The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-03-21
VERM|LION MINES
ACTIVE SEASON.
SKILLING'S REVIEW MAN VISITS
THIS RANGE AND
COMMENTS.

with winter stockpihng season
nearly ended, and the shipping
period now close at hand, the iron
mines of the district are prepared
to give a good account of them
selves in 1924.
''The Oliver Iron Mining Co., en-
ploys close to S25 men on the Yer
million range at this time, the Ely
district being credited with about
$50 men and the Soudan mine. near
Tower with 245. The Zenith mine,
operated by Pickands, Mather & Co.,
employs 200 men, and the Chandler
Mining Co. has 85 men on the pay
roll at this time.
"The Pioneer, Zenith, Chandler
and the Soudan were the active
mines on the Vermilion range dur
ing the past winter. Most of them
are big producers and will be act
i've for many years to come. But
the bringing in of new producers
has been neglected, and the entire
output from the range to date prac-
tically all has come from the great
Vermilion ore trough that the
Pioneer, Chandler, Sibley and the
Zenith mines are working. The
Vermilion range has shipped ober 46
million tons of iron ore to date and
of this tonnage over SO million tons
is credited to the trough at Ely.
1.-THE Soudan mine near Tower is
the grand old mine of the state of
Minnesota. 1t was the first iron
mine in this state. 1t has been a
producer for 40 years and still is a
great property. First shipment went
forward in 1884, and has shipped
continuously ever since.
1.-The Soudan ore is hard, and the
output is in the form of Jumps,
which are crushed, and with its
composition, this ore offers a metal
lurgical advantage in the open
hearth practice. Many successful
mining man gained his early school
ing at the Soudan.
1.-THE Chandler group at Ely has
shipped in excess of ten million tons
but during late years these mines
had but little developed tonnage
ahead.
"The Zenith mine has to it's credit
a grand total of over six million
tons shipped.
''In any resume of the Vermilion
range one cannot fail to remember
the Savoy mine which made its pro-
duction from the most easterly end
of the ore trough, and with its high
head-frame. was conspicuous, stand
ing in line on the horizon with the
Zenith and Sibley. The Savoy,
however, became exhausted in 1916.
"Of the mines that have shipped
for short periods, and not producing
from the trough at Ely, are the
Section Thirty mine, located three
miles east of Ely, shipping from
1910 to 1920 inclusive. The mine
is idle and has been turned back to
the fee owners. 1t is regarded as
a property of much promise, but will
require the attention of a large in
terest to successfully develop it..
Prospects, including Consolidated
Vermilion, Armstrong Bay, White
Iron and McComber, are all idle.
"The Oliver Iron Mining Co.'s
electrifcation plans at the Soudan
have advanced to a point where the
management is awaiting the arrival
of new equipment from the manu-
facturers A new hoist and air
compressor are included in the new
apparatus. 1t is expected that it
will be early in May before the new
equipment will be in operation.
"The mines of the Vermihon are
shaft mines, and such properties as
the Pioneer and the Zenith are de-
veloped below 1000 feet. The mines
are using many more slushers under
ground than formerly. Ely district
mines early developed the slushing
practice for the mucking of ore. In
Minnesota it was largely started at