Much of the whole entire area of Hasting County, was rather transforming when many large scale mining operations came to life. One of these thriving mining projects became known as the Marmoraton Iron Mine that was first uncovered not to far from Marmora, Ontario, Canada. Before this discovery was further developed the Canadian Government was on a mission to extract the rich natural resources in Hasting County, Ontario, Canada. Much of this would happened when it had decided to go under exploration stages with the American Base Bethlehem Steel Corporation in the 1950's. The reason for the Canadian Government to engage in Iron Explorations, was because much of the iron was lost at sea, and this demand was also very strong.at the time. Not to mention the Canadian Government, and the company was also finding new ways in using iron for by-products at this time period.
In 1950, the Bethlehem Steel Corporation was on another mission when it had started prospecting a mile east of the small settlement town of Marmora, Ontario, Canada. Within this time period the government, and the company would also hire a serious amount of geologists towards this production. More so the drilling phases were officially being establish when a series of 40 diamond drill holes became driven, and had totalled 38,000 feet of cores sample. In nature these core samples had proven to be very valuable as it contained a rich iron content that the company had needed In order to complete these demands. Even this discovery zone was rather being further looked at as much of this iron ore was found along the surface. In addition this would cause the company to come to new engineering plans when an open pit operation was being developed. It was also proven to be far more less costly than having to operated the mine with the use of shaft operation procedures. Company officials from the Bethlehem Steel Corporation had fully engineered this mine to be half a mile long, and a quarter mile wide. More so the work would consist of removing a huge amount of rock before the company could extract the rich iron content. Generally the company was now moving further with its development stages when a huge amount of limestone was hoisted from the workings. It was rather reported that the company was working on an area that was removing a total 125 feet of limestone.
By 1951, the company was well off within its production when it had formed a subsidiary company known as the Marmoraton Mining Co Ltd. It was believe to have been incorporated as a Subsidiary company of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. All of this was commonly considered to have been done when the American base company needed its own sister company. By this time the mining operation was now expanding when a railway line was establish through the area, and most of the ore was being shipped out of Pickton Bay. Much of this broken down iron ore was rather being transported by massive vessel ships when the ore-dock was finally completed. It had stretched for a length of twelfth hundred feet into the deep waters as it was mandatory for the massive vessels that once roar through these waterways. Further so the company was on another mission when a massive 3,000 ton milling facility was also being built. Besides placing construction phases the company had also place its own grand opening in 1951, as Canada's Premier Lestie Frost had attended this mine opening. In addition he was strongly known for raising the red flag as a sign of detonating the 5,000 pounds of Dynamite that was seen for thirty miles from all angles. He soon describe this detonation as a pile of rubble that was scattered all over the place after exploding the rich lime stone ore that was covering the iron formation.
Within the year of 1955, the whole entire mining operation was rather transforming when the Marmoraton Mining Co, Ltd. had removed a huge tonnage of limestone. More so this tonnage it self would end up totalling a total of 22 million tonnes of limestone that became hoisted from this pit operation. By this time period the company also had fully developed the much needed structures it had needed to run this production business.
Production in 1960, was rather believed to have been steady when the Marmoraton Mining Co. Ltd. hoisted another huge amount of iron ore. In addition the company, and its team of 302 miners soon had ended up hoisting a total of 1,131,464 tonnes of iron bearing material from this massive open pit operation. More so it would also discharge some of its ore as waste when a total of 358,201 tonnes was taken from this hoisting procedure. During that time period the company still had processed a total of 773,263 tonnes of ore at its 3,000 ton milling facility. Further so the Marmoraton Mining Co, Ltd, had also taken this production from a daily average of 2,740 tons of iron ore. Even milling within this mining operation was also considered to have been running very smoothly as the demand for Iron was still strong. Within 1960, the mine it self did not see any more development taken place as most of the bench workings were being extracted.
Milling within 1961, was considered to be a continuous processing procedure that had produce significant amount of iron pellets. As the mine slowly started to expand, the company and its crew of hardworking miners would additionally hoist a total of 1,191,861 tonnes of high-grade iron ore. More so this hoisting procedure was commonly considered to have also contained a total of 294,546 tonnes of waste material. Generally this small grade material that contained limestone would be removed, and place into the on-site tailing piles. Nevertheless, milling within this time period was also processing a huge amount of iron ore that soon totalled
897,315 tonnes of ore, which had its own daily capacity of 2,769 tonnes. The Marmoraton Iron Mine had also increase its machinery when the company had added its very own Front End Angle Dozer (Michigan Model 280). Within this time period the Marmoraton Mining Co, Ltd. would also down size its workforce when a total of
295 miners be came employed. As the year slowly came to an end, the company would not develop this mining operation further when it had reach its production rate for that time period.
By the following year in 1962, the Mamoraton Mining Co, Ltd was now expanding this operation even further within the ground. Much of this whole entire work had consisted of confining it self to the mines 394, and 440 foot levels. Ore within this section was rather being extracted from the benches that became formed as the mine continued to get deeper within the ground. By this time the company would have other ideas when it decided to construct a new level that was cut on the mines 340 foot level. Almost all of this development was considered to be engineered along a 55 foot bench section. Another section that produce significant amount of iron ore was strongly considered to have been mined below the limestone capping on the 45 foot bench section. As mining continued the company was able to hoist another huge amount of ore that soon totalled 1,262,549 tonnes. Company officials from the Marmoraton Mining Company Limited. would also discarded a total of 328,075 tonnes as waste By this time the milling facility was rather processing its own total of 934,464 tonnes of iron ore that had its own daily average of 2,710 tonnes. Not to mention the milling facility was also producing high amounts of Iron Pellets that soon had average a daily output of 1,700 tonnes. As these pellets became produce, they soon had been shipped by boat or railway to the steel plant facilities in Lackawanna, New York. Once the year had slowly came to an end, the company had also produce a significant amount of Iron Ore Pellets that totalled 486,740 tonnes.
More development, and production would continue to take place in 1963, when the company was producing heavy amounts of ore. Within this time period the workers at the Marmoraton Iron Mine had hoisted a massive tonnage of ore that soon totalled 1,282,630 tonnes of Iron Ore. Before this had all happened, the company it self would also start to expand the life of this operation. Far more expanding would continue when company officials decided to increase the length to 2,800 feet, and its width was now known for totalling 1,500 feet. During this time period, the pit had also started to become deeper when it had bottomed out at 475 feet, and would continue to a depth of 745 feet within its 10 year life span. Iron ore from the open pit at the time was rather known for averaging 30% magnetic iron that was capped with 8 feet of overburden for a distance of 125 feet. This huge amount of expanding would additionally remove a huge amount of overburden that totalled 37,900,000 tonnes of waste material. Even production was rapidly advancing when the company decided to upgrade its own milling facility to handle 4,000 tonnes of ore per a day.. In addition the Marmoraton Mining Company, Limited. would also need to increase it machinery to keep up with this production level. Within December, 1963, the company would deliver a set of eight 55 tonne trucks, and its own additional electric 6 Cu. yard shovel. Milling within this time period would also end up processing a total of 898,655 tonnes that produce 514,543 tonnes of iron pellets. Much of this production was considered to have been achieved with its own daily output of 2,723 tonnes of ore per a day. Company officials from the Marmoraton Mining, Company, Limited had other ideas when it decided to hire a total workforce of 316 men towards this production business.
The ten year expanding program was officially started in 1964, when the company, and its own workforce had removed a total of 3,845,439 tonnes of overburden. By this time period, the Marmoraton Mining Co. Ltd. would also add more equipment when six 55 tonne Dart trucks, and a Euclid, Dozer C-6 was added to this operation. Further so the company would also hoist a huge amount of iron ore that soon totalled its own massive weight of 1,294,324 tonnes. Even milling within this time period was also processing its own huge amount of iron ore that totalled 882,661 tonnes, with its own daily out put of 2,551 tonnes of ore. Production from this processing would also produce a significant amount of iron pellets that totalled 523,292 tonnes in 1964. Employment within the year of 1964, was rather downsizing when a total of 296 men became contracted by the company.
Development and production within 1965, was still being done at a rapid pace when the company was extracting huge amounts of ore. In general being the Marmoraton Mining Co, Ltd. was rather on a move when it had hoisted a huge amount of ore. Generally this whole entire hoisting procedure would ended up taking a huge amount of ore to the surface. It was soon evident that the company would decided to extract far more ore when it had taken 1,545,454 tonnes of material from the open-pit operation. Even more construction was taking place when the company had decided to construct more surface structures. This whole entire construction phase would additionally be aimed at constructing a tailing pump house, and it very own foreman office hut. More so the Marmoraton Mining, Company, Limited, had other ideas when it decided to add two 55 tonne trucks, and a 11 cubic yard shovel to its production. During this time period the milling facility was also operating at a full force when the company had processed a total of 944,825 tonnes of ore. Production from this mills output was strongly known for producing 512,054 tonnes of pellets with its own daily rate of 2,779 tonnes of iron ore. No other development or production was reported to have commenced within this time period of getting the mine far more active.
The Marmoraton Iron Mine was considered to have been averaging the same steady production level in 1966. As mining continued the Mamoraton Mining, Co, Ltd. had other plans when it soon hoisted a total of 1,353,960 tonnes of iron ore form the open-pit. This production was mainly taken from the main expanding program that was now removing a total of 3.5 million tonnes of waste within this year alone. By this time the company was also engineering more structures when it developed its very own Steam Cleaning Building. Nevertheless, the company, and its team of miners had also conducted their own exploration program when six diamond drill holes, totalling 2.226 feet of core sample that became drilled. It would also provide the company with the much needed assaying results in making this mine go deeper within the ground. Production during this time period had also taken place at a normal processing rate when the company only had treated a total of 902,928 tonnes of ore. Almost all of this production had came from its own daily processing average of 2,690 tonnes, and would produce 536,548 tonnes of iron pellets. This whole entire mine expansion project would rather have a steady employment rate between 295, and 336 men by the end of 1966.
More changes soon had occurred in 1967, when the Bethlehem Steel Corporation had transferred all of its files to the Bethlehem Chile Iron Mine Company. It would also operate it subsidiary company that was rather known as the Marmoraton Mining Company, Limited. Not to mention the company it self had alsocreated a division named after its very own subsidiary company that was working this project. Further expansions became completed when the company, and its team of miners would remove a huge amount of overburden that totalled 3.5 million tonnes. At the time the company was rather removing its ore by a hoisting system, and a skip way before removing it by truck haulage. This became replace when the Marmoraton Mining Co, Ltd. would eliminate this procedure in 1967. Much of the ore was now being hauled by trucks from the mine site to the mill before making its way to the tailings pile. By this time the company would also need to re-locate its own 45 inch gyratory crusher as it was replace with a new one else where. More so the new crushing plant would also come with its own conveyorway that became completed by spring, 1967. It was also reported that the company would end up hoisting a total of 1,474,725 tonnes of ore from the open pit alone. Milling within this time period was also escalating at a rapid pace when the company had processed, and treated a total of 917,965 tonnes of ore at a daily rate of 2,740 tonnes. In all processing, the mill had additionally produce a stunning output of 538,188 tonnes of iron pellets from all production that year. Further so the mine would continue to run at a steady pace when the company was on a mission to expand this production even more.
In 1968, the Bethlehem Chile Iron Mine Company would move onto more expanding phases when 500,000 tonnes of waste overburden was removed. In addition this would also complete the necessary installation of the Gyratory Crusher that was now place for crushing procedures. This whole entire installation procedures would end up giving the crushing facility a whole new look as it allowed ore to be dumped by haulage trucks. Even production from the open pit was outrageous when the company it self decided to hoist a total of 1,154,880 tonnes of ore. As this became completed the company would also start treating and processing a whole whack of ore that totalled 927,991 tonnes of ore. This production was reported to have been taken from a steady production rate of 2,770 tonnes of ore per a day, and had produce 532,959 tonnes of iron pellets.
In the late nineteen seventies, the pace slowed to a tiny trickle. The cause was a combination of a sluggish economy, runaway inflation and a precipitous slide in world demand for steel. In addition, the law required that an open pit in Ontario could not be dug deeper than five hundred feet without cutting in and shoring up. Bethlehem Steel decided this would be too dangerous and expensive. In an effort to protect jobs the Government extended the allowable depth to seven hundred and fifty feet. Altogether the mine remained operational for a period of twenty-seven years; a long time when judged by past performances. In March of 1978 closure was finalized taking with it untold jobs both in the mine and on the Picton loading dock. More than half the carrier ships were removed from service immediately. Three hundred jobs with a two million dollar payroll disappeared and twenty-two years of Provincial Grants also came to an abrupt halt. Bethlehem Steel Corporation retained ownership of the pit, the mounds of slag rock and a few acres of land. What a gloomy ending for the once mighty Marmoraton. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources announced, that the six billion tons of iron ore reserves in the Marmoraton Iron Mine, in Ontario, only have a small portion of high quality of iron ore that's enough to permit direct shipping to the smelters. There has been a rapid depletion of direct shipping of ores throughout the world.
