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Empire

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. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10170458
MRDS ID W001394
MAS/MILS ID 0261030003
Record type Site
Current site name Empire
Alternate or previous names Palmer Operations
Related records 10107262

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -87.59722, 46.4444 (WGS84)
Elevation 396
Location accuracy 500(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Marquette(county)

Michigan(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Palmer(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 026 W 30 NE Michigan

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Iron Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Aegirine Unknown
Ankerite Unknown
Apatite Unknown
Arsenopyrite Unknown
Biotite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Chert Unknown
Chlorite Unknown
Crocidolite Unknown
Cummingtonite Unknown
Goethite Unknown
Hematite Unknown
Ilmenite Unknown
Magnetite Unknown
Manganite Unknown
Martite Unknown
Microcline Unknown
Monazite Unknown
Olivine Unknown
Orthoclase Unknown
Plagioclase Unknown
Pyrite Unknown
Pyroxene Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Riebeckite Unknown
Siderite Unknown
Stilpnomelane Unknown
Tourmaline Unknown
Zircon Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -87.59722, 46.4444
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N20E
    Dip 37W
    Thickness 564M
    Length 4023M
    Width 2414M
    Area 2500HA
    Depth to top 23M
    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 BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. NONE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Strike And Dip N20E:37W
    Minimum Depth to Top 0
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 23
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 0
    Total Surface Area (HA) 2500
    Date of Last Modification 820708

Comments on the geologic information

  • ADDITIONAL MINERALS NOT LISTED IN TABLE V ARE: MINNESOTAITE AEGIRINAUGITE GRUNERITE JASPILITE

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Deposit size Large
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1887
Year of first production 1907

Mining district

District name Lake Superior

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co.
    ID 2000418
    Interest 22.6
    Home office Ohio
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Inland Steel Co
    ID 2000418
    Interest 40
    Home office Illinois
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Ltv Steel Co., Inc.
    ID 2000418
    Interest 25
    Home office Illinois
    Year 1994
  • Type Owner
    Owner Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.
    Interest 12.4
    Home office Michigan
    Year 1994

Production statistics

  • Year 1928
    Period 1907-1928
    Description Total Ore Mined 1907-1928. 780000 Mt Ore
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Ore Iron Iron 780000mt
  • Year 1963
    Description 23000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 23000mt
  • Year 1964
    Description 1344000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 1344000mt
  • Year 1965
    Description 1607000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 1607000mt
  • Year 1966
    Description 1883000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 1883000mt
  • Year 1967
    Description 3515000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3515000mt
  • Year 1968
    Description 3551000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3551000mt
  • Year 1969
    Description 3552000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3552000mt
  • Year 1970
    Description 3560000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3560000mt
  • Year 1971
    Description 3580000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3580000mt
  • Year 1972
    Description 3630000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3630000mt
  • Year 1973
    Description 3603000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3603000mt
  • Year 1974
    Description 3695000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3695000mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 4736000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 4736000mt
  • Year 1976
    Description 5458000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 5458000mt
  • Year 1977
    Description 3812000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3812000mt
  • Year 1978
    Description 5627000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 5627000mt
  • Year 1979
    Description 5647000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 5647000mt
  • Year 1980
    Description 5512000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 5512000mt
  • Year 1981
    Description 7249000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 7249000mt
  • Year 1982
    Description Taconite 3142000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 3142000mt
  • Year 1983
    Description Taconite 5086000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 5086000mt
  • Year 1984
    Description Taconite 7362000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 7362000mt
  • Year 1985
    Description Taconite 6935000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 6935000mt
  • Year 1986
    Description Taconite 7199000 Mt Pellets
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Iron Iron 7199000mt

Comments on the production information

  • PRODUCTION FIGURES WERE OBTAINED FROM DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, MICHIGAN & CLEVELAND-CLIFFS SEC FORM 10-K REPORT

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • GRADE IS THE PERCENT OF THE MAGNETIC FE INCLUDED IN THE ORE MATRIX 2 REPRESENTS UPDATED RESERVES ESTIMATED FOR THE ADIT UPDATE 1993.
  • OTHER OWNERS: INLAND STEEL, MCLOUTH STEEL. OTHER NAME: PALMER OPERATIONS. 1994 RESERVES BASED ON MINED ORE ANNUAL CAPACITY AND EXHAUSTION DATE GIVEN IN CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. SEC FORM 10-K REPORT, 12/31/93, P. 6: 8,000,000 MTS CAPACITY X YRS (2023-1993) X 1.106 MT/LT = 265 MILLION MTS ORE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 971HA
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method ESTIMATE
    Mining Method BENCH (BERM)
    Swell Factor .61
    Percent Waste Rock 50
    Avg. Overburden Thickness 23
    Primary Material Cover SAND, GRAVEL
    Percentage 15
    Secondary Material Cover M-HARD ROCKS
    Percentage 85
    Hardness of Ore M-HARD ROCKS
    Avg. Bench Height (meters) 14
    Max. Pit Slope (degrees) 45
    Capacity 76200
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Preprod. Stripping Vol. 0
    Unit Production Cost 1.86
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 365
    Operating Shifts per Day 3
    Year of Information 1988

Comments on the workings information

  • TOTAL LAND HOLDING IS 5000 HECTARES.

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Reserve-Resource

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

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    21ST ANN. INST. ON LAKE SUPERIOR GEOLOGY, ISHPEMING,

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    UNIVERSITY, ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN, 1975, 59 PP.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    PP. 6, 9, 40.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS, D. N., JR. CLEVELAND-CLIFFS FURTHER EXPANSION OF

  • Deposit

    EMPIRE MINE. SKILLINGS' MIN. REV., V. 65, NO. 40,

  • Deposit

    OCTOBER 2, 1976, PP. 10 - 13.

  • Deposit

    THOMAS, R. EMPIRE VERGES ON FOURTH EXPANSION SUCCESS.

  • Deposit

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

  • Deposit

    PP. 128 - 133.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW JULY 30, 1988, P18:

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit UPDATE DONE SEPT. 1988 IN THE LA DATA SET THE GRINDING AND PELLETIZING SECTIONS ARE COMBINED UNDER MILL.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 07-OCT-96 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)

StatusAbandoned since 04/01/1992
MSHA mine ID2000418
Mine name (MSHA)Empire Mine (Op)
Current operatorEmpire Iron Mining Partnership
Current controller (parent)Cliffs Natural Resources Inc; ArcelorMittal
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.

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