Photo: NASA, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Iron mining has been part of Marquette County since the 1840s. Today the industry rests mostly on one operation, the Tilden Mine south of Ishpeming.
How it works
Tilden opened in the 1970s and is run by Cleveland-Cliffs. It mines low-grade iron ore, grinds it fine, separates the iron and rolls it into small pellets. The pellets are hauled by the Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad to the ore dock at Presque Isle in Marquette and loaded onto lake freighters bound for steel mills.
Tilden is unusual because much of its ore is hematite rather than magnetite, which most iron mines in the region work.
The Empire Mine
The neighboring Empire Mine near Palmer was idled in 2016. Its pits are visible from space next to Tilden’s. The closure cost hundreds of jobs, and the area has watched Tilden closely since.
Why it matters
Mining jobs pay well, and the mine supports truckers, machine shops and suppliers across the county. Property and tax payments from mining help local governments and schools.
Cliffs has said it is studying how long Tilden’s reserves will last and how to extend its life. That question will shape the county’s economy for years.
