306 



UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES 



of the total iron in the iron-formation of the Lake 

 Superior region. Processes applicable to utilization 

 of iron in silicates and carbonate as well as in 

 oxides in the Biwabik Iron-formation of the Me- 

 sabi Range would be applicable to iron-formations 

 of other districts in the Lake Superior region and 

 elsewhere in the world. If the cost advantage that 

 would be derived from centering more of the na- 

 tion's production in these large deposits would off- 

 set any possible increases in costs of processing the 

 bulk iron-formations, the Lake Superior region could 

 supply much of the nation's expected needs for iron 

 for centuries (Michelson and others, 1970; Roberts 

 and Crago, 1948). Thus, the requirements for land 

 areas for iron mining and associated beneficiation, 

 waste disposal, and transportation facilities would 

 be minimized if more of the iron in the Lake Su- 

 perior iron-formations were utilized. 



The potential iron-ore resources in manganese- 

 iron-rich nodules on the sea floors may be worthy 

 of further investigation because of the possibility 

 that many other valuable products could be ex- 

 tracted from the nodules. These include manganese, 

 copper, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, and titanium. The 

 nodules, however, are probably only of minor po- 

 tential value for iron. 



SELECTED REFERENCES 



Aim, M. R., and Trethewey, W. D., 1971, Mining directory 



issue: Minnesota Univ. Bull., v. 74, no. 7, 245 p. 

 American Iron Ore Association, 1970, Iron ore, 1970: Cleve- 



land, Ohio, Am. Iron Ore Assoc, 127 p. 



Carr, M. S., Guild, P. W., and Wright, W. B., 1967, Iron in 

 the United States: U.S. Geol. Survey Mineral Inv. Re- 

 source Map MR-51 (with 20 p. text). 



Deily, R. L., 1972, Iron ore and steel: Eng. and Mining 

 Jour., v. 173, no. 3, p. 94-97. 



Button, C. E., 1955, Iron-ore dejyosits of North America and 

 the West Indies, in United Nations, Department of Eco- 

 nomic and Social Affairs, Survey of world iron ore re- 

 sources: New York, United Nations, p. 179-208. 



Gross, G. A., 1965, General geology and evaluation of iron 

 deposits: Canada Geol. Survey Econ. Geology Rept. 22, 

 v. 1, 181 p. 



Institute of Gleological Sciences, Mineral Resources Division, 

 1971, Statistical summary of the mineral industry — 

 World production, exports and imjwrts, 1964-1969: 

 London, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, p. 147-174. 



James, H. L., 1966, Chemistry of the iron-rich sedimentary 

 rocks: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 440-W, 61 p. 



Michelson, R. W., Polta, J. J., and Peterson, Prin, 1970, 

 Evaluating the economic availability of Mesabi Range 

 taconite iron ores with computerized models: U.S. Bur. 

 Mines Inf. Circ. 8480, 99 p. 



Ohle, E. L., 1972, Evaluation of iron ore deposits: Econ. 

 Geology, v. 67, no. 7, p. 953-964. 



Roberts, H. M., and Crago, W. H., 1948, Reserves and the 

 competitive position of Lake Superior iron ores: Min- 

 neapolis, 9th Ann. Mining Symposium, p. 1-15. 



United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 

 1970, Survey of world iron ore resources: New York, 

 United Nations, 479 p. 



U.S. Bureau of Mines, 1972, Commodity data summaries — 

 Iron sections : p. 72-76. 



[published annually]. Minerals yearbook. 



Wimpfen, S. P., 1971, Iron and steel imports: Skillings 

 Mining Rev., v. 60, no. 10, p. 1, 8-10. 



