76 176 1,177 214 
 401  114,489 10,935 
  225 
83________ 
Total 2 477 401 115,750 11,149 104,583 896 
 1,177 38 
 103,098 858 
 225 
 83 
 1 Exclusive of ore containing 5 percent or more manganese.2 Data may not
add to totals shown because of independent rounding.434 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
cent of all iron ore shipments in 1967 were by lake vessel to lower Lake
ports, and thence to consuming districts. United States Steel Corp. has contracted
for the construction of a self-unloading cargo vessel, with a capacity of
45,000 gross tons. This vessel, with a length of 858 feet and a beam of 105
feet, is designed to utilize the new Poe Lock scheduled to open in 1968 at
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. 
 The University of Minnesota Mines Experiment Station, the University's School
of Mineral & Metallurgical Engineering, and the Minnesota Geological
Survey continued their deep drilling project along the southern edge of the
Mesabi Range. Plans were to drill 10 holes, at 10-mile intervals, to intersect
the taconite formations at depths of 500 to 1,500 feet. Four holes, ranging
in depth from 1,437 to 2,270 feet, were completed in 1967. The drilling was
done near Keewatin and Taconite in Itasca County, and Biwabik and Buhi in
' St. Louis County. Results indicated an extension of known taconite reserves.
The drilling was financed by a $100,000 grant from the Minnesota Iron Range
Resources & Rehabilitation Commission. 
 The Mines Experiment Station continued its research on the concentration
of semitaconites and oxidized taconite at the pilot plant level using high-intensity
magnetic separation followed by flotation 
concentration. Research on magnetic taconite included magnetic separation,
hydrosizer investigations, cyclone classification, and pelletizing. 
 Research on the utilization of Minnesota iron ores conducted by the Bureau
of Mines at its Twin Cities Metallurgy Research Center included investigation
of several aspects of iron ore flotation, preparation of prereduced and oxidized
iron ore pellets, evaluation of various binding agents for iron ore pellets,
application of lignite in iron ore processing, concentration of iron ores,
magnetic roasting of nonmagnetic taconite, and studying the crystal structure
of various iron-bearing materials in relation to their behavior in metallurgical
processing. A report on Bureau of Mines research on nonmagnetic Mesabi Range
taconites was published.2 
 Construction work began on the Bureau's demonstration plant near Keewatin
which is designed to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of magnetically
roasting nonmagnetic taconites, semitaconites, and off-grade iron ores using
scrap iron as a reductant. The Bureau plans to produce prereduced pellets
containing about 82 percent iron. 
2 Heising, L. F., C. B. Daellenbach, and E. 
E. Anderson. Lake Superior Iron Resources— Reexamination of Nonmagnetic
Taconite Occurrences in the Hibbing, Minn., Area by Flotation, Magnetic Separation,
and Petrographic Methods. BuMines Rept. of mv. 6991, 1967, 22 pp. 
 
Table 5.—Crude iron ore data, in 1967, by counties and ranges 
(Thousand long tons) 
 
County and range 
 Production Shipments 
Stocks — —  Stocks 
Jan. 1 Under-* Open pit Direct to To con- Dec. 31 
 ground consumers centrators 
 
County: 
 Crow Wing 76 176 
 Fillmore 
Itasca______________________________________ 
 St. Louis 401 225 
 
1,177 
83 
214 
  
1,177 
83 
38 
19,675 
94,815 
10,935 
19,675 
83,648 
858 
 Total 477 401 115,750 11,149 104,583 896 
 
Range: 
Cuyuna 
Mesabi 
Vermilion          
Spring Valley district