The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-07-11
NEW AND OLD MINES
VeTmifOn Range Properties Reviewed
by Chas. D. Skinings
(From Skillings' News letter.

is interested in the future of that
fomous iron district. Although it
is the oldest iron range in Minnesota
there can be no doubt that it will
be coming, instead of going, for
great many years. In all probability
the great trough of iron ore which
is described as the Ely group of
mines would not have been dis
covered to this day except for the
fact that there was an outcrop on
the Chandler at one place on the
property. That the ground known
as the property of the Consolidated
Vermilion & Extension will develop
another group of mines that will
approximate that of Ely is con-
fidently believed by many, includ-
ing experienced mining men and
engineers.
This company's property consists
of seven forties and the develop
ment at the Vermilion shaft, and
at and near the surface on the East
Extension ground, seemingly
carries absolute assurance of two or
more iron mines.
The property of the Vermilion
& Mesaba Iron company (variously
known locally as the Kennedy"
and Lucky Boy and Anderson, %
has reached a body of high grade
ore which in general appearance
strongly resembles that of the
Chandler. The White Iron Lake
Iron property near Ely gives pro-
mise of good results, with further
development. The Scott-Bevier
property in SO, 63-15 is being
drilled with results which are salts
factory to the company. The North
American property at Tower is ex-
pected to enter the producing class
of iron mines in the near future.
The Onahman Iron company, which
controls property adjoining the
Extension ground of the Con-
solidated Vermilion, will be among
the active explorers for mineral on
its lands this season. 1t is learned
that E. J. Longyear and his as
sociates are seeking. properties on
the Vermilion. From all that can
be learned there will be more
development work on the Vermilion
range in future than during the
past few years. 7. J. Walsh of
Duluth, by his own example, has
done much to encourage others to
tperservere in the work of prospect
ing on that range, and he already
has begun to get substantial reward,
as a visit to the Consolidated pro-
perty will assure anybody. An in
spection of the North American
underground will impress any
visitor that good results not only
may be expected, but that the
management is assured of them.
Shipments of iron ore from the
Vermilion range will be about the
same as those of 1912. The ship
ments from the Section 80 mine
will be heavier than last year.
This company is planning to con-
struct new shaft house. The
Oliver mines at Ely and Soudan
are in excellent shape for heavy
production, and these properties
have never been in better shape
physically. One interesting fact
at the Pioneer is that the identity
of the foot and hanging walls has
never been definitely determined.
The ore body gets bigger with
depth, and three levels are kept
opened ahead constantly. But the
walls are irregular and the pitch at
times indicates seemingly which
wall is the foot and which is the
hanging, and then at further depth
the conditions are reversed. But
the Pioneer is a great iron mine,
and it is a question whether it is
not the greatest iron mine in the
world.
The Vermilion & Mesaba Iron
Co. of which E. c. Kennedy Of
Duluth is the president, beyond E
doubt has made good in the search
for an iron mine on the property
, controlled by his company neal
| Ely, on the Vermilion range. A
fine quality of red hematite ore ha:
: been encountered in the working.
| from "a" shaft, and while thu
work is not yet far enough advanced
to know how extensive the or
body is, the indications are such a
to carry great assurance of satisfac
: ton on that score.
{ The reports that have beef
v coming from Ely of late regarding
strike in this company's propert,
a are entirely correct. The ore wa
) first encountered at depth of g
4 feet in a drift to the North fror
# "a" shaft. The ore was II fee
e in width at that point and at tn
s further depth of 140 feet it wa
found that the ore had widened
0 20 feet. Drifts were run both way
! on the ore for a distance of % fee
e one way and Fl feet the Other
le Every indication of ore in plac
!, exists. The work of drifting
encounter the ore body at a dept