Hull Rust Mine

Hull-Rust Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine

Useful Information

Location:	Near Hibbing, Minnesota. 3rd Avenue East, north East 13th Street and north of the Greyhound Bus Museum.
Open:	15-MAY to SEP Mon-Sat 9-17, Sun 13-17. [2006]
Fee:	free. [2006]
Classification:	Iron Mine
Light:	n/a.
Dimension:	L=8,000m, W=3,200m, D=180m, Ar=8.1km².
Guided tours:	V=20,000/a [2005]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Hull Rust Mine
Last update:	$Date: 2011/12/13 09:10:28 $

History


1895		mine opened.
1901		taken over by the Oliver Mining So..
1919		twon of Hibbing relocated.
1921		relocation completed.
1965		owned by the Hibbing Taconite Company.
13-NOV-1966		listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Geology

The mine produced during its existence 690 million tons of iron ore and 519 million tons of waste material. Together more than 1.2 Billion tons of earth were removed. During the World Wars it supplied 25% of all the iron ore mined in the United States.

Description

The Hull Rust Mine near Hibbing, Minnesota, is the worlds biggest open pit mine. BBetween 1895 and 1957, more than 30 individual mines have been opened. Most of the mines are no longer in operation, but Hibbing Taconite Company continues to extract ore from the mine. The removing of more than 1.2 billion tons of earth resulted in a man-made Grand Canyon, which is 4.8km long, 3.2km wide and 180m deep. he iron mining pit covers an area of 8,1km&² <

Frank Hibbing, a pioneer, obtained the first lease to mine ore in the area in December 1891. He started with underground mining, but soon various open pit mines were opened. ormally mining starts at the surface, and when following the ore, the miners have to go underground at some point. Here it was the other way round, the mining started with a small underground mine, but as other mines began to develop they soon formed a mine field and then a big pit. This is a result of the shallow nature of the ore deposits.

The center of the huge pit is the location where the original town of Hibbing once stood. When the mine grew, the town had to be moved. This happend in 1919, took two years, and cost USD 16 Million to relocate 185 ho185 houses and 20 businesThe moving of an entire city gained national attention. ses>

The Tourist Senior Center at Hibbing operates the Hull Rust Mine View, featuring a spectacular view of the open cast mine. In the distance is the taconite production of Hibbing visible. Around the outlook is an mining equipment on display, for example a 170-ton mining truck and an engine from a 240-ton mining truck.