837:. University of Minnesota Press (University of Minnesota: Minneapolis, 1995)
597:
584:
535:
522:
504:
491:
469:
456:
47:
34:
344:
231:
126:
439:
owns and operates the Minorca Mine and Plant with mining operations near
347:
279:
275:
271:
251:
238:
include the Calumet, La Rue, Morton, Biwabik, and the Siphon. The Duluth
146:
130:
62:
393:
627:
Open-pit iron mining with five-ton steam shovels, Hibbing, Minnesota
423:
and crushing, concentrating (grinding) and pelletizing operations in
239:
204:
158:
419:
owns and operates Northshore Mining, which has mining operations in
211:
living in this new sea raised the level of atmospheric oxygen. This
963:
711:
287:
255:
109:
69:
350:
so that by 1965 one third of production came from these pellets.
397:
392:" of up to 60,000 tons weight for movement to steel mills in
447:
and a crushing, concentrating and pelletizing facility near
427:, along with United Taconite which has mining operations in
262:
or tabular deposits, while the magnetite taconites occur in
1162:. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press. pp.
1136:. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press. pp.
175:
spelling variations are found along with places containing
431:
and crushing, concentrating and pelletizing operations in
129:
following an elongate trend containing large deposits of
254:
occur in this Precambrian Biwabik formation, which is a
125:
is a mining district and mountain range in northeastern
1223:
Includes numerous photos of c. 1904 Mesabi iron works.
187:
There are four iron ranges in northern Minnesota: the
357:, although some mines operated underground early on.
223:
found in northern Minnesota and other members of the
162:
1155:
1129:
990:"A brief history of Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range"
167:('Giant mountain'). Throughout the Mesabi Range,
1269:John D.: The Founding Father of the Rockefellers
230:The overall structure of the range is that of a
1072:John D. The Founding Father of the Rockefellers
1041:John D. The Founding Father of the Rockefellers
234:dipping 5 to 15 degrees to the southeast. Key
1185:The Mesabi Iron-bearing District of Minnesota
563:In addition, Mesabi Metallics (controlled by
8:
1235:Well, Here We Are! The Hansons and the Becks
682:had previously loaned money to his brother,
579:formerly owned and operated Mesabi Nugget (
548:) with mining and processing facilities in
914:
912:
250:. The natural iron ores and the magnetite
1294:Hill Annex Mine State Park: Minnesota DNR
27:Mining district in northeastern Minnesota
1319:Geography of St. Louis County, Minnesota
1193:United States Government Printing Office
835:A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe
716:Miners at work on the Mesabi Range 1903.
339:on 16 Nov. 1890 by J. A. Nichols of the
157:The Mesabi Range was known to the local
61:
1206:The World's Work: A History of Our Time
878:
876:
802:
771:Iron Mountain Central Historic District
617:
1102:Random Reminiscences of Man and Events
663:Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine
353:Iron ore is currently mined only from
1314:Geography of Itasca County, Minnesota
362:Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine
290:structures in the Biwabik formation.
115:Hull–Rust–Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine
7:
1199:Stacy, Francis N. (September 1904).
567:) is constructing a mine/plant near
286:. Also of note are the presence of
1262:. vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 429–431.
1251:. vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 329–332.
921:"The Archean Terranes of Minnesota"
1243:George, Harrison (December 1916).
1104:. Compass Circle. pp. 75–86.
786:Soudan Underground Mine State Park
25:
1344:Mining districts in North America
1254:George, Harrison (January 1917).
833:John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm.
1237:. Lincoln, Nebraska: iUniverse.
1191:Monograph 43. Washington, D.C.:
1015:Iron Range – The Mining Frontier
656:
638:
620:
809:The Ojibwe peoples dictionary.
733:Industrial Workers of the World
486:owns and operates both KeeTac (
242:complex to the east has caused
1272:. New York: Harper & Row.
1260:International Socialist Review
1249:International Socialist Review
996:. Minnesota Historical Society
964:"MyTopo Free Online Topo Maps"
571:to mine and process taconite.
207:into the waters of a new sea.
1:
1266:Hawke, David Freeman (1980).
1256:"Victory on the Mesaba Range"
1075:. Harper & Row. pp.
1069:Hawke, David Freeman (1980).
1044:. Harper & Row. pp.
1038:Hawke, David Freeman (1980).
664:
646:
628:
1154:(1986). Dirk Hoerder (ed.).
1128:(1986). Dirk Hoerder (ed.).
925:US Geology and Geomorphology
722:Western Federation of Miners
1020:September 24, 2008, at the
855:"History of the Iron Range"
791:Vermilion Range (Minnesota)
163:
1360:
1100:Rockefeller, John (2019).
811:Minnesota Geographic Names
766:Hill-Annex Mine State Park
726:Oliver Iron Mining Company
215:caused the eroded iron to
78:(upper center) is west of
1175:General and cited sources
370:Canadian National Railway
66:Lake Superior Iron Ranges
1233:Beck, J. Robert (2005).
746:Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum
674:
337:Mountain Iron, Minnesota
94:. Nearby towns include
1245:"The Mesaba Iron Range"
950:April 26, 2015, at the
675:Rockefellers' interests
246:changes in the Biwabik
1189:U.S. Geological Survey
1181:Leith, Charles Kenneth
1158:Struggle a Hard Battle
1132:Struggle a Hard Battle
717:
221:banded iron formations
195:, the Mesabi, and the
118:
107:
67:
820:May 29, 2016, at the
715:
536:47.49730°N 92.61401°W
417:Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
113:
73:
65:
1324:Geology of Minnesota
776:Marquette Iron Range
691:he made a deal with
117:, Mesabi Range, 2010
1339:Mining in Minnesota
919:Mangou, Patrick J.
680:John D. Rockefeller
598:47.5280°N 92.1216°W
594: /
541:47.49730; -92.61401
532: /
505:47.3992°N 93.0759°W
501: /
484:United States Steel
470:47.5428°N 92.5169°W
466: /
386:Superior, Wisconsin
314:Embarrass Mountains
278:. The most common
104:Virginia, Minnesota
86:, and far north of
44: /
1026:Macalester College
815:Google Book Search
718:
372:, to the ports of
213:oxygen catastrophe
119:
108:
68:
1334:Iron ore deposits
1240:
684:Frank Rockefeller
645:Duluth Ore Docks
603:47.5280; -92.1216
510:47.3992; -93.0759
475:47.5428; -92.5169
331:Mining operations
123:Mesabi Iron Range
48:47.500°N 93.067°W
16:(Redirected from
1351:
1309:Economic geology
1283:
1238:
1222:
1220:
1218:
1168:
1167:
1161:
1152:Michael G. Karni
1148:
1142:
1141:
1135:
1126:Michael G. Karni
1122:
1116:
1115:
1097:
1091:
1090:
1066:
1060:
1059:
1035:
1029:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1003:
1001:
985:
979:
978:
976:
974:
960:
954:
942:
936:
935:
933:
931:
916:
907:
906:
895:
889:
888:
880:
871:
870:
868:
866:
861:on July 20, 2014
857:. Archived from
851:
845:
831:
825:
807:
669:
666:
660:
651:
650: 1900–1915
648:
642:
633:
630:
624:
609:
608:
606:
605:
604:
599:
595:
592:
591:
590:
587:
547:
546:
544:
543:
542:
537:
533:
530:
529:
528:
525:
516:
515:
513:
512:
511:
506:
502:
499:
498:
497:
494:
481:
480:
478:
477:
476:
471:
467:
464:
463:
462:
459:
341:Merritt brothers
179:in their names.
166:
59:
58:
56:
55:
54:
49:
45:
42:
41:
40:
37:
21:
18:The Mesabi range
1359:
1358:
1354:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1348:
1299:
1298:
1290:
1280:
1265:
1230:
1228:Further reading
1216:
1214:
1198:
1177:
1172:
1171:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1124:
1123:
1119:
1112:
1099:
1098:
1094:
1087:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1056:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1022:Wayback Machine
1013:
1009:
999:
997:
988:Tieberg, Alex.
987:
986:
982:
972:
970:
962:
961:
957:
952:Wayback Machine
943:
939:
929:
927:
918:
917:
910:
897:
896:
892:
882:
881:
874:
864:
862:
853:
852:
848:
832:
828:
822:Wayback Machine
808:
804:
799:
742:
710:
697:Andrew Carnegie
693:Henry W. Oliver
677:
670:
667:
661:
652:
649:
643:
634:
631:
625:
602:
600:
596:
593:
588:
585:
583:
581:
580:
540:
538:
534:
531:
526:
523:
521:
519:
518:
517:) and Minntac (
509:
507:
503:
500:
495:
492:
490:
488:
487:
474:
472:
468:
465:
460:
457:
455:
453:
452:
406:Hill-Annex Mine
333:
316:
296:
294:Physical extent
185:
155:
53:47.500; -93.067
52:
50:
46:
43:
38:
35:
33:
31:
30:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1357:
1355:
1347:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1301:
1300:
1297:
1296:
1289:
1288:External links
1286:
1285:
1284:
1279:978-0060118136
1278:
1263:
1252:
1241:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1224:
1196:
1176:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1143:
1117:
1110:
1092:
1086:978-0060118136
1085:
1061:
1055:978-0060118136
1054:
1030:
1007:
980:
955:
937:
908:
890:
872:
846:
826:
801:
800:
798:
795:
794:
793:
788:
783:
781:Rouchleau Mine
778:
773:
768:
763:
761:Gunflint Range
758:
753:
748:
741:
738:
709:
706:
676:
673:
672:
671:
662:
655:
653:
644:
637:
635:
626:
619:
573:Steel Dynamics
437:Arcelor Mittal
332:
329:
320:White Township
315:
312:
295:
292:
225:Animikie Group
184:
181:
154:
151:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1356:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1304:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1287:
1281:
1275:
1271:
1270:
1264:
1261:
1257:
1253:
1250:
1246:
1242:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1212:
1208:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1194:
1190:
1186:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1174:
1165:
1160:
1159:
1153:
1147:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1133:
1127:
1121:
1118:
1113:
1111:9781790494996
1107:
1103:
1096:
1093:
1088:
1082:
1078:
1074:
1073:
1065:
1062:
1057:
1051:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1034:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1011:
1008:
995:
991:
984:
981:
969:
965:
959:
956:
953:
949:
946:
941:
938:
926:
922:
915:
913:
909:
904:
900:
894:
891:
886:
879:
877:
873:
860:
856:
850:
847:
844:
843:0-8166-2427-5
840:
836:
830:
827:
823:
819:
816:
812:
806:
803:
796:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
756:Gogebic Range
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
743:
739:
737:
734:
729:
727:
723:
714:
708:Labor strikes
707:
705:
703:
698:
694:
689:
685:
681:
659:
654:
641:
636:
623:
618:
616:
613:
607:
578:
574:
570:
566:
561:
559:
555:
554:Mountain Iron
551:
545:
514:
485:
479:
450:
446:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
413:
411:
407:
401:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
358:
356:
351:
349:
346:
342:
338:
330:
328:
325:
321:
313:
311:
309:
305:
301:
293:
291:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
264:stratigraphic
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
182:
180:
178:
174:
170:
165:
164:Misaabe-wajiw
160:
152:
150:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
116:
112:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
80:Lake Superior
77:
72:
64:
60:
57:
19:
1268:
1259:
1248:
1234:
1215:. Retrieved
1210:
1204:
1184:
1157:
1146:
1131:
1120:
1101:
1095:
1071:
1064:
1040:
1033:
1010:
998:. Retrieved
993:
983:
973:February 13,
971:. Retrieved
967:
958:
945:Mesabi Range
940:
930:February 13,
928:. Retrieved
924:
902:
899:Gruner, John
893:
884:
863:. Retrieved
859:the original
849:
834:
829:
810:
805:
751:Cuyuna Range
730:
724:(WFM) asked
719:
702:J. P. Morgan
678:
562:
414:
402:
382:BNSF Railway
359:
352:
334:
317:
308:Grand Rapids
297:
284:Minnesotaite
268:beneficiated
229:
209:Marine algae
186:
176:
172:
168:
156:
122:
120:
96:Grand Rapids
76:Mesabi Range
75:
29:
1329:Iron mining
1213:: 5235–5243
688:Great Lakes
668: 1946
632: 1906
601: /
565:Essar Steel
539: /
508: /
473: /
374:Two Harbors
244:metamorphic
217:precipitate
201:Precambrian
143:Saint Louis
88:Minneapolis
82:, north of
51: /
1303:Categories
612:Hoyt Lakes
589:92°07′18″W
586:47°31′41″N
577:Kobe Steel
527:92°36′50″W
524:47°29′50″N
496:93°04′33″W
493:47°23′57″N
461:92°31′01″W
458:47°32′34″N
425:Silver Bay
410:state park
324:Hoyt Lakes
135:Iron Range
797:Citations
408:is now a
380:, and by
355:open pits
345:magnetite
252:taconites
248:formation
232:monocline
219:into the
193:Vermilion
127:Minnesota
1217:July 10,
1183:(1903).
1018:Archived
1000:March 5,
994:MNopedia
948:Archived
901:(1946).
865:July 26,
818:Archived
740:See also
569:Nashwauk
558:Chisholm
550:Keewatin
449:Virginia
348:taconite
300:Virginia
280:silicate
276:goethite
272:hematite
260:channels
197:Gunflint
147:taconite
131:iron ore
92:St. Paul
1164:218–219
1138:210–211
1077:208-211
1046:203-204
615:world.
610:) near
445:Gilbert
441:Biwabik
429:Eveleth
421:Babbitt
394:Indiana
366:Hibbing
304:Babbitt
183:Geology
173:Missabe
100:Hibbing
36:47°30′N
1276:
1108:
1083:
1052:
968:MyTopo
841:
433:Forbes
390:lakers
378:Duluth
256:cherty
240:Gabbro
236:faults
205:silica
191:, the
189:Cuyuna
169:Mesaba
159:Ojibwe
139:Itasca
84:Duluth
39:93°4′W
288:algal
177:Giant
1274:ISBN
1219:2009
1211:VIII
1106:ISBN
1081:ISBN
1050:ISBN
1002:2022
975:2016
932:2016
867:2014
839:ISBN
695:and
575:and
552:and
443:and
404:The
398:Ohio
396:and
376:and
322:and
274:and
171:and
153:Name
141:and
121:The
102:and
74:The
482:).
384:to
364:in
306:to
282:is
161:as
1305::
1258:.
1247:.
1209:.
1203:.
1187:.
1079:.
1048:.
1024:.
992:.
966:.
923:.
911:^
875:^
665:c.
647:c.
629:c.
435:.
400:.
310:.
98:,
1282:.
1221:.
1195:.
1166:.
1140:.
1114:.
1089:.
1058:.
1028:.
1004:.
977:.
934:.
869:.
824:.
451:(
106:.
90:-
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
