The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-05-31
NO DANGER.
The ore Supply While Not Inexhaustible
Adequate to NJ eet all De mands
For Years to Come
IRON MEN SAY LOTS OF ORE
Cook County Comes to the Front
with Large Deposits.

with Large Deposits.
No longer ago than 1856 there was
= widespread impression that the
Lake Superior country contain
ed supplies of iron ore past all
probable demands Of the furnace men
for an indefinite period. These de-
po~its were described briefly as lin
eIhaustible." The Mesaba range
dsxzled the iron world with its i'm
mense deposits, where iron ore was az
common and unlimited, seemingly. as
the black loan OF Dakota prairie.
But great and important change
has come over the situation, During
the past year or two the conclusion
has been forced on the iron and steel
interest that the supplies Of Lake
Superior are not Of sgch extraordinary
extent as TO be described as "ineX-
hauStible.
La Il recent interview, L. G. Hanna
Of the Lake Superior Ore association
says that the ore shortage problem.
in measure, has already been en-
eountered. He further says that the
iron aud steel interests are now on a
consumption basis as regards old
range ores fully equal, il not more
than equal. to the capacity OF pro-
ducing properties in the districts
other than the Mesaba. Tile extra
ordinary increase in the demand for
iron ore during recent years, he says,
together with more complete knowl-
edge of the Lake Superior region, has
shown very clearly that the supplies
can no longer be regarded as mex
haustible. and that in fact there is a
definite and not very far distant limit.
The Mesaba range has been variOusly
estimated 20 have deposits aggregat-
jag from 2O0. 000, 600 tons to 400, 900, 600
tons. 1t is safe TO say, however, that
there are more than 200 .O00, 600 tons,
and considerably less than 400, 000, 900
tons. While these figures are large,
il must be remembered that only a
certain percentage Of the soft Mesaba
ores can be used in the furnaces in
connection with the hlrd ores. Form
erly about % per cent of Mesaba ores
was used by furnacemen, but during
the past year the percentage has been
raised as result OF improved machin-
cry and methods. till now 40 and even
so per cent is used. While the Mes
aba range will certainly furnish ore
supplies for many years to come, it is
at last definite factor, and it is no
longer claSSed as ineXhaustable. It is
said there are no more large bodies of
ore on the Mesaba range other than
those that are now known. Several
good deposits have not been opened
up. One of these unopened deposits
the Sheridan-occupies strategic
position as regards railroad transpor-
tation. The Duluth. Missabe &
Northern or the Duluth, Mississippi
River s. Northern can accommodate
the shipments from this property.
This property has been owned for sew
eral years by the Oliver Mining com
pany. 1t pays $4,000 year royalty
on the property as regularly as the
tick of a clock, but not Il pound of ore
has been shipped from it. Duluth
mining men do dot agree with James
Corrigan that Mesaba deposits will
not average 10 per cent of the original
estimates. They say that, Wholesome
properties have not panned out as
well as had been anticipated, others
have yielded more than was expected.
The methods employed by mining
men to ascertain the extent Of an ore
body are so thorough that there is
small chance for disappointment when
the ore is uncovered.
But the great question that has
been raised of late is, Where are adj
ditional supplies of hard ore to be had
in the Lake Superior region? A lead
ing lake journal has sought to have
the question answered, in view of the
statement by furnaceman that the
next 20 years will use up the mines
now in existence aud the deposits
that are known and that have not
been developed. 1t is estimated that
for the next 20 years the demands on
the. Lake Superior mines will be from
100000 TO 2O,O00,OO0 tons a year.
The former figures represent the con-
sumption at tile present time. Dur