The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-07
Most Important DEVELOPMENT

Inc main exploratory activity was outside the
Lake superior region proper Indeed there has
neen little anywhere. Mesaba explorations were
chiefly III the western part of the range, where
the ores are dry. silicious and feldspathic. and
where the problem Of their economical prepara--
Ion for their furnace use was in process of solu-
alon during the year: This problem has been to
so separate and concentrate the ores that the
free silica mixed with the oxide can be washed
away. raising the grade of ore. diminishing its
phosphorus content, and giving a product that
Will be coarser and less dust11ke.
Progress has been made and there is little
doubt that in due time many millions of tons
Will be added to the merchantable ores of the
Mesaba range. In its possibilities for an in
crease IN tonnage of ores in sight, adjacent to
lake transportation, and in it's bearing on the
raw material situation affecting steelmakers
with comparatively slight ore reserves, there is
no doubt that this is by far the most imnortant
development of the year. -
While no great amount of exploration has been
CONQUERED upon these sandy ores. measured by
the number of drills at work. the tonnage de-
veloped has been of the utmost moment Lead
ing interests at work there have been a proup
of Duluth and eastern capitalists working indie
pendently under the name Of the Canisteo Min
Ing company. and the United States Steel cor
porat1on. They have selected large tracts after
careful examination. and have secured tonnages
that may be fairly estimated at from 15O. 900 900
tons to 200 900 tons. washable ores Not all
Of this was found during the year.
= The New Baraboo District.
The Baraboo district of south-central Wiscon-
sin, doubtless correlated with the Lake Supe-
rior region of the Menominee, has .'arrived''
during the year. and this is a matter of much
Importance The Baraboo district has been given
false place in the economy of the ore trade
by those who have written Of it as either of nc
value or of high Importance as a competitor of
Lake Superior. 1t is neither. 1t is valuable
only for furnaces at Chicago, Milwaukee or some
similar points. For these it is material as
set. -
The district is small. not Of high grade and
rather costly for mining. In the first place IL
is only about twenty four miles in extreme
length, so far be stated now. 1t is not
wide and the orc seems to lie in a lense of from
twenty to thirty feet thick, dipping on hatten
ing curve to considerable depth. r. ,,--, J '.
Exploration has been under way along the line
of the Northern Pacific road about 100 miles
west of Duluth, in what is called the Aitkin dis
trict. Enough has been done to prove the ex
1istence of an ore-bearing formation, but little
merchantable ore has been found.
Explora ton has been continuous on the famous
section 30-63-11, Vermillion range. but the re-
suits have not been commensurate with the high
hopes of men interested. ....
What of 1905?
Prospects for the coming year are very bright
The excessive tonnage of ores held at lower lake
points since the winter of 1908 has been absorbed
and its weight removed from the trade There
! is question that the unnecessary and exces
sive business of mines in 1902 had an impor
| tant bearing on the subsequent depression al
along the line. ALI mining company are pre-
| pairing for heavy business and many mines ar,
| being extensively developed.
! 1t is pretty early to make an estimate for tn,
coming year. but there is reason to doubt tina
! ore docks will be well cleaned up by the open
ing of navigation. and if the country is meltin:
up to. 19,OOO,O 900 tons or 20,O00,0OO tons of pie
| iron during the year, three fourths of which il
! made from Lake ores, it is not difficult to be
| lieve that there must be shipments of from o.
| 900 900 tons to Is, 900 900 tons. OF this enor
| nous quantity, not far from two-thirds mus
come from Minnesota. Looking toward this
business, the developed mines, railroads ant
shipping interests of the state are making ar
| rangements to handle a larger volume than il
! the past