The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-05-14
HOW LONG DO YOU WANT It?

Is exploration for now going on in
Minnesota?
Owing largely to the hostile attitude
of the state there have been almost no
attempts for some years past to explore
for iron ore in Minnesota? ..s.,
2 What would be the actual result of tom
mage tax on iron ore in Min
nesota?
The iron ore industry would be driven
to other fields: Minnesota ore of high
grade and easily mined would be taken
out as quickly as possible and iron min
ing in Minnesota would be brought to an
end at the earliest possible moment.
What would Minnesota gain7
It would gain for few years-the
fewest possible number of years-a few
million dollars per year in tonnage
What would Minnesota lose?
In less than generation Minnesota's
supremacy in the iron ore markets Of the
world would be lost; the states second
greatest industry would shortly thereaf-
ter be completely snuffed out; its vast
treasures of low grade ores would lie
locked and useless beneath it's soil; it's
growing steel industry would languish
and finally die; $300,000,000 would be
cut from its tax rolls; vast prosperity,
growing more and more fruitful down
through the years and continuing on for
centuries, would be lost forever.
Are these things true? Can they be proven?
They, are true. Common sense and the
most elementary law of economics tell
US that they are true. They can be
proven. Here is the proof:
What is Mnnesota's tonnage of developed
1,400, O00, 900 tons.
10 that all the iron there is in Minne-
sofa?
No; there is known to be additional iron
ore in Minnesota to an amount which is
yariously estimated at from $4,000
100000 to loo, ZOO, 600, 900 tons*; or,
taking the lowest figures, 25 times as
much as the state tax commission reports.
In addition there are trustworthy indica-
tions that still further vast deposits will
be found in all that part of Minnesota
lying north and west of line drawn
from Duluth to the most southwestern
corner of the state in the county of Rock.
sThe U. s. Geological Commisson says
there is " billion tons.
Why has the state tax commission not re-
ported this vast tonnage!
Because it is of so low a grade-so
small proportion of iron in it-that it
is not now commercially valuable.
Can these ores ever be made commercially 4,
valuable?
Undoubtedly The rich Mesaba ore was
of no value when first found because it
was too fine for the furnaces. Western
Mesaba ores were of lite value until a
washing process was developed; now
washing plants dot all the iron coun-
try. Guyana ores were at first little re-
garded, but they are now being mined
and shipped.
Il there any other evidence that low grade
ores will in time be made COM
mercially valuable?
Yes. A process for converting low
grade magnetic ores into commercial ore
has just been successfully perfected, and
one company, which alone controls three
billion tons of low grade magnetic ore,
is now installing on the Eastern Mesaba
one of ten $4,000, 900 plants which it has
projected for converting this ore.
What will an additional tonnage tax do to
this project?
1t will propose handicap that cannot
be overcome; the project will have to be
abandoned.
If Minnesota 400, 00i> 1000 tons of high
grade ore will lat so years how
long will the iron ore industry
last if its 81, ZOO, 900 900 tons of
low grade ore are made CONNER
eially valuable?
Multiply SO years by 25 and you have
the answer-1 $50 years. Besides, addi-
tional iron ore Is certain to be discovered
in Minnesota Ten wears ago nobody