actually consists of a number of individual salt beds separated by layers of shale, This blog is offered as part of the information literacy mission of the Moraine Valley Library. Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. "But because of the volume of Lake Michigan, that concentration is still pretty low.". It has operated since 1959 and was acquired by Compass Minerals in 1990. water softening snow and ice removal from roads and highways. 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. floor to roof. Is there salt mined underneath Chicago and Lake Michigan? The amount of salt used fluctuates depending on the winter. This phrase originates from c.1800 in reference to the Russian practice of sending prisoners to forced labor in Siberian salt mines. The mines were owned and operated by The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company. 1) A healthy market requiring salt for the meat processing industry, chemical industry, 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 rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. 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. Men work in the salt mine underneath Detroit in this undated photo. Dugan said road salt is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Great Lakes region. These formations within the mining area are relatively continuous and generally 5.1M views 15 years ago This is how you flush an entire lake down a hole. 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. Solution mines are often called "brine mines". She said individuals can also consider switching to alternatives like sand or birdseed for traction. 1 of 2. Detroit had a very large salt mine that was basically an underground industry underneath their city. The estimates of salt deposits in Michigan are astronomical. . Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt. This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public. How big is the salt mine under Lake Michigan? Copy. Thats deeper than the Chrysler Building is tall, but not quite as far down as the salt bae meme needs to be buried. Why is there a long line of railcars parked on the tracks near Spooner? The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt), and extracted from evaporite formations.[1]. tons of salt. Years that have passed since the salt was discovered. The study found urban areas like Milwaukee are contributing the most salt with the highest readings stemming from a stormwater outflow at General Mitchell International Airport, which is just a few miles from the lake. salt can be economically recovered. The mineshaft opening is located at 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit, Michigan. The salt is packaged at the plant and shipped to several destinations. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The biggest development in the industry in recent years is increased Goderich Salt MineCompass Minerals Goderich salt mine, located 1,800 feet under Lake Huron, is the largest underground salt mine in the world. Although we cannot provide tours to the public at this time, it is our hope that our newly upgraded website will provide a salt mine experience that will expose you to the wonderful world of salt. Michigans only salt mine is/was operated by International Salt Company. 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. The Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867. Prior to that, American Indian tribes extracted the salt from springs, and sold it as Authentic Michigan Sea Salt in upscale urban shops, where hipsters paid top-dollar for it, using it for their hand-built artisanal caramel fountains. This material has been compiled for educational use only, 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. Which means the salt mines are in Detroit just like Kid Rock and Insane Clown Posse are from Detroit.. Your email address will not be published. [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]. Generally speaking, the absence of gas, water, excessive Underground salt mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is located under water. Most modern salt mines are privately operated or operated by large multinational companies such as K+S, AkzoNobel, Cargill, and Compass Minerals. The rock salt produced at the mine is used to keep citizens in North America safe as they travel through winter snow and ice. State University. Therefore, usually a minimum of 1 ft of salt is left on the floor, while 4 to 6 feet of Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. below, from a salt mine, shows a vertical "wall of salt" about a little over a Offer subject to change without notice. History of The Detroit Salt Mine Genesis of a Salt Mine. 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. Name County Years Material Coordinates Adventure mine: . Detroit salt mine: Wayne: 1906- salt . Please contact Randall Schaetzl (soils@msu.edu) All Rights Reserved. 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. Trucks powered by electricity take it to a giant crusher underground. where it is lifted in nine-ton buckets. I am still shaking my head that the worlds largest underground salt mine is UNDER Lake Huron. It was booming from the early 1920s up until 1983, when it was forced to close due to the falling salt prices. A large square cavern alternating with pillars of salt is left behind. In 1997, the Detroit Salt Company, LLC, purchased the mine from Crystal Mines, Inc. and began salt production in the fall of 1998. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; . Entire rooms are carved out in the salt, leaving behind massive stabilizing pillars, which, for some reason, have workers constantly looking over their shoulders. This mining technique is referred to as "room and pillar" mining. Groups and transportation officials have been working to educate communities on the harmful effects of road salt,which can accelerate the formation of algal blooms in waterways. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park. A radical change in salt production occurred in 1906 when the Detroit Salt and When business was good, they offered public guided tours, which was very popular with school groups. Five large rivers out of the lake's 300 tributaries caused more than 70 percent of the salt flowing into Lake Michigan. "We easily do our winter maintenance more than $1,000 less per lane mile than either Minnesota or Michigan.". In the beginning, the leather and food industries were the primary customers. Reduced in size, the product is taken by conveyer to an underground screening plant where rock salt mines, worked 1,200 feet beneath Detroit and other Wayne County communities. "A lot of people don't realize that all the salt we put down on streets, sidewalks, parking lots, ends up in our freshwater," said Allison Madison, the group's sustainability and development coordinator. Wisconsin Saltwise also encourages private companies and individuals to cut back on salt use. "Then, if you have to salt it, scatter it, and use an appropriate amount rather than dumping salt down. More than 1 million metric tons of salt is flowing into Lake Michigan each year, according to a new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. -- Atlas Obscura's Guide to the World's Salty Wonders. It has operated since 1959 and was acquired by Compass Minerals in 1990. The Detroit Salt Company (MLive photo | Ben Solis). Curious City 10 years ago 2,728 1 1 1,474 965 Follow Curious City and others on SoundCloud. Rock salt, which is used to melt snow and ice on roads, is often dyed blue so that it stands out when it's dispensed on the street. In 1958 the salt production from these areas amounted to 8.7 The. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. 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. Morton Salt Mine runs about 3 miles (4.8 km) under Lake Erie. The salt is also packaged at the Compass Mineral plant, located about 4 kilometers away, and distributed throughout North America. "It's this nice liquid layer that soaks into the clear driveway or sidewalk or roadway, and then it prevents that buildup of ice and snow on the road," Hogfeldt said. The fatality. Dugan said road salt is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Great Lakes region. 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. 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. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. Heres what happens in Chicago. "Everybody wants to see people get home safe. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; . 300 North Harbour Road WGoderich, Ontario N7A 3Y9519.524.8351. 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. will vary from a trace to approximately 2% by weight of the mined rock salt. Get out there with something to remove the snow mechanically," said Madison. higher up in this page). Unsubscribe anytime. Amount, in tons, of salt yielded from a single dynamite blast. The Detroit Salt Company is a part of the history and fabric of Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations. Historically the site has been associated with the Manistee Mining District which is now part of the Manistee National Forest. However, the largest underground salt mine in the world, the Sifto Salt Mine, is located in Goderich, Ontario, Canada. The massive salt deposit would then be covered up by dirt pushed by glaciers. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The size of the room depends on the thickness of the salt deposit, although most rooms are 60 feet by 60 feet. Detroit is known for many things: the auto industry, hockey, and Motown. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some 400 million years ago, a vast expanse of salt deposits formed under much of Michigan, including the city of Detroit. [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. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Year digging of a second shaft began. the movement of salt in Canada from eastern Saskatchewan Province to western Quebec 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. There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. One may also ask, is it hot or cold in the Detroit Salt Mine? As the water evaporated it left behind large deposits of . That's when an ancient sea retreated and left behind its brine. I'm on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris' - and points in between. 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. Hughes said brine doesn't work for every winter storm, but it can cut the amount of costs and labor necessary to clear highways without compromising safety. One Curious City question prompted us to find out. or less to several inches. But like much of Michigans mineral wealth, only a fraction of this A young boy tosses a chunk of snow into Lake Michigan Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Milwaukee. This mining technique is referred to as "room and pillar" mining. of Energy). However, the largest underground salt mine in the world, the Sifto Salt Mine, is located in Goderich, Ontario, Canada. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. Salt mining was an arduous task for them, as they faced geographical and technological constraints. The salt mine was discovered in 1866 by Sam Platt during a search for oil. Approximate amount of salt, in tons, remaining down there, even after 100 years of mining. While the lake's salinity is low, the amount of chloride an element signaling the presence of salt is close to 15 milligrams per liter. Once you enter the mine, you go through a series of airlocks that regulate the air pressure. The 1,060-foot shaft was finally completed in 1910. personal use. Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan [15][16], This article is about mining for salt. This answer is: Study guides. Actual mining is confined completely to the salt bed. One copy may be printed for It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Nov 23, 2022, 6:47 pm. Yes! deposits of shale, limestone, sandstone, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, and rock salt control. Answer (1 of 3): Cargill Deicing Technology bought the Cleveland mine in 1997. (halite). The state began purchasing high-capacity brine makers three years ago and piloted using only liquid application in Jefferson and Shawano counties, which cut their salt use in half that year. Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds. (1964). Welcome to my webpage. Wiki User. According to the Detroit Salt Company, 400 million years ago, ocean water flooded into a large basin, an area known as the Michigan Basin. salt are dark, reflecting the thin "muddy" seams in the salt (see the images will attain a maximum of 70%. But there is another part of the city far fewer people seem to be aware of, and it lies directly underneath their feet. In the beginning, the leather and food industries were the primary customers. Again by conveyer, the salt is taken to the larger shaft Highway Underground salt mining can be challenging, especially if a mine is located under water. The rooms vary in width from 30 to 60 ft and in height A sealed test tube said to hold Thomas Edison's dying breath was given to the inventor's friend and mentee, Henry Ford. Read further to see exactly what they are delivering. Welcome to the Detroit Salt Company, a subsidiary of The Kissner Group. Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. The five mines of the area are tapping the formation at the shallowest possible points. The mine is as deep as the CN Tower in Toronto is tall. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Friday, March 22, 2019 World's largest salt mine is under Lake Erie Both Cargill and Morton have salt mines under Lake Erie. In three minutes, the skip drops nearly 1,700 feet below Cleveland. Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. A second tunnel was dug in 1922 so that salt could be brought up faster and larger equipment lowered in. Here's an article about it: Salt mines are mines from which salt is extracted, typically in the form of rock salt, known as halite. Heres an article about it: Salt mines are mines from which salt is extracted, typically in the form of rock salt, known as halite. Today, the salt from this mine is used exclusively as road salt. The sea would eventually recede and evaporate, leaving behind vast amounts of salt, which would be bulldozed over with rock and dirt by glaciers. Tours of the mine currently being offered. However, there are currently more than 30 routes that lead to the workstations, making the mine easily accessible. Beneath our very feet is more salt than we can imagine even more than youll get atop your quadruple-double-XL order of McDonalds fries. The mine opened in 1910 and covers 1,500 acres (610 ha) underground. 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. The Salina Group They want to keep our highway safe and clear, and they don't want to use any more chemicals than they need to," Hughes said. Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. mine, which consists of 100 miles of tunnels, has never experienced a collapse or mine which can accelerate the formation of algal blooms, Twin Ports 'pounded' with snow, and more is on the way across northern Wisconsin, While harmful algal blooms like it hot, a new study finds they can handle the cold. Tawas, Michigan May 28, 2022 I am still shaking my head that the world's largest underground salt mine is UNDER Lake Huron. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The geology of the Great Lakes salt mining area consists of sedimentary The Detroit mine now supplies Michigan and several other states, 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. salt is left to form the roof. Virtually every city, county, and municipality has a storehouse of Michigan salt, to be Years the salt mine was abandoned, from 1983-1998. Last year, the state cut its overall salt use to less than 325,000 tons the least amount of salt used since the early 2000s. from approximately 17 to 40 ft. Then holes are drilled in the wall from Levels of roughly 250 milligrams per liter have been known to affect the taste of drinking water and harm freshwater organisms. and the amount used for highways is approaching the volumes for chemical purposes. [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. We will never spam or sell your information because we take your privacy seriously. Search for owners by first name, last name, company, location, etc. It was over 1,500 acres big and had over 100 miles of roads making up this underground salt mine. Researchers examined past and current water data on the amount of salt flowing into the lake from 234 rivers and streams, according to Hilary Dugan, the study's lead author and assistant professor for the Center for Limnology at UW-Madison. This is a partial list of current and defunct mines in Michigan. a minimum of approximately 800 ft to a maximum depth of approximately 6800 ft, while the The salt was first used by local Native American tribes, who extracted it from salt springs. The salt is also sold in bulk to manufacturers that make plastics, detergents, disinfectants and other important products. History and fabric of Detroit 4.8 km ) under Lake Erie 10 years ago 2,728 1 1 965. From this mine is used exclusively as road salt is packaged at the mine opened in 1910 covers... Dug in 1922 so that salt could be brought up faster and larger equipment lowered.... Welcome to the salt was discovered our winter maintenance more than $ less! Equipment lowered in of Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations this mine stretches from Dearborn all the to... Said Madison the volume of Lake Michigan, including the city of Detroit salt could be brought faster. 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