The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-07-01
RICH MANS RANGE
A Writer in Duluth Herald
Disputes Theory.

the Vermilion range a writer has
seen fit to dispute the theory that
the Vermilion was a rich mans
range in the following:
The Vermilion range, Oldest of
the Minnesota ranges, is known
from Duluth to New York as the
rich mans range. People have
been made to believe that develop
ment work is beyond the reach of
any but very rich men, being ex-
tremely costly. AS a matter of
fact such men as E. c. Kennedy
of Duluth who has operated on
both the Vermilion and Mesaba
ranges, declared that explorations
on the Vermilion cost less than on
the Mesaba, the average drilling
cost being 81 on the Vermillion per
foot and IS on the Mesaba. AS
MI. Kennedy points out, if a man
finds a mine on the Mesaba range
the operating companies may not
need it, but if it is on the Vermil-
ion range they grab it quick because
of its high-grade ore The Yer
million ore is used to mix with
1ow-grade ores from other ranges
to bring up the average. It takes
two tons of Mesaba ore to make
a ton of pig iron and only about a
ton and a half of Vermi1ion ore.
During the past few years COM
panies have been organized for de-
velopment work on the Vermilion
range and have been almost uni
formly successful. Many small
investors who bought stock in these
companies at SO cents and 81 per
share have sold their holdings at
IS and upward per share. Inves-
tors who have been losing their
savings and wages in copper stocks
would do we'll to investigate COM
panies offering shares in Vermil-
ion ran ge properties and being
satisfied with the directors and
prospects offered, to invest their
money here at home. where the
properties are in easy visiting dis
lance and the men directing their
affairs are their neighbors. Every
mining proposition is more or less
of a guess but then, nothing
ventured, nothing won".
Exploration for iron mines is in
a measure guessing what nature
has done. A general knowledge of
the work nature has always done
and is doing must be a factor. AT
the base must be a general know
ledge of rocks that pertain to the
iron formation. Such rocks assur-
ed, one may with a reasonable de-
gree of surety anticipate success.
That is the method pursued by
George A. St. Clair, who is noted
for his success in smelling" out
iron mines. Mr.. st. Clair spent
years on the Marquette range, of
which the Vermilion range is
practically a duplicate except that
there has been much less upheaval
on the Marquette than on the Yer
million. The Vermilion range is
millions of years older than the
Mesaba, which accounts for the
greater concentration of its ores.
Mr.. St. Clair is looked up to by
every iron man in Minnesota and
therefore his opinion of the Yer
million range is entitled to great
weight. He expresses the belief
that many additional great ore
bodies will be found on the Yer
million range.
The price of Vermilion range ore
to-day is very high at Lake Erie
ports. Practically all Vermilion
range ore carries IS units of metal
ic iron. The price is 1OHcts. per
unit, with a bonus of Is cents PEI
ton per unit for each unit over go.
This is in addition to the 1917 cts.
per unit. That gives a price for
95 per cent ore of $7.57H per ton.
Few mines however are receiving
that price, having Contracted be-
fore the opening of the season for a
lower rate. Here are the figures
given by a mining man of exper-
perlence of the cost of production
on the Vermilion range: Mining.
so cents; loading, very trihing;
railroad rate to Two Harbors, 80
cents from Tower, 81 from Ely;
lake rate to Lake Erie ports, 70
cents; insurance and commission,