Abstract
This is the largest of the iron ore ranges of the Lake Superior area. The ores are, or are derived from, taconite; a cherty iron-rich chemical sediment, possibly of organic origin. Some of the ores are rich enough to be shipped directly, but others are magnetite-bearing tactonite from which a concentrate can be made. The Lake Superior is one of a number of very large Proterozoic iron-rich sedimentary basins.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Further Reading
Leith, C. K. (1903), The Mesabi Iron-bearing District of Minnesota. U.S. Geol. Surv. Mono. 43, 316pp. [This beautifully produced, if old, volume is still worth a look.]
Marsden, R. W. et. al., (1968), The Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota, pp. 519–27. In: Ore Deposits of the United Statesy 1933–1967. (Ridge, J. D., ed.), Am. Inst. of. Met. and Pet. Eng., New York, 1968. [Good modern summary with bibliography of all the other relevant literature to that date; the same volume also contains a general paper on the Lake Superior iron ores by R. W. Marsden, as well as papers on the other ranges.]
Morey, G. B. (1973), The Mesabi, Gunflint and Cuyuna Ranges, Minnesota, pp. 193–208. In: Unesco, Genesis of Pre-Cambrian Iron and Manganese Deposits. Proceedings of the Kiev Symposium, August 1970. UNESCO Earth Science Series No. 9, UNESCO, Paris 1973.
Morey, G. B. (1973), The Mesabi Range. In: Geology of Minnesota, A Centenary Volume. Geol. Surv. of Minnesota, pp. 204–17. [These two papers give a modern review of the deposits and their geological setting. Note also that Econ. Geol. 68 (7) is devoted to Pre-Cambrian iron deposits and contains several good review papers.]
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1979 Colin J. Dixon
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dixon, C.J. (1979). The Mesabi Iron Range — U.S.A.. In: Atlas of Economic Mineral Deposits. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6511-2_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6511-2_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-011-6513-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-6511-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive