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Thunderbird Mine

Producer in St. Louis county in Minnesota, 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 10268244
MRDS ID W018624
MAS/MILS ID 0271370438
Record type Site
Current site name Thunderbird Mine
Alternate or previous names Eveleth Taconite Co. Or 'Etco', Thunderbird North Or 'Tbn', Hull-Nelson Natural Ore, Virginia Natural Ore, Burns Mine, Fayal No. 2, Thunderbird South, Thunderbird South Or 'Tbs', Spruce Natural Ore, Expansion Mine, Oglebay Norton, Eveleth Expansion Co. Or 'Exco', Eveleth Mines, Thunderbird, Fairlane, Gross Nelson Reserve, Alice Natural Ore, Fayal Natural Ore, Pearsall Natural Ore, Security Natural Ore, Troy Natural Ore, Leonidas Mine, Adams, Thunderbird North & South, Thrnderbird South
Related records 10107319

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Plant
Geographic coordinates: -92.5544, 47.44359 (WGS84)
Elevation 456
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

St. Louis(county)

Minnesota(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Eveleth(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Hibbing(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Hibbing(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

St. Louis(hydrologic unit)

St. Louis(hydrologic accounting unit)

Western Lake Superior(hydrologic subregion)

Great Lakes(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Minnesota St. Louis

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
4th Principal 057 N 017 W 07 SENWNW Minnesota

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Goethite Unknown
Graphite Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Limonite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Martite Unknown
Minnesotaite Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Quartz Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Plant (1) -92.5544, 47.44359
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike S60E
    Dip 07N
    Thickness 48M
    Depth to top 10.7M
    Field Value
    MAS Matrix # 1
    MAS Column # 1
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 TABULAR
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin METAMORPHISM
    Primary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Strike And Dip S60E:07N
    Minimum Depth to Top 9.1
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 10.7
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 9.1
    Date of Last Modification 810915
  • Area 3628HA
    Field Value
    Total Surface Area (HA) 3628
    Date of Last Modification 910418

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1854
Year of first production 1976

Mining district

District name Central Mesabi

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership
Type of mineral rights State Lease
Type of mineral rights Private Lease

Land status

Ownership category Mixed

Ownership information

  • Type Owner
    Owner Eveleth Expansion Co.
    Interest 56
    Home office Ohio
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Eveleth Taconite Co.
    Interest 49
    Home office Ohio
    Year 1994
  • Type Operator
    Owner Eveleth Mines
    Home office Ohio
    Year 1994

Comments on the ownership information

  • EVELETH MINES IS OWNED 51% BY EVELETH EXPANSION CO., IN WHICH OWNERSHIP INTERESTS ARE 56% HELD BY VIRGINIA HORN TACONITE CO, A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF AK STEEL; 23.5% BY ONTARIO EVELETH, A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF STELCO INC; AND 20.5% BY ONCO EVELETH, A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF OGLEBAY NORTON, MANAGING AGENT. THE REMAINING 49% IS HELD BY EVELETH TACONITE OWNED 85% BY ROUGE STEEL CO. AND 15% BY OGLEBAY NORTON. (SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW, JUL 30, 1994, P. 29.)

Production statistics

  • Year 1981
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 18697000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1869700mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 14782000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1478200mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 9613000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 9613000mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 11922000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1192200mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 8783000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 8783000mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore (Est.) 9100000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 9100000mt
  • Year 1987
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore (Est.) 10200000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1020000mt
  • Year 1988
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore (Est.) 13700000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1370000mt
  • Year 1989
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore (Est.) 15900000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1590000mt
  • Year 1990
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 14585000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1458500mt
  • Year 1991
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore 11313000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1131300mt
  • Year 1992
    Description Combined North & South Pit Ore (Est.) 13600000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1360000mt
  • Year 1993
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description South Pit Closed 1992. North Pit Est Ppd 10700000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1070000mt
  • Year 1994
    Accuracy Estimate
    Description North Pit Ore (Estimated) 16120000 Mt Crude Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 1612000mt

Comments on the production information

  • THE LOCATION OF THE FAIRLANE CONCENTRATOR-PELLETIZER, IS NOT IDENTICAL WITH THE LOCATION OF EACH CRUSHER.
  • PRODUCTION FROM SKILLINGS IRON ORE INDUSTRY REVIEW IN JUL ISSUES

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • WAS THUNDERBIRD MINE SOUTH AND NORTH ADIT UPDATE 1993: THE RESERVES IN ADIT AND Q-MATRIX 2 WERE ESTIMATED FROM ORIGINAL RESERVES MINUS PRODUCTION AND REPRESENT BOTH THE T-BIRD NORTH AND SOUTH PITS. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE DATA FROM THE 1990 UPDATE FOR THIS PROPERTY (T-SOUTH AND NORTH) WAS NEVER ENTERED IN THE DATA BASE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 1814HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ACTUAL
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .61
    Percent Waste Rock 33
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 10.7
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Secondary Material Cover HARD ROCKS
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 27257
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 58425
    Unit Production Cost 3.73
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1981
  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 1814HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 2
    Mining Method OPEN PIT
    Swell Factor .61
    Percent Waste Rock 33
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 10.7
    Primary Material Cover SAND, SILT
    Secondary Material Cover HARD ROCKS
    Hardness of Ore HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 15
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 19758
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 58425
    Unit Production Cost 3.88
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1981

Comments on other economic factors

  • APPROXIMATELY TWO PERCENT OF THE ANNUAL PRODUCTION IS SHIPPED ALL RAIL TO THE DESTINATION. FOR 1980 THIS ALL-RAIL SHIPMENT AMOUNTED TO 93,087 METRIC TONS OUT OF 5,556,451 METRIC TONS TOTAL PRODUCTION. OGLEBAY NORTON COMPANY SELLS ITS PORTION OF THE PELLET PLANT PRODUCTION ON THE OPEN MARKET.
  • A GENERAL POWER RATE INCREASE IS EXPECTED IN MID-1981 WHICH WILL INCREASE INDUSTRIAL POWER RATES BY 12.5 PERCENT. WORKING CAPITAL IS BASED UPON 60 DAYS OF OPERATING COSTS.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    BAXTER, C. W., BLASTING PRACTICES AT THUNDERBIRD MINE.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, V. 65, NO. 10, MARCH 6, 1976,

  • Deposit

    PP. 6-12.

  • Deposit

    BAXTER, C. W. BLASTING PRACTICES THUNDERBIRD MINE. PRES.

  • Deposit

    AT 37TH ANN. MINING SYMPOSIUM, MINNESOTA SECTION, AIME,

  • Deposit

    JAN. 14-16, 1976.

  • Deposit

    E+MJ. EVELETH MINES COMPLETES 150% CAPACITY BOOST. V. 180,

  • Deposit

    NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 1979, PP. 114-122.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW, JULY 26, 1986, P. 19-20.

  • Deposit

    E+MJ. EVELETH TACONITE MOVING UP TO 6 MILLION TPY. V. 175,

  • Deposit

    NO. 11, NOVEMBER 1974, PP., 138-139.

  • Deposit

    EVELETH TACONITE COMPANY - EVELETH EXPANSION COMPANY.

  • Deposit

    EVELETH MINER, MARCH 1981, PP. 1-5.

  • Deposit

    HOPPE, R. W., AND R. A. THOMAS. TACONITE PROGRESS REPORT.

  • Deposit

    E+MJ, V. 180, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 1979, PP. 64-65.

  • Deposit

    MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE MINNESOTA

  • Deposit

    POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

  • Deposit

    STATEMENT ON OGLEBAY-NORTON'S PLANNED EXPANSION PROJECT,

  • Deposit

    NOVEMBER 1975, 361 PP.

  • Deposit

    POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY. FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

  • Deposit

    JANUARY 1976, 54 PP.

  • Deposit

    MINNESOTA'S MAGIC ROCK. BOOK. GUILD ASSOC., MINNEAPOLIS,

  • Deposit

    MINNESOTA, UNKNOWN DATE, 16 PP.

  • Deposit

    SANDSTROM, D. A. PRIVATE COMMUNICATION TO D. S. WITKOWSKY,

  • Deposit

    JUNE 11, 1981, WITH DATA INCLUDED FROM THE 1965 TO 1980

  • Deposit

    ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE INSPECTOR OF MINES (ST. LOUIS

  • Deposit

    COUNTY, MINNESOTA). LETTER AND DATA AVAILABLE UPON RE-

  • Deposit

    QUEST FROM D. S. WITKOWSKY, BUREAU OF MINES, DENVER,

  • Deposit

    CO.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. EVELETH TACONITE DEDICATES IRON ORE

  • Deposit

    PROJECT JUNE 10. V. 55, NO. 10, JUNE 25, 1966, PP. 1,

  • Deposit

    4-5, 28.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. IRON ORE OPERATIONS IN MINNESOTA DUR-

  • Deposit

    ING 1973. SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, V. 62, NO. 27, JULY

  • Deposit

    7, 1973, P. 18.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. MINNESOTA IRON ORE OPERATIONS 1980.

  • Deposit

    V. 69, NO. 31, AUGUST 2, 1980, PP. 16, 21-22.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. 1974 MINNESOTA TACONITE AND NATURAL

  • Deposit

    ORE ACTIVITY. SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, V. 63, NO. 26,

  • Deposit

    JUNE 29, 1974, PP. 17-18.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. 1972 ACTIVITY AT MINNESOTA IRON ORE

  • Deposit

    MINES AND PLANTS. SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW, V. 61, NO.

  • Deposit

    23, JUNE 3, 1972, PP. 15-16.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. 1979 IRON ORE OPERATIONS IN MINNESO-

  • Deposit

    TA. SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW, V. 68, NO. 30, JULY 28,

  • Deposit

    1979, PP. 28, 45, 46.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. EVELETH EXPANSION MARKS START UP

  • Deposit

    OF NEW PLANT CAPACITY. V. 66, NO. 2, JANUARY 8, 1977,

  • Deposit

    PP. 48-49.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. EVELETH MINES PELLET SHIPMENTS

  • Deposit

    DURING 1977 V. 67, NO. 4, JANUARY 28, 1978, P. 16."

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. EVELETH MINES SHIPMENTS AT

  • Deposit

    5, 594, 171 G.T. PEAK IN 1979. V. 69, NO. 3, JANUARY 19

  • Deposit

    1980, P. 25.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. GREAT LAKES IRON ORE SHIPMENTS.

  • Deposit

    V. 256, NO. 22, JUNE 3, 1967, P. I.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. OGLEBAY NORTON PELLET SHIPMENTS

  • Deposit

    FROM EVELETH. V. 66, NO. 5, JANUARY 29, 1977, P. 13.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. OGLEBAY NORTON CO. MARKS BEST

  • Deposit

    OPERATING RESULTS IN 1973. V. 63, NO. 14, APRIL 6,

  • Deposit

    1974, PP. 22-23.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. OGLEBAY NORTON MARKS RECORD NET

  • Deposit

    INCOME IN 1975. V. 65, NO. 18, MAY 1, 1976, P. 18.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. RAIL AND LAKE FREIGHT RATES ON

  • Deposit

    IRON ORE AND PELLETS PER GROSS TON. V. 69, NO. 31,

  • Deposit

    AUGUST 2, 1980, P. 44.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. WORLD OXIDE PELLETIZING PLANTS -

  • Deposit

    OPERATING. V. 63, NO. 34, AUGUST 24, 1974, PP. 8, 9.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. 1966 IRON ORE SHIPMENTS FROM THE

  • Deposit

    GREAT LAKES REGION. V. 56, NO. 22, JUNE 3, 1967, P. 6-

  • Deposit

    7.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. 1973 COMPANY IRON ORE SHIPMENTS.

  • Deposit

    V. 62, NO. 27, JULY 6, 1974, P. 4.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. 1977 IRON ORE SHIPMENTS OF COM-

  • Deposit

    PANIES. V. 67, NO. 27, JULY 8, 1978, P. 9.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVIEW. 1978 IRON ORE SHIPMENTS OF COM-

  • Deposit

    PANIES. V. 68, NO. 27, JULY 7, 1979, P. 13.

  • Deposit

    SMOYER, R. H. LARGE BALL MILLS FOR TACONITE INDUSTRY.

  • Deposit

    PRES. AT 41ST ANN. MINING SYMPOSIUM, MINNESOTA SECTION,

  • Deposit

    AIME, JAN. 16-18, 1980.

  • Deposit

    TRETHEWEY, W. D. (ED.) MINNESOTA MINING DIRECTORY 1980.

  • Deposit

    MINERAL RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF MINNE-

  • Deposit

    SOTA, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, 270 PP.

  • Deposit

    URICH, D. M. EVELETH EXPANSION COMPANY CONSTRUCTION PRO-

  • Deposit

    GRESS REPORT. PRES. AT 37TH ANN. MINING SYMPOSIUM,

  • Deposit

    MINNESOTA SECTION, AIME, JAN. 14-16, 1976.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. CATALOG, SURVEY AND DIRECTORY NUMBER 1972.

  • Deposit

    V. 8, NO. 7, JUNE 25, PP. 144, 145.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. CATALOG, SURVEY AND DIRECTORY NUMBER 1973.

  • Deposit

    V. 9, NO. 7, JUNE 25, PP. 166, 167.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. CATALOG, SURVEY AND DIRECTORY NUMBER 1976.

  • Deposit

    V. 29, NO. 7, JUNE 25, PP. 196.

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING. CATALOG, SURVEY AND DIRECTORY NUMBER 1977.

  • Deposit

    V. 30, NO. 7, JUNE 25, P. 191.

Reporter information

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

Beyond USGS

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

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