Soudan Underground Mine
State Park

Soudan, MN
June 24, 2005
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Soudan Mine: Site of the oldest and deepest iron ore mine in Minnesota operated by United States Steel Corporation until 1962. Donated by USS to the state of Minnesota to be preserved and operated as a State Park.


Miners call this cable a "rope". Look closely at the way it is made. Each of the six strands twisted around the core is formed from nineteen wires made of "plough steel". It easily handles the strain of lifting a cage and skip loaded with six tons of ore 1,000 feet per minute, a distance of about a half mile. Its like lifting four automobiles twice the height of the Empire State Building in three minutes.


Sheave wheels are large so that hoist ropes will last long and be safe. Look at the mine head frame and see the sheaves turning near the top. They are the same size as this, and are slanted to an angle of 78 degrees to coincide with the angle of the shaft.


The picture shows a general perspective of the mine. The shaft is the vertical tunnel, and numerous drifts extend from the shaft and right angles. The drifts branch off at various levels which are approximately 200 feet apart. Here at Tower-Sudan, there are 15 levels.

The Powerhouse


Shows cable entering the powerhouse from the tower.


600 horsepower lift motor




This is the cable drum where the cable spools from the lift cage.


Lift operator




Motor and aircompressor pump.





























Banded Jasper surrounds the ore deposit (it is much harder than iron ore).











Open pit used before underground mining began.

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