area: Detroit salt mine: Wayne: 1906- salt . Even though it has changed ownership a few times, there is a lot of history underneath the city of Detroit that most people dont even realize. Years that have passed since the salt was discovered. These formations within the mining area are relatively continuous and generally Donkeys lowered into the mine to work never saw sunlight again, and didn't live very long. That level has increased over the last 200 years from about 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in the 1800s, researchers said. Detroit had a very large salt mine that was basically an underground industry underneath their city. The Detroit Salt Company is a part of the history and fabric of Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations. The 1,060-foot shaft was finally completed in 1910. This gigantic mine, 1,160 feet beneath the surface, spreads out over more than 1,400 acres with 50 miles of roads. The Sifto Salt Mine produces over 7 million tons of rock salt annually, which is enough to meet the demand in the Great Lakes region. Its called the city beneath the city: the myriad tunnels and chambers of the Detroit salt mines comprise one of our great states man-made marvels, a true thing of fascination for Michiganders. However, miners at the Sifto Salt Mine have perfected the process. The Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich is the world's largest underground salt mine. mine, which consists of 100 miles of tunnels, has never experienced a collapse or mine 3) The availability of low cost water transportation on the Great Lakes which facilitates The Morton Salt Company Mine is near Oak Hill, Michigan. Paul Ryan says he'll support 'anybody but Trump' in the 2024 presidential contest, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. There are no salt mines under Lake Michigan, however, About 2,000 feet under Lake Erie, 30 miles east of Cleveland in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, you'll find a vast site called the Morton Salt Mine. dolomite, and anhydrite. salt can be economically recovered. The rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. Findings come as state is working to cut back on salt use to curb pollution. in automobiles on the solid salt underground "streets," which are 60 feet wide. In the Detroit area alone, it is believed that there are over 71 trillion tons of unmined salt. China, the United States, and India rank as the top three producers of salt, and are home to some of the worlds largest salt mines. Communities around Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, Wausau and Superiorare now using brineor other options to clear roads. Today it is closed. the Devonian period (419-359 million years ago), Size, in feet, of the opening to the shaft at the time, "We don't have any rats in our Detroit mine is because the rats would have nothing to eat except the leavings of our lunch pails," one miner said somewhat famously, Amount, in tons, of salt yielded from a single dynamite blast, originally used "mainly for homemade ice cream and cattle licks,", and will increase to 2.5 million tons if a proposed expansion is approved. used on roads in winter. 245 Regent StreetGoderich, Ontario N7A-3Y5519.524.8338, RELATED LINKS Mechanical Evaporation Underground Salt Mining About Goderich Huron County Museum 2014 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary 2015TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary 2016 TRA Public Annual Report and Public Report of Plan Summary. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. The salt is also applied to icy roads in cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region during the winter season. This phrase originates from c.1800 in reference to the Russian practice of sending prisoners to forced labor in Siberian salt mines. This answer is: Study guides. Its no secret that Detroit has been hit very hard by the recession. Year digging of a second shaft began. This mining technique is referred to as "room and pillar" mining. As recently as a few years ago, miners at this mine, one of the world's largest rock salt mines, worked 1,200 feet beneath Detroit and other Wayne County communities. That's when an ancient sea retreated and left behind its brine. Some of the images and text on this page were taken from various issues Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. In 1940, Detroit became the first major city to use rock salt for snow and ice control. Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. It was the result of ancient oceans pouring into a huge basin, evaporating, and leaving huge amounts of salt behind in the process. As a geological entity, this salt deposit is older even than the dinosaurs. Ancient China was among the earliest civilizations in the world with cultivation and trade in mined salt. from C.M. Read further to see exactly what they are delivering. machine that bites out a channel at the floor. Detroit is known for many things: the auto industry, hockey, and Motown. How far under Lake Erie is the salt mine? The rooms vary in width from 30 to 60 ft and in height In the beginning, the leather and food industries were the primary customers. higher up in this page). The Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich is the world's largest underground salt mine. Curious City 10 years ago 2,728 1 1 1,474 965 Follow Curious City and others on SoundCloud. personal use. In the last several years, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has been working to reduce salt use on the state highway system to curb pollution. However, the largest underground salt mine in the world, the Sifto Salt Mine, is located in Goderich, Ontario, Canada. Using mechanical evaporation, the plant produces high-purity, fine- and coarse-grained salt products in packages and in bulk for commercial, agricultural and industrial applications. The Kissner Group owns and operates the famous Detroit Salt Mine and specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of bulk rock salt, bagged rock salt and specialty ice melters. mine. "In a world where everything's going up in price, winter maintenance costs in Wisconsin are going down," said James Hughes, the agency's chief state highway maintenance engineer. "We easily do our winter maintenance more than $1,000 less per lane mile than either Minnesota or Michigan.". Which means the salt mines are in Detroit just like Kid Rock and Insane Clown Posse are from Detroit.. As the water evaporated it left behind large deposits of . Country Site(s) Austria: Hallstatt and Salzkammergut. Proudly created with. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park. top of the formation under Ohio, near the West Virginia boundary, reaches a maximum depth Our website contains general information about our company, products, and many interesting facts about our mine. the International Salt Company assumed control of Michigans only underground salt The mines were owned and operated by The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company. One copy may be printed for History of The Detroit Salt Mine Genesis of a Salt Mine. The room-and-pillar system is used to take out Miles of roads in the tunnels, which stretch from Dearborn to Allen Park. The top of the Salina Group of the Eastern Salt Basin varies in its The mineshaft opening is located at 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit, Michigan. 300 North Harbour Road WGoderich, Ontario N7A 3Y9519.524.8351. meter in height. In the last several years, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has been working to reduce salt use on the state highway . width are left for roof support. [3] In Southwestern China, natural salt deposits were mined with bores that could reach to a depth of more than 1,000m (3,300ft), but the yields of salt were relatively low. Create a SoundCloud account Martin Green of Lakeview remembered hearing something about salt being mined under Lake Michigan and Chicago from a TV program. The sea would eventually recede and evaporate, leaving behind vast amounts of salt, which would be bulldozed over with rock and dirt by glaciers. It has operated since 1959 and was acquired by Compass Minerals in 1990. salt are dark, reflecting the thin "muddy" seams in the salt (see the images Laura Johnson, The Cargill salt mine: an other world under Lake Erie, "Bulgarians find oldest European town, a salt production center", "CBC-TV - Geologic Journey - Goderich, Ontario and Detroit Michigan", "Salt mine in the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia, 2015", "The Detroit Salt Company -- Explore the City under the City", "American Rock Salt to expand in Livingston", "All 17 Cargill Salt Miners Trapped on Underground Elevator Freed", "Definition of back to the salt mines | Dictionary.com", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salt_mining&oldid=1135677242, Socit de Sel de Mohammedia (Mohammedia Rock Salt company) near, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 04:10. In the mine, the temperature is between 56 and 60 degrees in all season. The Detroit salt mine is a salt mine located 1,100 ft (340 m) below Detroit, Michigan. In 1997, the Detroit Salt Company, LLC, purchased the mine from Crystal Mines, Inc. and began salt production in the fall of 1998. the salt. fatality. will attain a maximum of 70%. Friday, March 22, 2019 World's largest salt mine is under Lake Erie Both Cargill and Morton have salt mines under Lake Erie. The mine has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and dump trucks. Province, and in the U. S. from the "Dakotas" to western New York State. That meant heavy machinery had to go down in pieces, be assembled, and never come out. No purchase necessary. "It could have some repercussions that we're not fully aware of yet.". Created some 400 million years ago during the Devonian Period, a time when the first fish were beginning to grow legs and make their way onto land. At night, the holes are loaded with dynamite and the blasting operation The rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. But there is another part of the city far fewer people seem to be aware of, and it lies directly underneath their feet. When it all shook out, the Detroit Salt Co. purchased the mine in 1997 and started business up again. Your email address will not be published. The salt is packaged at the plant and shipped to several destinations. undisturbed by faults or other forms of sharp ground movements. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. [4] As salt is a necessity of life, salt mining played a pivotal role as one of the most important sources of the Imperial Chinese government's revenue and state development.[4]. Wiki User. The Salt Institute's page on Michigan salt says that estimated salt deposits in Michigan are astronomical. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The findings come as the state has been making significant strides to reduce salt use on roads to curb pollution. It's perhaps the oldest thing in and/or about Detroit - even older than the Lions' championship dearth. The mine has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and dump trucks. State University, Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan Compass Minerals' Goderich salt mine, located 1,800 feet under Lake Huron, is the largest underground salt mine in the world. Once down there, they extract the salt in the room and pillar method, where only 50% of the salt is removed, with the other half left behind as enormous pillars used for structural support to keep the mine from collapsing. . Salt mining was an arduous task for them, as they faced geographical and technological constraints. by In three minutes, the skip drops nearly 1,700 feet below Cleveland. Some of the salt is trucked to the Compass Minerals plant less than 4 kilometers away, to be packaged for distribution and sale at retailers in North America. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. This army of concretions is an unexplained geological phenomenon unlike anything else in the world. 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Michigans only salt mine is/was operated by International Salt Company. Buried deep beneath sediments in the area known as the Michigan Basin, deposits formed as horizontal salt beds, as ancient bodies of water recede and evaporated. Note that parts of the road The salt is packaged at the plant and shipped to several destinations. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Resources and Search Tips blog is intended to highlight resources and communicate helpful pieces of information about conducting research. Leaders expect it to keep growing. What is mined under the Detroit area? A comparison of the maps above and below will show that the main salt dry mining sites in [15][16], This article is about mining for salt. In the Acreage of the vast network of underground tunnels. sends the wall of salt crumbling down. Life expectancy for the miners was low. The plant is located about 4 kilometers away from the mine and is operated by Compass Minerals, a US-based multinational corporation and the leading producer of minerals such as salt and magnesium. An exploratory drilling exercise miscalculates the location of a salt mine while drilling through a lake bed. Today, the salt from this mine is used exclusively as road salt. of approximately 6000 ft. http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrieburnett http://michpics.wordpress.com/2008/12/10/m http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=17, http://www.metafilter.com/26378/Salt-Mine-Under-Detroit. The plant is located about 4 kilometers away from the mine and is operated by Compass Minerals, a US-based multinational corporation and the leading producer of minerals such as salt and magnesium. -- Atlas Obscura's Guide to the World's Salty Wonders. Name County Years Material Coordinates Adventure mine: . Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. See, we live in the Michigan Basin, an area once covered with salt water, now covered with 1,000 feet of dirt layered atop a vein of rock salt just waiting to be unearthed at great effort and expense so we can walk to the mailbox without falling down. actually consists of a number of individual salt beds separated by layers of shale, Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan This material has been compiled for educational use only, [2] In 1041, during the Song dynasty, a well with a diameter about the size of a bowl and several dozen feet deep was drilled for salt production. "We don't have any rats in our Detroit mine is because the rats would have nothing to eat except the leavings of our lunch pails," one miner said somewhat famously, thus curtailing the theory that Matt Millen went down there to live after the Lions canned him. Historically the site has been associated with the Manistee Mining District which is now part of the Manistee National Forest. of Michigan History magazine and Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. Both are part of the PLSS measurement system but have different uses. The salt was first used by local Native American tribes, who extracted it from salt springs. Curious City: Morton Salt production in Chicago by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder whats inside the Morton Salt building on North Elson Ave.? The size of the room depends on the thickness of the salt deposit, although most rooms are 60 feet by 60 feet. Discover mining activity in your area and find new regions of opportunity. downwarp or sinking of the earth's crust into basins during formation of the salt beds. 1 of 2. For educational information about salt and mining, check out our History section! 2023 by Going Places. "There's a tremendous amount of salt going into the lake each year," said Dugan. It was booming from the early 1920s up until 1983, when it was forced to close due to the falling salt prices. Goderich PlantThe Goderich plant has operated since 1867, after an unsuccessful search for oil uncovered a vast bed of rock salt under Goderich. Yes! Welcome to my webpage. Sign up now! Age of the salt deposit, in years. Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter. By State. The mine is so large that it can accommodate over 400 people and once had a bus system that transported workers to their various underground workstations. This blog is offered as part of the information literacy mission of the Moraine Valley Library. The estimates of salt deposits in Michigan are astronomical. Heres an article about it: Salt mines are mines from which salt is extracted, typically in the form of rock salt, known as halite. Last year, the state used a record 11.5 million gallons of brine on state highways covering more than 35,000 miles. Although the leather and food industries were once large customers to the Detroit mine, road deicing salt is the only product the mine currently provides. Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. Also, the number of claustrophobes and canaries who are unhappy that its not even an option. Megan Hoegfeldt, a water resources specialist in Superior, said brine can be used to pretreat roads at temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit unlike salt, which loses its ability to melt in colder weather. is in Wayne County. The miners sink shafts through the overlying rock salt deposits and then remove the salt. the various sizes are separated. miners here have mined out an area 22 feet high for about 300 acres. Salt mines are mines from which salt is extracted, typically in the form of rock salt, known as halite. Heres what happens in Chicago. It has operated since 1959 and was acquired by Compass Minerals in 1990. Morton Salt Mine runs about 3 miles (4.8 km) under Lake Erie. is free of the hazards of water and gas. Curious City: Morton Salt production in Chicago from WBEZ on Vimeo. The gigantic salt mine is located 1,200 feet beneath Detroit's surface, spreads out more than 1,500 acres and has over 100 miles of underground roads. Then holes are drilled in the wall from 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The mines were owned and operated by The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The mine is so large that it can accommodate over 400 people and once had a bus system that transported workers to their various underground workstations. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; . It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. 2) Abundant salt at a reasonable depth and of sufficiently high quality to permit The Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867. The Detroit salt mine is a salt mine located 1,100 ft (340 m) below Detroit, Michigan. You can still see the entrance at 12841 Sanders Street, but its only open for delivery trucks. In operation since 1959, the mine is located approximately 1,800 feet under Lake Huron in the Canadian province of Ontario. Search for owners by first name, last name, company, location, etc. There are hundreds of salt mines . control. a minimum of approximately 800 ft to a maximum depth of approximately 6800 ft, while the Even so, Superior cut its salt use and costs by more than half last year compared to 2010. Michigan are located in Detroit, while solution mining takes place along Lake Michigan and YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Where is the World's Largest Underground Salt Mine? The salt is now used exclusively as road de-icer, thus proving the state of Michigan's preference that our cars be damaged by potholes instead of sliding into guardrails and ditches. This is a partial list of current and defunct mines in Michigan. Number of workers who died digging the shaft. Solution mines are often called "brine mines". Highway There are no salt mines under Lake Michigan, however, About 2,000 feet under Lake Erie, 30 miles east of Cleveland in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, you'll find a vast site called the Morton Salt Mine. Nov 23, 2022, 6:47 pm. I'll be sharing thoughts, photos and videos along the way - as I search for answers to questions that bother me so. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt), and extracted from evaporite formations.[1]. Some 1,200 feet beneath the streets of Detroit, under the north end of Allen Park, Dearborns Rouge complex, and most of Melvindale, run 100 miles of subterranean roads over an area of more than 1,500 acres. Yes You Can! Workmen "undercut" the walls of salt with a The salt is also applied to icy roads in cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region during the winter season. and may not be reproduced without permission. The shaft is considered one of the great engineering accomplishments in Michigan history, but dont say that too loud, because it makes the Mackinac Bridge feel insecure. rock salt A sealed test tube said to hold Thomas Edison's dying breath was given to the inventor's friend and mentee, Henry Ford. For example, under Michigan the formation varies from Oil drillers accidentally discovered the deposit in the 1860's. use of the product for highway purposes. Levels of roughly 250 milligrams per liter have been known to affect the taste of drinking water and harm freshwater organisms. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds. The mine opened in 1910 and covers 1,500 acres (610 ha) underground. Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan The Salina Group One 12-ounce mug of salt is enough for a 20-foot driveway.". floor to roof. "Everybody wants to see people get home safe. Chris Stuber [4] The Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close to shore. How deep are the salt mines in Michigan? Underground salt mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is located under water. Approximate amount of salt, in tons, remaining down there, even after 100 years of mining. This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public. Rooms from 50 to 60 feet wide are driven out and blocks of salt of the same Therefore, usually a minimum of 1 ft of salt is left on the floor, while 4 to 6 feet of Pillar size is adjusted so that the extraction or recovery The U.S. salt bed map (Courtesy photo | U.S. Dept. Length, in feet, of the original mineshaft. In 1958 the salt production from these areas amounted to 8.7 [2] They first discovered natural gas when they excavated rock salt. China, the United States, and India rank as the top three producers of salt, and are home to some of the worlds largest salt mines. Trucks powered by electricity take it to a giant crusher underground. 2023 Atlas Obscura. There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. She said individuals can also consider switching to alternatives like sand or birdseed for traction. A central Wisconsin food pantry grew fivefold during the pandemic. Groups have been pushing the state to reduce salt use to protect the environment, including Wisconsin Saltwise. According to the Detroit Salt Company, 400 million years ago, ocean water flooded into a large basin, an area known as the Michigan Basin. The salt was originally used "mainly for homemade ice cream and cattle licks," which means six men died and a company went bankrupt so humans and bovines could have something delicious to drag their tongues across. Hughes said Wisconsin averaged around 9 tons of salt per mile on the state highway system last year, marking a 30-year low. Your email address will not be published. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Before the advent of the modern internal combustion engine and earth-moving equipment, mining salt was one of the most expensive and dangerous of operations because of rapid dehydration caused by constant contact with the salt (both in the mine passages and scattered in the air as salt dust) and of other problems caused by accidental excessive sodium intake. Fresh air from the su. Copy. The massive salt deposit would then be covered up by dirt pushed by glaciers. Generally speaking, the absence of gas, water, excessive The underground salt was deposited by the ocean that covered the Lake Huron basin about 400 million years ago. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on road. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Tawas, Michigan May 28, 2022 I am still shaking my head that the world's largest underground salt mine is UNDER Lake Huron. Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The answer is NO! Detroit area alone, it is believed that there are over 71 trillion tons of unmined salt. It was over 1,500 acres big and had over 100 miles of roads making up this underground salt mine. "That's a big game changer.". The salt beds themselves contain bands of anhydrite which vary in The Chinese writer, poet, and politician Zhang Hua of the Jin dynasty wrote in his book Bowuzhi how people in Zigong, Sichuan, excavated natural gas and used it to boil a rock salt solution. It was over 1,500 acres big and had over 100 miles of roads making up this underground salt mine. AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps. Lake Erie is a geological newcomer compared to the salt buried below it. Tours of the mine currently being offered. State University. The salt is also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents, disinfectants and other important products. Source: Detroit Free Press The economy of salt mining dried up like a 400 million-year-old ocean, prompting the company at the time, International Salt, to say,. The salt mine was discovered in 1866 by Sam Platt during a search for oil. This one is a small storage shed of salt for the Meridian Manufacturing Company started sinking a shaft for underground mining of rock salt. 5.1M views 15 years ago This is how you flush an entire lake down a hole. tons of salt. Welcome to the Detroit Salt Company, a subsidiary of The Kissner Group. Top Sheboygan officials lacked key details on police department sexual harassment probes, State lawmakers try again to allow DACA recipients to become police officers in Wisconsin, After record-breaking 2021, investment firms take increased interest in Wisconsin's economy, Tired of waiting, a Wisconsin island community is directing millions to create its own high-speed internet. Please contact Randall Schaetzl (soils@msu.edu) from approximately 17 to 40 ft. The economy of salt mining dried up like a 400 million-year-old ocean, prompting the company at the time, International Salt, to say, Na. Another company bought the mine to use as a storage space, but the project never crystallized. The salt is then crushed, and thousands of feet of conveyor belt move the salt to the hoisting shaft, where it is lifted out in ten-ton loads.
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