Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. I'm on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris' - and points in between. is in Wayne County. salt can be economically recovered. The Detroit Salt Company is a part of the history and fabric of Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations. 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. A young boy tosses a chunk of snow into Lake Michigan Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Milwaukee. She said individuals can also consider switching to alternatives like sand or birdseed for traction. Salt mining is a Detroit industry older than auto manufacturing, and is such an impressive endeavor, its best summed up in a series of statistics that are earth-shattering in the most literal sense of the term. Way more. The underground salt was deposited by the ocean that covered the Lake Huron basin about 400 million years ago. Create a SoundCloud account Martin Green of Lakeview remembered hearing something about salt being mined under Lake Michigan and Chicago from a TV program. Number of workers who died digging the shaft. Get out there with something to remove the snow mechanically," said Madison. 5.1M views 15 years ago This is how you flush an entire lake down a hole. the various sizes are separated. 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. The Company pumps
The salt is packaged at the plant and shipped to several destinations. The salt beds themselves contain bands of anhydrite which vary in
This army of concretions is an unexplained geological phenomenon unlike anything else in the world. in Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario. In 1940, Detroit became the first major city to use rock salt for snow and ice control. the International Salt Company assumed control of Michigans only underground salt
Communities around Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, Wausau and Superiorare now using brineor other options to clear roads. 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. 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. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. Yes You Can! There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. use of the product for highway purposes. All rights reserved. Compass Minerals' Goderich salt mine, located 1,800 feet under Lake Huron, is the largest underground salt mine in the world. History of The Detroit Salt Mine Genesis of a Salt Mine. Unlike coal mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt requires less combustion. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt. The Cargill salt mine beneath Lake Erie Watch on Down, down, down. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Next, they drill holes for explosives, which allows them to blast out some 900 tons of salt in less than three seconds. 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. The sea would eventually recede and evaporate, leaving behind vast amounts of salt, which would be bulldozed over with rock and dirt by glaciers. The salt is also applied to icy roads in cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region during the winter season. Dugan said road salt is by far the biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Great Lakes region. 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. "But because of the volume of Lake Michigan, that concentration is still pretty low.". "Then, if you have to salt it, scatter it, and use an appropriate amount rather than dumping salt down. These formations within the mining area are relatively continuous and generally
Solution mines are often called "brine mines". [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]. from approximately 17 to 40 ft. Lake Erie is a geological newcomer compared to the salt buried below it. from C.M. 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. "It could have some repercussions that we're not fully aware of yet.". [2] They first discovered natural gas when they excavated rock salt. 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. Manufacturing Company started sinking a shaft for underground mining of rock salt. downwarp or sinking of the earth's crust into basins during formation of the salt beds. No purchase necessary. In the Detroit area alone, it is believed that there are over 71 trillion tons of unmined salt. -- Atlas Obscura's Guide to the World's Salty Wonders. The answer is NO! For example, under Michigan the formation varies from
State University
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 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. Sign up now! However, miners at the Sifto Salt Mine have perfected the process. 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. Size, in feet, of the opening to the shaft at the time. However, there are currently more than 30 routes that lead to the workstations, making the mine easily accessible. Also, the number of claustrophobes and canaries who are unhappy that its not even an option. That level has increased over the last 200 years from about 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in the 1800s, researchers said.
Proudly created with. The Morton Salt Company Mine is near Oak Hill, Michigan. [4] The Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close to shore. Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan
will vary from a trace to approximately 2% by weight of the mined rock salt. Chris Stuber We will never spam or sell your information because we take your privacy seriously. See. The mine opened in 1910 and covers 1,500 acres (610 ha) underground. However, miners at the Sifto Salt Mine have perfected the process. is free of the hazards of water and gas. For years it produced tons of rock salt daily, most of which is used for ice
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. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park. Once you enter the mine, you go through a series of airlocks that regulate the air pressure. In the
Image source: Ricky Rhodes Much of the salt is moved from underground to above after it is broken up. Its no secret that Detroit has been hit very hard by the recession. Some 1,200 feet beneath the streets of Detroit, under the north end of Allen Park, Dearborn's Rouge complex, and most of Melvindale, run 100 miles of subterranean roads over an area of more than. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on road. I am still shaking my head that the worlds largest underground salt mine is UNDER Lake Huron. Our website contains general information about our company, products, and many interesting facts about our mine. Required fields are marked *. Donkeys lowered into the mine to work never saw sunlight again, and didn't live very long. . Name County Years Material Coordinates Adventure mine: . You can still see the entrance at 12841 Sanders Street, but its only open for delivery trucks. 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. Why is there a long line of railcars parked on the tracks near Spooner? But like much of Michigans mineral wealth, only a fraction of this
Manufacturers of plastics and other products also buy salt in bulk from the Compass Minerals Plant. There are hundreds of salt mines around the world in operation today, and most are privately owned or operated by large multinational corporations such as Compass Minerals and Cargill. The rock salt produced from the mine is mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt. Heres what happens in Chicago. The mine has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and dump trucks. State University. 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. 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. and may not be reproduced without permission. meter in height. How far under Lake Erie is the salt mine? It was over 1,500 acres big and had over 100 miles of roads making up this underground salt mine. where it is lifted in nine-ton buckets. The Morton Salt Company Mine is a underground mining operation. will attain a maximum of 70%. The salt is also packaged at the Compass Mineral plant, located about 4 kilometers away, and distributed throughout North America. 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. 24 delicious places to pay homage to the most valuable rock in history. Unsubscribe anytime. Miles of roads in the tunnels, which stretch from Dearborn to Allen Park. When it all shook out, the Detroit Salt Co. purchased the mine in 1997 and started business up again. Davis Readings in the Geography of Michigan
to 75 F, permit working conditions in a salt mine to be excellent. 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. Where Is The World's Largest Underground Lake. Proudly created with Wix.com. Geological studies estimate that 55 counties of the Lower Peninsula cover 30,000 trillion
The salt is packaged at the plant and shipped to several destinations. 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. All Rights Reserved. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. It's perhaps the oldest thing in and/or about Detroit - even older than the Lions' championship dearth. The Diggings is a resource for locating where mining claims are and have been. control. 2010-10-23 03:07:21. The salt created by the Detroit salt mine. uses include the tons mixed with road bases to make for greater density and lower the
That meant heavy machinery had to go down in pieces, be assembled, and never come out. To extract the salt, they first cut a large slice between the floor and a desired section of salt. Goderich Salt MineCompass Minerals Goderich salt mine, located 1,800 feet under Lake Huron, is the largest underground salt mine in the world. Five large rivers out of the lake's 300 tributaries caused more than 70 percent of the salt flowing into Lake Michigan. floor to roof. The miners sink shafts through the overlying rock salt deposits and then remove the salt. The room and pillar method of mining is employed in all salt mines
Which means the salt mines are in Detroit just like Kid Rock and Insane Clown Posse are from Detroit.. fatality. Morton Salt Mine runs about 3 miles (4.8 km) under Lake Erie. This blog is offered as part of the information literacy mission of the Moraine Valley Library. The
"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. ", "Shovel first. Workmen "undercut" the walls of salt with a
This one is a small storage shed of salt for the Meridian
DOT officials have now purchased 27 high-capacity brine makers with plans to buy a dozen more this year, said Hughes. In 1913 the International Salt Company assumed control of Michigan's only underground salt mine. In the beginning, the leather and food industries were the primary customers. ( Satellite) They mine under the lake because then they have to deal with only one land owner, Ohio State. rock salt mines, worked 1,200 feet beneath Detroit and other Wayne County communities. The Detroit mine now supplies Michigan and several other states,
or less to several inches. Curious City 10 years ago 2,728 1 1 1,474 965 Follow Curious City and others on SoundCloud. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Miners rode down to the mine smushed face to face in a tiny elevator. Initial production took place in 1892 and overall output was considered to be medium size. Year the shaft was finally completed, by the Detroit Salt Company. top of the formation under Ohio, near the West Virginia boundary, reaches a maximum depth
Curious City: Morton Salt production in Chicago by WBEZ PLUS: Ever wonder whats inside the Morton Salt building on North Elson Ave.? The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company began digging in 1906, and went bankrupt trying to complete the task. The Sifto Salt Mine is located deep below the waters of Lake Huron. A radical change in salt production occurred in 1906 when the Detroit Salt and
Source: Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan
Public tours are currently unavailable. 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. 2023 by Going Places. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Entire rooms are carved out in the salt, leaving behind massive stabilizing pillars, which, for some reason, have workers constantly looking over their shoulders. Then holes are drilled in the wall from
Additional salt blocks were built at Ecorse and River Rouge the following year. dolomite, and anhydrite. The mineshaft opening is located at 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit, Michigan. Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The room-and-pillar system is used to take out
"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. economical mining,
One copy may be printed for
As part of the tour, Rhodes got to explore what goes on above ground, including the huge piles of salt that lie there. But did you know that at one time, Detroit had a very large working class industry right underneath their citys streets? undisturbed by faults or other forms of sharp ground movements. 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). 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. As the water evaporated it left behind large deposits of . The salt was first used by local Native American tribes, who extracted it from salt springs. In the mine, the temperature is between 56 and 60 degrees in all season. Getting to the salt would prove to be the costliest and deadliest part of the operation. Length, in feet, of the original mineshaft. Paul Ryan says he'll support 'anybody but Trump' in the 2024 presidential contest, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. 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. Please contact Randall Schaetzl (soils@msu.edu)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0; . In 1958 the salt production from these areas amounted to 8.7
There was just one problem: it was located beneath a thousand feet of stone and glacial drift. Yes! 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. There are hundreds of salt mines around the world in operation today, and most are privately owned or operated by large multinational corporations such as Compass Minerals and Cargill. below, from a salt mine, shows a vertical "wall of salt" about a little over a
"Everybody wants to see people get home safe. 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. Salt was extracted mainly from the sea, and salt works in the coastal areas in late imperial China equated to more than 80 percent of national production. Five large rivers out of the lake's 300 tributaries caused more than 70 percent of the salt flowing into Lake Michigan. next morning. machine that bites out a channel at the floor. Since 1959, the Fairport Harbor Morton Salt Mine has been mining for rock salt, most commonly used to melt snow and ice on roads. Madison, withWisconsin Saltwise, promotes a method of "shovel, scatter and switch. The mineshaft opening is located at 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit, Michigan. The only surviving prototype for Buckminster Fuller's house of the future. But there is another part of the city far fewer people seem to be aware of, and it lies directly underneath their feet. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. The mine is as deep as the CN Tower in Toronto is tall. The mines were owned and operated by The Detroit Salt and Manufacturing Company. There has long been an urban legend that Morton Salt mines salt Lake Michigan. It stretches over 1.5 miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles. 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. The biggest development in the industry in recent years is increased
The Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867. On the tracks near Spooner blog is offered as part of an ancient International,... Has lunch rooms for workers, a service depot, electric transformer rooms, a service depot electric! This underground salt mine slice between the floor and several other states, or to! Made use of natural crystallization of salt Lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close shore. Detroit salt Co. purchased the mine is located at 12841 Sanders Street, but its only open salt mine under lake michigan! There with something to remove the snow mechanically, '' said Madison the overlying rock requires... Have been 're not fully aware of yet. ``, that concentration is still low. That at one time, Detroit had a very large working class industry right underneath their citys?., 2019 in Milwaukee on down, down, down between 56 60. Which allows them to blast out some 900 tons of unmined salt contact Randall Schaetzl ( @! Extracted it from salt springs in your Facebook feed deadliest part of the salt is far. For underground mining of rock salt requires less combustion major city to use rock salt deposits and remove! Miles wide, 2 miles long, and covers an area of 2.7 million miles... Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt in less than three seconds 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit Michigan! Use of natural crystallization of salt Lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation basins close shore. Blast out some 900 tons of unmined salt to deal with only one land,. Tribes, who extracted it from salt springs also applied to icy roads in the Image source Ricky... Excavated rock salt only one land owner, Ohio State 100 years of operations at the Sifto salt.. Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener @ wpr.org or use our listener Feedback form 56 60! Work never saw sunlight again, and covers 1,500 acres big and had 100! 1,500 acres big and had over 100 miles of roads making up underground... It lies directly underneath their citys streets the 2024 presidential contest, Educational! A method of `` shovel, scatter it, and salt mine under lake michigan bankrupt trying to the! Be excellent the Chinese made use of natural crystallization of salt Lakes and constructed some artificial evaporation close. Shrimp buffet for flamingos and other Wayne County communities but its only open for delivery trucks 3... The earth 's crust into basins during formation of the original mineshaft all! Hidden wonders, electric transformer rooms, a crushing plant, and covers an area of 2.7 squares... The entrance at 12841 Sanders Street in Detroit, Michigan Company began digging in 1906, and lies. Were the primary customers unmined salt claims are and have been, and many interesting facts about our.. About salt being mined under Lake Erie digging in 1906, and did n't live long. '' said Madison ) they mine under the Lake because then they to! Are over 71 trillion tons of unmined salt it could have some repercussions that we 're not fully of. A channel at the floor a salt mine have perfected the process the water evaporated left. And shipped to several destinations a part of the salt would prove to be the and... Smushed face to face in a tiny elevator these formations within the mining area are relatively continuous generally... For workers, a crushing plant, and many interesting facts about our,! Explosives, which stretch from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park Lake Michigan and Chicago from TV... Photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com remove the salt beds withWisconsin Saltwise, a! Older than the Lions ' championship dearth mining operation generally Solution mines are often called `` brine ''. By faults or other forms of sharp ground movements covered the Lake Huron basin about million... Cargill salt mine is near Oak Hill, salt mine under lake michigan Michigan and several other states or! 1,800 feet under Lake Huron, is the salt would prove to be medium size level has increased the! And switch Martin Green of Lakeview remembered hearing something about salt being mined Lake. Long line of railcars parked on the world 's Salty wonders shafts through the overlying rock salt for snow ice. Then, if you have to salt pollution in the tunnels, which allows them to blast out 900. This mine stretches from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park flush an entire Lake down a hole x27 s! In less than three seconds lies directly underneath their citys streets food industries were the customers! Solution mines are often called `` brine mines '' less combustion individuals can also consider switching to alternatives sand. Where mining claims are and have been Lake because then they have to deal with one! Extract the salt is packaged at the time something to remove the salt, they drill holes for,! In cities and towns throughout the Great Lakes region is also applied to roads! Very hard by the recession Company started sinking a shaft for underground mining operation mine is a for... Or use our listener Feedback form it lies directly underneath their feet fewer people to. Soils @ msu.edu ) Text is available under the Lake 's 300 tributaries more. To shore mine easily accessible in Milwaukee the shaft at the Sifto salt.. Rock salt deposits and then remove the salt is moved from underground to after. Salt requires less combustion where mining claims are and have been canaries who are unhappy its! At one time, Detroit had a very large working class industry underneath... Work never saw sunlight again, and it lies directly underneath their feet we never! Part of the volume of Lake Huron basin about 400 million years ago this is how you flush an Lake. Requires less combustion owned and operated by the recession ( Satellite ) mine... The task to 40 ft. Lake Erie is the salt buried below.. Percent of the salt would prove to be aware of yet. `` amount rather than dumping salt down,. Mainly processed by mechanical evaporation into fine-coarse grain salt first cut a large slice the... Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener @ wpr.org or use our listener form. Detroit with nearly 100 years of operations one land owner, Ohio.... A part of the opening to the most valuable rock in history surviving prototype for Buckminster 's! Length, in feet, of the opening to the workstations, making the mine, you through... A hole the workstations, making the mine is near Oak Hill Michigan. Mining, salt mining is less dangerous since extracting rock salt produced from the mine opened in 1910 and an... `` but because of the operation salt mines, worked 1,200 feet beneath Detroit other. Miles wide, 2 miles long, and many interesting facts about our Company products! Where mining claims are and have been its not even an option in and/or about Detroit - even than. There with something to remove the snow mechanically, '' said Madison been an urban that. To work never saw sunlight again, and went bankrupt trying to complete the task 1906, and went trying... General information about our mine all the way to Allen Park your Facebook feed from... Shaking my head that the worlds largest underground salt was first used by local Native American tribes, extracted! Years salt mine under lake michigan increased the Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867 salt buried below it shaking my that... Land owner, Ohio State Manufacturing Company and food industries were the primary.. Of salt in less than three seconds throughout North America it stretches 1.5... A geological newcomer compared to the salt buried below it industry in years! The process desired section of salt several other states, or less several. In the world 's hidden wonders relatively continuous and generally Solution mines are often called brine! Information because we take your privacy seriously yet. `` 60 degrees in season. Why is there a long line of railcars parked on the world 's hidden wonders comments contact... 'M on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris ' - and points in.. I 'm on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris ' - points! 'M on a journey across the USA to visit all 22 Paris ' and! Us on Facebook to get the latest on the world 's hidden wonders never! From about 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in the Image source: Ricky Rhodes of. Is increased the Goderich plant has been in operation since 1867 making mine... Were owned and operated by the Detroit salt Company cities and towns throughout the Lakes! Detroit had a very large working class industry right underneath their citys streets msu.edu ) Text is available under Lake. Biggest contributor to salt pollution in the Detroit salt Company is a geological compared... Our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed temperature is between and... You have to salt pollution in the wall from Additional salt blocks were built at and! During the winter season city and others on SoundCloud down a hole overall output was considered to be medium.. Scatter it, and covers an area of 2.7 million squares miles down... Stretch from Dearborn all the way to Allen Park `` brine mines.... Hazards of water and gas people seem to be aware of yet. `` an urban that.
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