Ely in Saint Louis County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Pioneer Mine A Shaft

Photographed by McGhiever, July 27, 2017

1. Pioneer Mine A Shaft marker

Inscription. The Pioneer Mine began operation in 1888. Shafts No. 1 and No. 2 were abandoned and replaced by vertical A Shaft, which was sunk in 1909 and in 1943 an incline from 8th level to surface was completed. Men, timber for support and equipment were lowered in A Shaft. In 1924 electric hoists replaced steam hoist equipment which were coal-fired. The railroad cars shown alongside the Captain's Dry House, carried loads of coal for that purpose. Surface and seepage water was pumped at a rate of 1,000,000 gallons per day into Shagawa Lake. When the Pioneer Mine closed, the pumps were shut off and the water steadily rose to the present level in Miners Lake. In 1962 new steel-making technology was introduced where oxygen was blown directly into the liquid steel through large ceramic lances. The heavily oxygenated Vermilion ore was no longer needed to make steel. When the mine closed in 1967 it operated to the 17th level at 1626 ft., employed 450 men and shipped a total 41,112,8587 long tons of iron ore.

Signs were made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 47° 54.693′ N, 91° 51.644′ W.

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Marker is in Ely, Minnesota, in Saint Louis County. It is on Miners Lake Landing Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 Miners Lake Landing Road, Ely MN 55731, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,

in the Arrowhead Region,

and in the Iron Range.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Great North Woods,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Pioneer Mine (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pillow Rocks (approx. 0.7 miles away); The First Test Pit on the Mesabi (approx. 14.3 miles away).

Pioneer Mine A Shaft marker at the foot of the hill below the shaft house image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, July 27, 2017

2. Pioneer Mine A Shaft marker at the foot of the hill below the shaft house

Pioneer Mine shaft house, headframe, and water tower image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, July 27, 2017

3. Pioneer Mine shaft house, headframe, and water tower

Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2018. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2018, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 686 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 27, 2018, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 3. submitted on December 28, 2018, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.