People, Places, Events Dates E.W. Davis discovered taconite process. 1865 Cuyuna Range settled 1880 Merritt Brothers discover Mesabi Range. 1882 Soudan Mine opened 1884 Peter Mitchell discovered taconite. Mesabi Range settled. 1890s George Stuntz 1892 Vermilion Range settled. 1904 Dean Applebee 1910 pellet production by Mesabi Iron 1912 Frank Hibbing 1912 High-grade ore depleted. 1913 Eight taconite plants operating 1944 Reserve Mine opened. 1950-52 Increased demand because of WWII 1954 First shipment of iron ore from Minnesota’s Vermillion Range Taconite amendment to the Minnesota Constitution pledges fair taxation 1955 of the taconite industry. 1964 Minnesota taconite industry expands to an annual pellet production 1970s capability of 65 million tons. Butler Taconite in Nashwauk closes permanently after producing 40.5 1974 million tons over the course of 18 years. 1985 LTV Steel Mining in Hoyt Lakes closes. 2001 The first three quarters of 2008 see all time value and production of steel 2008 and iron ore, but one month later production drops due to the economy. Essar Steel Minnesota breaks ground for a new direct reduced iron plant 2008 near Nashwauk. 2009 For the first time, though short lived, no mines are operating on 2010 Minnesota’s Iron Range for more than two weeks. Mesabi Nugget commercially produces world’s first high-grade iron nuggets using ITmk3 process.
People, Places, Events E.W. Davis discovered taconite process. Cuyuna Range settled Merritt Brothers discover Mesabi Range. Soudan Mine opened Peter Mitchell discovered taconite. Mesabi Range settled. George Stuntz Vermilion Range settled. Dean Applebee pellet production by Mesabi Iron Frank Hibbing High-grade ore depleted. Eight taconite plants operating Reserve Mine opened. Increased demand because of WWII First shipment of iron ore from Minnesota’s Vermillion Range Taconite amendment to the Minnesota Constitution pledges fair taxation of the taconite industry. Minnesota taconite industry expands to an annual pellet production capability of 65 million tons. Butler Taconite in Nashwauk closes permanently after producing 40.5 million tons over the course of 18 years. LTV Steel Mining in Hoyt Lakes closes. The first three quarters of 2008 see all time value and production of steel and iron ore, but one month later production drops due to the economy. Essar Steel Minnesota breaks ground for a new direct reduced iron plant near Nashwauk. For the first time, though short lived, no mines are operating on Minnesota’s Iron Range for more than two weeks. Mesabi Nugget commercially produces world’s first high-grade iron nuggets using ITmk3 process. Dates 1865 1880 1882 1884 1890s 1892 1904 1910 1912 1912 1913 1944 1950-52 1954 1955 1964 1970s 1974 1985 2001 2008 2008 2009 2010