Lake Superior Project – Reserve Mining and Silver Bay, Parts I & II
Beginning in 1956, the Reserve Mining Company dumped its waste rock, known as tailings, directly into Lake Superior. The newly-created town of Silver Bay was the site of its taconite processing plant, creating taconite pellets from low grade iron ore. But for every ton of pellets produced, two tons of tailings were funneled directly into Lake Superior at the rate of over 60,000 tons per day, or an estimated 45 tons per minute. By the 1960’s there were growing environmental concerns related to Lake Superior water quality.
In this two-part series, producer Martha Marnocha explores the history of Silver Bay and the events that led to a landmark environmental lawsuit related to Reserve Mining Company and Lake Superior water quality.
Read the full transcript here: LSP_Reserve Mining text
View of the Reserve Mining tailings ponds at Mile Post 7, three miles northwest of Silver Bay. Courtesy of Save our Sky Blue Waters.
Research Sources
Publications:
Count the Pickets in the Fence: Carl D’Aquila
Iron and Water: Grant Merritt
The Reserve Mining Controversy: Robert V. Bartlett
“This Vast Pollution…”: Thomas F. Barstow
A Community of Character: George R. Slade
Documents:
Reserve Mining Company’s Proposed On Land Tailings Disposal Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Minnesota DNR (1975-76)
Mile Post 7 West Ridge Railroad Relocation, Dam Extension, and Stream Mitigation Project, Minnesota DNR (2024)
Proceedings from Conference: Pollution of Lake Superior and its Tributary Basin, Minnesota- Wisconsin-Michigan, U.S. Department of the Interior, Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
Lake Superior Project is supported in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
