A panorama of the Alpena Mine in Virginia, Minnesota, shows the open pit mine in September of 1915 as it opened up the underground drifts. Both open pit and underground mining took place in the same time period.
Catenaries support the electric cable which powers ore cars (70-78). The cars were moved with a manned electric engine; no diesel or steam engines were used in this process. The Susquehanna was one of the first electrified mines on the Mesabi Iron Range.
Cable to power an electric shovel is laid by Snyder Mining Company at the Webb Mine near Chisholm. This truck shows signs of wear; its crew of four is visible.
5 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 5 chaps or harnesses are cinched securely and the mule is brought to the ground.
7 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 7 the trussed mule is slid onto a pallet, and is now ready to slide over to the nearby headframe.
2 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 2 tethers are attached to the mule's forelegs, not tied to a pole.
1 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 1 the mule is fed a heavy meal from a feedbox at the headframe to make it sedate.
8 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 8 the mule in the headframe skip is now ready to lower tail first to the underground mine.
6 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 6 the mule's legs are securely tied to prevent injury to the mule in the headframe.
4 out of 8 photographs which depict the process involved in lowering a mule into an iron mine. In step 4 leather chaps or harnesses are placed on the mules sides and neck.
Seven members of a track gang cleans and repairs track in an open pit mine. They are using a motorized air compressor. Gas cans can be seen on the track maintenance car.
Step 2 of 5 in a series of photographs depicting the process of testing an ore sample. In this step the ore sample is dumped into the crusher in the mine lab in step 2.
Step 1 of 5 in a series of photographs depicting the process of testing an ore sample. In this step an ore sample is gathered from the ore train for testing in the mine lab in step 1.
Step 3 of 5 in a series of photographs depicting the process of testing an ore sample. In this step the iron ore sample is ground through a 200-mesh screen in the mine lab in step 3.
Step 5 of 5 in a series of photographs depicting the process of testing an ore sample. In this step a ring stand and crucible are used to determine the chemical analysis of the iron ore sample in the mine lab in step 5.
Step 4 of 5 in a series of photographs depicting the process of testing an ore sample. In this step the crushed iron ore sample is dumped into the riffler to get a representative sample in the mine lab in step 4.
The overburden of waste rock and earth is removed then picked up with a Bucyrus Erie shovel and placed into this 20-25 ton mining haul truck in this Hanna Mining operation.