Introduction extracted from page 1 of the report:
INTRODUCTION The Lake Superior region of northeastern Minnesota has long been known to have potential for the occurrence of valuable mineral resources. These include copper, iron, nickel, silver, gold, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, anorthosite (a source of aluminum) and others. Occurrences of these mineral resources are known in the Keweenawan volcanics and intrusives (including the Duluth Complex) and Middle Precambrian sediments.
In rocks similar to those in the Lake Superior region of northeastern Minnesota, silver has been mined east of Thunder Bay, on Silver Islet; copper with silver has been mined extensively in northern Michigan; and copper-nickel mining has been proposed in Ontario, 15 miles north of Grand Portage. In Minnesota, extensive copper-nickel deposits have been discovered in the Ely-Hoyt Lakes area.
The Division of Minerals of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has the responsibility for the administration of approximately ten million acres of state controlled mineral lands in Minnesota. A large portion of these mineral lands are in the Lake Superior region of northeastern Minnesota. In order to properly administer the mineral lands, the Division of Minerals continually evaluates the mineral resource potential of these lands for various land use considerations.
In 1976, a program was initiated to evaluate the mineral resource potential of the Lake Superior region of northeastern Minnesota (Figure 1). This program includes: A determination of the types of mineral resources that could occur, based on the geology of the region; a survey of the literature, exploration data, and historical records to determine the nature and location of reported mineral occurrences; and field examination and laboratory testing of reported mineral occurrences.
In 1976, this program concentrated mainly· on native copper occurrences described in this progress report. Presently, an extensive survey of the literature, exploration data and historical records is underway for all mineral resources in the region. Field examination and laboratory testing of reported mineral occurrences, of all types, will continue during 1977-78. The entire area covered by this program is more than 3,000 square miles (Figure 1).
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Report 132-1: Mineral Evaluation of the Lake Superior Region of Northeastern Minnesota - A Progress Report on Field Surveys.
(9 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, 317 KB)
Authors: W.H. Listerud
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A georeferenced study area map of figure 4 in Report 132-1 (zip, 876 KB) This image was georectified for display in GIS software products.
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