The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-01-08
SUPERIOR ORE
john e. Birkinbine Tells Some
Interesting Facts in the Iron
Trade Review.
CONFIDENTLY ASSERTS.
Not Long Before NernliiioR and
aIesaba Ores Will Be Manu-
facts,red at Home.


article to Iron Trade Review on Lake
Superior Iron Ranges" declares that
had the Mesaba range been opened
simultaneously with the Nermilion
ard Gogebic ranges, it would have
been less successful than it is now. for
at that tiHie more costly mining,
higher transportation and handling
charges. etc. would have handicapped
the mines, and the furnaces then
<sctiye could scarcely have received
the extra supply. The late business
depression was blessing in disguise
10 the Mesaba range. in so far as it
curtailed a wild speculation in min
ing ventures which threatened to
greatly injure the district. and re-
stricted the exploitation of mining
properties br parties with insufficient
capital 10 carry the work TO compile
ton. As il is, progress has been
phenomenal. and the Youngest OF the
fTe iron ore ranges has in its fourth
scar OF Development supplied between
onc-fouTth and one-third Of the total
iron ore from the Lake Superior
region"
Continuing he SAYS: sit is probable
that the strike in the Marquette range
was ii part responsible for the record
OF 1895. but making the fullest allow
ance fer this. the Mesaba range would
certainly have supplied over one-quar-
ter of the total product of the Lake
Superior mines in 1895. What will be
its proportion in 1896, is a question
now interesting those engaged in min
ing on this new range. and one prom
inent IN directing operations there
has given the estimate Of per cent;
Mr. BirEenbine then compares the
quality of the different Lake Superior
ores and discusses the question OF
transportation, reaching the conclU-
sion that 1.-THE portion Of Minnesota
ores which are of Bessemer grade is as
great If not greater, and the problem
OF future competition for BeSsemer or
non-Bessemer ores will resolve itself
practically into determination of
the expense CT mining royalties in
cludedl per unit of iron in the ore
won"
Mr.. Birkinbine declares that the OBJ
lection to the physical condition Of
Mesa ba ores may be considered merely
as OF temporary character, and the
statements that blast furnace mana
gers cannot use the fine ore is refiec-
ton upon the ability of men who
have accomplished greater results
than that of adapting their plants
and their practice to the use OF a
deposit of such magnitude and char
acter as have been developed on the
Mesaba range. In conclusion Mr..
Birkinbine predicts that it will not
be long before the Mesaba and Yer
million ores will be made into iron and
steel at the head Of the lakes. He
says:
It will not be surprising il in the
future considerable portion Of the
Minnesota ores find a market at or
near TO the head of the lakes, for,
Notwithstanding the apparently I'M
satisfactory. outcome of ventures in
iron and steel production at Duluth
and West Superior, enough has been
accomplished to demonstrate that
when ample capital is at command to
buy material best suited to require
ments. and to introduce the product
into q market already supplied by
established industries, ventures of
this class viii become profitable.
With the wealth OF iron ores con-
yenient. and the low rates at which
fuel can be brought to Lake Superior.
the production of metal for the rapid
ly growing territory to the west seems
to offer many opportunities. A failure
to treat ore, not at present apparently
valuable. so'that it may in the future
be obtained for use, evidences want
of faith in the future OF the North
west. and it is well to remember that
that the average yield of all iron ores
used in the United States does not
exceed 81 per cent, while the phos-
phorus in non-Bessemer Mesaba ores
is not as great as in the average nom
Bessemer ores OF the country.
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