The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-11-18

OF 1880 and 1S92- Michigan still leads
with an output for 1885 of 5,Sl2.444
long tons, an increase over the figures
for 1894 OF 3l.5 per cent. but the
quantity mined last year was below
that reported in the statistics collect
ed by the United States Geological
Survey for the other years from 1889
TO lS9. except in 1893 and 1894. This
decreased output may in part be credit
ed to protracted strike in the
Marquette range, which affected not
only the mining OF ore, but prevented
shipments from stock piles Mime
sofa in 1895 Appropriated the outpu.
OF Michigan in 1894, and showed q
total OF 3, S66, 453 long tons. an increase
over the previous year of 1925 per
cent. Wisconsin. while not reaching
the figures attained in the years 1889,
1890 and 1892, mined 30l. $50 long tons
more in 1895 than in 1894, bringing
the total of the state for the year I'D
10 GAG. 35l long tons. OF course, Mr.
Birkinbine gives considerable at
tention in his report TO development
of ore mining in Minnesota. He says:
1.-The ore deposits Of the Mesaba
and Vermilion ranges have in a de-
cade advanced Minnesota from nom
producer to second rank as a contri-
butor TO the country supply, furnish
! ing larger amount Of iron ore per
annum than any other state except
Michigan, and more than any
foreign country except Great
Britain, Germany and Spain. To
reach the ore bodies Of Minnesota
over 400 miles Of standard gauge rail-
road have been built and equipped
with modern locomotives and cars
| through what was trackless wilder
ness ten years ago. and in fact much
of the ore-producing country was
visited only as hunting ground with
in three or four years.
1T viii not be surprising if in the
future a portion Of the Minnesota
ores find market at or near TO the
head Of the lakes, for. notwithstand
ing the apparently unsatisfactory out
come of ventures In iron and steel
production at Duluth and West SD
perior. enough was accomplished TO
demonstrate that when ample capital
is at command to erect the necessary
converting and manufacturing plant,
to buy material best suited TO require
ments, and to introduce the product
into market already supplied by
established industries, projects Of
this class will become profitable.
With the wealth of iron ores con-
venient, and the low rates at which
fuel can be brought TO Lake Superior,
the production of metal for the grow
ing territory TO the west seems to
offer many opportunities. A failure
TO treat ore not at present apparently
valuable so that il may in the future
be obtained for use, would evidence a
want OF faith in the future of the
| Northwest, and it is well for those
who have at command ores below the
accepted standard to remember that
the average yield Of al the iron ores
used in the United States does not
exceed 4 per cent, while the phosphor-
us in non-Bessemer Mesaba ores is
below that Of the average non-Bes-
semer ores Of the country.
The longer rail and water transpoT
tation now required to bring the ores
of Minnesota to blast furnaces which
can use them gives the ores from
other ranges an advantage equivalent
to from 90 to 50 per cent Of the net
mining cost, and the limitations
placed upon ores acceptable as OF
Bessemer grade restrict the output OF
the Mesaba range. But its large re-
serves of ore. which are above the
average in iron, and below the average
in phosphorus of domestic ores now
used. will seek utilization and it Is
not improbable that these deposits
will further stimulate the present
rapid development OF the basic open
hearth method of steel production
The development of the Nermilion
and Mesaba ranges in Minnesota prac-
tically repeats, with local modifca-
tions. what took place on the.
Marquette, the Menominee and the
Gogebic ranges of Michigan and
| Wisconsin.
1.-The quantities of ore in sight, the
apparent ease of mining and the grade
of material won on the Mesaba range
may be pronounced marvellous. But