Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

The company closed the mines down because of the cost to keep the water out of the mines... I don't know if the mines ever reopened... the smallest piece they could find was the size of a house and they didn't know how to mine it.

Not sure if you been on the Quincy mine tour recently. A while back they built a cog railway starting behind the hoist building which takes you down about 600 vertical feet below the shaft house where you board a tractor / wagon and drive horizontally into the mine for the actual tour. Below that point (the next 5000+ ft) the shafts are flooded.

The quantity of vein copper in the ground during the mining boom was quite interesting to me. One of Larry's lecture points that always stuck with me was the miners' biggest challenge - making the sections of the extremely malleable pure copper small enough to fit into the hoist cars and handling them underground. When I went to pick out my copper specimens, the seller had a chunk of float copper about 2' x 2' x 0.5' and I could barely pick it up. I can't imagine trying to move a piece the size of a small car around underground... by the light of a couple candles. Those miners certainly earned every dollar they put in their pockets.

Ryan J

[Scrum Bucket]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

The History of the Copper Country was the best elective I took at Tech. Wish I had kept the book, but I was poor! Even though I was born there, a lot of that stuff I never knew.

Any more Shawhan interviews from recently out there floating around on the web?

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

I did as well. The best elective I took as part of my degree. I'm glad I left Tech with an appreciation for some of the local history. Since this thread has turned into "Economics of the UP" I'll throw in my two cents... made partial of copper! Ben Stein thought this had to do with "something D - O - O economics... Vodoo Economics", but I'm not sure...

Realistically, the reason mining isn't booming in the UP is that it isn't cost effective to extract right now. While the copper ore content may not be a good in AZ, it is cheaper to make a mile wide pit in AZ than to try and follow a pure copper vein 6,000 ft underground in the UP. Most of the major veins have been mined out of the UP. So until new technology comes along to make that type of mining more cost effective, UP mining is on hold. An example of new technology is companies coming along and reprocessing the waste "stamp sands" that were discarded by the mines decades ago. This started with dredges decades ago, and it continues today.

Active UP copper mining may be minimal now, but I did my part and exported roughly 15 lbs worth to Colorado during my last trip to campus back in March. (I had a really fun time explaining those in my carry on luggage...) Now I have a couple nice display items extracted from UP years ago as a reminder of my time at Tech and its rich mineral history (float copper on the left, vein copper on the right).

Nice copper specimens JJ.
There was a long article in the Mining Gazette today about the Gay stamp sands overtaking the Big Traverse Bay area. They are in need of dredging the channel out that way. It is a very interesting read. They mentioned about how they might get the copper out of existing stamp sand Check it out. You can read some articles out of the Gazette at no cost again.

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

In 1971 there was a labor dispute and a Federal mediator was brought in, but was unable to get anything done. He as a good friend of one of the Business Profs. He talked in Fisher Hall after the negotiations failed. Very interesting talk about the behind the scenes. The company cloed the mines down because of the cost to keep the water out of the mines. Since I graduated after that I don't know if the mines ever reopened. Two rumors that were going around at the time were that the cooper was so pure in could be turned in to wire, but the by produces were gold and platnium so it was refined, also they had found a vein of cooper that went from Houghton/ Hancock to Isle Royal, but the smallest piece they could find was the size of a house and they didn't know how to mine it.

I heard that too. About a huge vein in Superior. My grandfather mentioned that to me many years ago. They better not touch the Big lake for mining copper. No way no how!

[<3_Blizzard]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

The other problem you see with modern mining operations is that the labor is specialized so people move in with the company, take the minerals out and then move out with the company when they're on to the next mine...doesn't really end up helping the local economy at all...

I don't think it responsible to say it doesn't help the local economy at all, maybe the long term impact isn't what some would hope but there is an impact, especially in the short term. These employees have to live someplace while they are here, be it a house rental, hotel, etc. The same goes for eating and entertainment. Not to mention this specialized labor force is typically better paid than the local labor pool resulting in more discretionary income that they spend while in the area.

Lets not forget about local vendors and suppliers that benefit from supporting the operations all of which helps local businesses which in turn means additional taxes.

Is it the same impact as if they were to hire 100% locals with a long term commitment? No, but I'll still take it.

[mtu_huskies]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

I sure would've been nice to hear from the coach via an interview with Dirk or something to get his take on topics shortly after the new coach announcement. We also need another goalie for next year, I would've liked to hear what Joe is thinking about addressing that.

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

It appears that Gary Shuchuk will not be returning to the coaching staff.

Inside word says that Ellsworth has interest, but his asking price may be too high to find a compromise. I'd put it at less than a 20% chance that it ends up happening.

[bose301s]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

It appears that Gary Shuchuk will not be returning to the coaching staff.

Inside word says that Ellsworth has interest, but his asking price may be too high to find a compromise. I'd put it at less than a 20% chance that it ends up happening.

Dear God I want this to happen.

[MTUHuskies]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

It appears that Gary Shuchuk will not be returning to the coaching staff.

Inside word says that Ellsworth has interest, but his asking price may be too high to find a compromise. I'd put it at less than a 20% chance that it ends up happening.

No link to the Go Fund Me page to help pay Ellsworth?

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[Huskiefan906]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Nice copper specimens JJ.
There was a long article in the Mining Gazette today about the Gay stamp sands overtaking the Big Traverse Bay area. They are in need of dredging the channel out that way. It is a very interesting read. They mentioned about how they might get the copper out of existing stamp sand Check it out. You can read some articles out of the Gazette at no cost again.

My family had a cottage here growing up. I visited again last year while in town for the NMU/Tech home and home and were shocked to see the pier almost halfway cutoff with stamp sand. The Army Corp used to dredge often. Now it seems not an important priority.......

[giwan]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

My family had a cottage here growing up. I visited again last year while in town for the NMU/Tech home and home and were shocked to see the pier almost halfway cutoff with stamp sand. The Army Corp used to dredge often. Now it seems not an important priority.......

There was discussion of using the stamp sands for the particles on roofing shingles. The copper in the sands would stop growth such as moss etc on the shingles.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

There was discussion of using the stamp sands for the particles on roofing shingles. The cooper in the sands would stop growth such as moss etc on the shingles.

How quickly would the roofs turn green though? Sooner than the usual lifespan of a standard asphalt roof, the same, or later? Or was that not even a concern due to the concentration levels, or the fact that the copper would help preserve the roof regardless of any corrosion?

Regardless, let's not forget, there are a finite number of stamp sands available for production, so I'm sure the costs were higher.

Some of my favorite pics are from that beach - from the right angle, you could almost be standing on a post-apocalyptic Earth, or the moon.

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

How quickly would the roofs turn green though? Sooner than the usual lifespan of a standard asphalt roof, the same, or later? Or was that not even a concern due to the concentration levels, or the fact that the copper would help preserve the roof regardless of any corrosion?

Regardless, let's not forget, there are a finite number of stamp sands available for production, so I'm sure the costs were higher.

Some of my favorite pics are from that beach - from the right angle, you could almost be standing on a post-apocalyptic Earth, or the moon.

I read in Tech Topics some years ago that the copper content in the stamp sand near Gay is of the quantity that is needed when making asphalt roofing shingles. It would save a step in the process of how the shingles are made.

Research was done on this at Tech, but it was determined if the shingles were made near Gay it would cost a lot to build and bringing it to market would be another cost factor unless rail could be returned or it be shipped out of that location by barge.

[MTUHuskies]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Coach Shawhan will be on Mix93 with Dirk next week.

https://twitter.com/DHembroff/status/875462408223019008


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[The Troll mtu86]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Someone tell Dirk to post a day and time... or do we just have to listen everyday and be surprised.