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Tilden Mine

Producer in Marquette county in Michigan, United States with commodity Iron
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Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Materials information
  8. Nearby scientific data
  9. Ore body information
  10. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  11. Mining district
  12. Mineral rights holdings
  13. Land status
  14. Ownership information
  15. Production statistics
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10268001
MRDS ID W001379
MAS/MILS ID 0261030001
Record type Site
Current site name Tilden Mine
Alternate or previous names Tilden Pit, Cliff Drives Iii

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -87.64172, 46.4472 (WGS84)
Elevation 457
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Marquette(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Ishpeming(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Gwinn(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Marquette(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Escanaba(hydrologic unit)

Northwestern Lake Michigan(hydrologic accounting unit)

Northwestern Lake Michigan(hydrologic subregion)

Great Lakes(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Michigan Marquette

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Michigan 047 N 027 W 26 N2 Michigan

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Ankerite Unknown
Chert Unknown
Chlorite Unknown
Feldspar Unknown
Goethite Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Martite Unknown
Siderite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -87.64172, 46.4472
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N70E
    Dip 36W
    Thickness 320M
    Length 3200M
    Width 800M
    Area 2720HA
    Depth to top 5M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #2 MASSIVE
    Primary mode of Origin HYDROTHERMAL
    Secondary mode of Origin OXIDATION
    Primary Ore Control FAULTING
    Secondary Ore Control CONTACT ZONE
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. SLIGHT
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N70E:36W
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 5
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 2720
    Date of Last Modification 820708

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1845
Year of first production 1866

Mining district

District name Lake Superior

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Algoma Steel Corp. Ltd.
    ID 2000422
    Interest 45
    Home office 105 West St, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co.
    ID 2000422
    Interest 40
    Home office Ohio
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Stelco, Inc.
    ID 2000422
    Interest 15
    Home office Canada
    Year 1994

Comments on the ownership information

  • TILDEN MINING CO. IS A JOINT VENTURE FORMED BY THE OWNERS. OWNERSHIP BY THE 3 COMPANIES IS BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGNETITE ORE AND HEMATITE ORE WHICH ARE NOT THE SAME SHARED PERCENTAGES FOR BOTH ORE BODIES. THE PERCENTAGES IN THE OWNERSHIP RECORD ARE A WEIGHTED AVERAGE BETWEEN THE TWO ORE BODIES.
  • ON THE MSHA.DBF LIST, #2000422 HAS COMPANY AS TILDEN MAGNETITE PARTNERSHIP. (03/95). CLEVELAND CLIFFS IRON COMPANY/ CLEVELAND CLIFFS INC IS MSHA.DBF # 2000418. PROPERTY REVIEWED 3-87. AN UPDATE WAS COMPLETED IN 7-91.

Production statistics

  • Year 1974
    Description Fe Pellets 93000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 93000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description Fe Pellets 2845000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 2845000mt
  • Year 1976
    Description Fe Pellets 4212000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 4212000mt
  • Year 1977
    Description Fe Pellets 2645000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 2645000mt
  • Year 1978
    Description Fe Pellets 3751000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 3751000mt
  • Year 1979
    Description Fe Pellets 4992000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 4992000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Fe Pellets 3800000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 3800000mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Fe Pellets 4400000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 4400000mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Fe Pellets 5782000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 5782000mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Fe Pellets 5300000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 5300000mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Fe Pellets 3534000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 3534000mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Fe Pellets 4700000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 4700000mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Fe Pellets 6770000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 6770000mt
  • Year 1989
    Description Fe Pellets 7057000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 7057000mt
  • Year 1990
    Description Fe Pellets 3953000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 3953000mt
  • Year 1991
    Description Fe Pellets 5195000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 5195000mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Fe Pellets 6050000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 6050000mt
  • Year 1993
    Description Fe Pellets 5938000 Mt
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major PELLETS Iron Iron 5938000mt

Comments on the production information

  • METHOD SHOWN IS FOR HEMATITE. FOR MAGNETITE, A MAGNETIC SEPARATION METHOD IS USED.
  • PRODUCTION DATA FROM CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC SEC FORM 1O-K REPORTS.

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • MATRIX 1 PERTAINS TO MAGNETITE RESERVES IN CLIFF DRIVES PIT III. MATRIX 2 PERTAINS TO HEMATITE RESERVES IN TILDEN PIT. M3=M1+M2. M9C4=M3C1.
  • OWNERS: ALGOMA STEEL, JONES & LAUGHLIN STEEL, STEEL CO. OF CANA- DA, LTD., AND WHEELING-PITTSBURGH STEEL CORP. OPERATOR: CLEVELAND-CLIFFS IRON CO. CLIFFS DRIVE NO. 3 WILL BE IN OPERATION IN SPRING OF 1989. THE ORE WILL BE MAGNETITE AS OPPOSED TO HEMATITE NEW OWNERSHIP AS OF 12-88 WILL BE DOFASCO (ALGOMA), STELCO, AND CLEVELAND CLIFFS, INC. SITE VISIT IN 1987 BY P. KUCK AND J. HILL. PEFR UPDATED BY R. GEROYAN IN 1991. RESERVE DATA TAKEN FROM CLEVELAND CLIFFS SEC FORM 10-K REPT. 12/31/93, P. 6: HEMETITE ORE RESERVES BASED ON 8,000.000 LONG TONS AND EXHAUSTION DATE, YEAR 2023. MAGNETITE RESERVES NOT GIVEN. THE 1993 RESOURCE TONNAGE AND GRADE GIVEN REPRESENT A WEIGHTED AVERAGE FOR TWO ORE BODIES. THE CLIFF DRIVES PIT CONTAINS 152,060,000 MT OF MAGNETITE ORE AT 28.8% FE, AND THE TILDEN PIT CONTAINS 636,770,000 MT OF HEMATITE ORE AT 36% FE. THESE FIGURES COMBINE TO GIVE A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF 788,830,000 MT ORE AT 34.6% FE. CALCULATIONS DONE BASED ON INFORMATION IN 12/91 PEFR. ADIT UPDATE 1993: THE RESERVES SHOWN IN MATRIX 4 WERE ESTIMATED FOR THE ADIT UPDATE. MATRIX 4 COL 1 REPRESENTS MAGNETITE RESERVES, COL 2 REPRESENTS HEMATITE RESERVES, AND COL 3 IS THE SUM OF BOTH WITH A WEIGHTED AVERAGE GRADE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 250HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BENCH (BERM)
    Percent Waste Rock 55
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 5
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 100
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 14
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 48
    Capacity 48410
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 2.85
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1991
  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 250HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Percent Waste Rock 50
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 14
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 48
    Capacity 51790
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 2.85
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1991

Comments on the workings information

  • TOTAL LAND HOLDING IS 3630 HECTARES. AREA POTENTIALLY DISTURBED 2720 HECTARES.

Comments on other economic factors

  • FLOTATION IS USED FOR HEMATITE AND MAGNETIC SEPARATION FOR THE MAGNETITE ORE.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

    CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC, SEC FORM 10-K REPORT, 12/31/93, P.6.

  • Deposit

    BOYUM, B. H. THE MARQUETTE MINERAL DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN.

  • Deposit

    21ST ANN. INST. ON LAKE SUPERIOR GEOLOGY,

  • Deposit

    ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN, APRIL 30 - MAY 4, 1975. NORTHERN

  • Deposit

    MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN, 1975, 59 PP.

  • Deposit

    THE CLEVELAND-CLIFFS IRON COMPANY. 1979 FORM 10-K. P. 9.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. CLEVELAND-CLIFFS' TILDEN

  • Deposit

    EXPANSION FEATURES NEW PROCESS TECHNOLOGY.

  • Deposit

    V. 179, NO. 10, OCTOBER 1978, P. 25.

  • Deposit

    PAANANEN, A. D. AND W. A. TURCOTTE. FACTORS INFLUENCING

  • Deposit

    SELECTIVE FLOCCULATION - DESLIMING PRACTICE AT THE

  • Deposit

    TILDEN MINE. MIN. ENG., V. 32, NO. 8, AUGUST 1980,

  • Deposit

    PP. 1244 - 1247.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. CLEVELAND-CLIFFS DEDICATES TILDEN

  • Deposit

    MINE IN MICHIGAN. SKILLINGS' MIN. REV., V. 64, NO. 34,

  • Deposit

    AUGUST 23, 1975, PP. 10 - 17.

  • Deposit

    THOMAS, R. TILDEN WILL DOUBLE CAPACITY BY YEAREND. ENG.

  • Deposit

    AND MIN. J., V. 180, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 1979,

  • Deposit

    PP. 138 - 143.

  • Deposit

    VILLAR, J. W. AND G. A. DAWE. THE TILDEN MINE - A NEW

  • Deposit

    PROCESSING TECHNIQUE FOR IRON ORE. MIN. CONG. J.,

  • Deposit

    V. 61, NO. 10, OCTOBER 1975, PP. 40 - 48.

  • Deposit

    # ASSOCIATED WITH SEQ NO.0261039009 & 0261039012

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-OCT-1996 Geroyan, Rena U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusActive since 11/22/1978
MSHA mine ID2000422
Mine name (MSHA)Tilden Mine
Current operatorTilden Mining Company, LC.
Current controller (parent)Cleveland-Cliffs Inc
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

Operator history (post-MRDS)

MRDS records operators as of each record's last update (≤ 2019). Some of the operators listed here have since changed hands or dissolved:

  • Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. — renamed to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (2017)
    Reorganized and renamed Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. in 2017 as the parent shifted from iron-ore focus to steelmaking.

Curated by qvyshift.com from publicly-reported M&A activity (SEC filings, press releases, USGS Mineral Yearbooks). Not authoritative — verify against primary sources before relying on it. The MSHA panel above is the current authoritative source for actively-permitted mines.

External references

Maps centered on this site